The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-13
SOCIETY OF BEGGARS.
A Matter Worthy of Serious
Thought by the Churches.

The London Society of Church Beg.
gars, spoken of in Sundays Times,
must certainly have the courage of it's
convictions. 1t has placed itself before
the world to day as opposed to cause
that is supported wherever the Christian
Church has found q footing and in so do
ing they will provoke criticism in every
quarter. The cause, however, is one
that must commend itself to us. 1t has
been and still is the subject of thought
by all churches and other religious enter
prises that felt themselves compelled to
resort to schemes of various kinds in
order to raise funds. These schemes are
for the most part harmless and are en-
dorsed because effective, but there are
some that are recognized i'll certain local.
tiles which, however innocent they may
be in the use to which they are put in
this connection, are not so in their orig.
inal design in the eyes of the world. The
Society of Church Beggars has for its
object the abolition of church entertain
ments for financial purposes. They claim
that the dignity of the church and of re-
ligion is menaced and they believe that
this may be avoided and the same ends
gained in other ways. That such things
are distasteful to some is beyond a doubt,
yet it is equally true that there nre others
who seem TO think that as long as the
advancement OF good cause Is con-
cerned the means should not be consd-
cred. Here may enter many arguments,
both pro and con, in which might figure
the questions of faith and of those being
helped who help themselves in affairs
religious rs well as secular, but it still
remains that the feeling of sanctity and
of the quiet, snftened, religious atmos-
phere pervadiDg the SANITARY itself is not
compatible with the business.like, ,merce
merry festivals ind entertainments, with
their attendant ratings, games of chance
and noisy auctions. Surely there must
be other methods than these--take relia-
ION and it's influences into the world if
you will and it's effect will be reactionary
for the good of both But do not take
the world into religion; it will degrade
the one perhaps and give the other n
wrong idea of what the church and its re-
sponsibilities are. We cannot therefore
keep from wishing growth IN Jail the
world oil the sentiments embodied in the
London Society Of Church Beggars and
we trust that the day will soon come
when dignity in religion will follow as
surely rs religion itself.
The condition of the road leading out
of the city by the old Stock Yards Hotel
is still the subject Of comment. Follow
ing what we had to say about it the
OuEer uty W. nave reCelNeu IL leJUcC from
n prominent citizen who comes in to
town by this road almost daily. What
he says is even more to the discredit of
those who have it under supervision than
aryth ng that has been said before. The
substance OF his letter is that often ladies
coming into town are actually afraid to
drive through the Tinker creek ford and
that they pay some one to take their vehi-
cles across while they walk over the foot
bridge. They fear being upset for one
thing, and tor another they are afraid to
drive their horses by the slaughter house
which is located just there because the
awful odors coming from it makes driv-
ing dangerous. 1t Is right hard on people
that they should get along with their
teams until they reach the very outskirts
of the city and should there have to pay
some one to drive them in. 1t is even
more. it is shame. Such condition of
things is almost as sure TO injure a town
as ifa wall was built around it and spikes
driven in the top to keep people out. 1t
partakes more of the dark ages when PEG.
pie walked or rode on horseback, but even
then the approaches at least to the cities
were good. There is no excuse for this.
The worst of it all is that there are other
roads in a condition almost rs bad. 1t
would be nice to drive some of the dele
gates to the coming convention to Coy
ner's Springs or to Hollins and to take