The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-08
TOO MUCH PEssIMIsM.
Rev. c. II. Strong Says People Too Of
ten Judge Things by what They


Rev. Charles II. Strong Of St. johns
church in his sermon last night disagreed
somewhat with Rev Mr.. Rainsford of
New York and others in their views with
regard to the coming Bradley Martin af-
fair OF $4,000 fame at the Hotel Waldorf
His sermon was the third and last of a
series on the subject Of Christianity in
Business" and his special topic was "A
Pessimistic Outlook and Its Opposite
Rev Mr.. Strong said the tendency of
many people Of the world to-day WIS TO
take realistic view of life, and to be
lieve only what they could see and hear
and feel. This, in his opinion, inclined
to a pessimistic view of life. presenting
the dark side, instead of what is bright
and noble in it. In this connection he
mentioned several examples of literature
and art, showing the effect of the real
istic and the absence Of what is ideal, or
what comes from the Imagination Thack-
cray was the first great realistic writer,
and in his works, Maj. Pendennis' was
perhaps the only really loveable character
TO be found. He referred also TO Sal
tus' idea of woman as creature. VINO
lives only for dress; Zola's love stories,
which are stories of passion and hcen-
tousness and not love, and Nordau'S idea
of criminals, degenerates, as they are call
ed, who are predestined to be criminals.
He contrasted Dickens loveaele charac-
trasted the scenes in which the. artists
nave sought TO portray thought, senti-
ment and FEELING, with the nude, and the
horrible or terrible, In the former of
which, at best, could be seen only beauty
and in the latter nothing that would gt-
tract the higher or nobler sentiments.
With these views Of life as applied to
art and literature, Rev. Mr.. Strong COM
pared business and commercial life with
the man on the one hand, who thinks
commercial honor on the wane and the
one on the other who believe commercial
honor the only thing that will bring sue
cess. In speaking of the trusts, he said
the fault was not with them,-but with
their management. He referred TO the
sugar trust as an example of a case where
labor has not been interfered with and
yet the prices of the product to the peo-
pie have been reduced
Because there are some dishonest peo-
pie in business, Rev. Mr.. Strong said,
IL would not do to put them all in the
said, to say all are wrong because one
or two are known 70 be wrong. That IS
the pessimists view of life. He disagreed
with those who are criticising the COM
ing Bradley Martin ball, and the club
men in New York who give improper din
ners on the idea that these things are
going TO arouse the poor to revolution
at such reckless waste of money, be-
cause, he said, those who make these
criticisms are judging all by these stan
dards. 1t is a mistake, he said to say
because one rich man chooses to waste
his money in reckless extravaganza that
all rich men are like him. He did not
believe In taking the pessimists view of
life, which judges all things by what is
seen around and he looked for the day,
he said, when all men would know and
feel that they must subserve their own
interests as well as those of their fellow
men by uprightness and honor in bust
ness. He was confident that the spirit
is growing, but he hoped in time to see
it full grown,