The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-08
Exchange Notes.
Gleanings of Editorial Opinion.
ArborDay.
IN ,w York Advocated

bosrDay.
IN ,w York Advocate.)
1t is a"eeautiful and growing custom for
the chllasen to plant trees on the day
which has been POLITICALLY and practically
set apart as Arbor Day, and when they
plant they should be. taught the inestim-
able value of forests.
hundred years agorAmerica was rich
in fine timber lands, but the greed for
gold has set the sawmill buzzing at the
roots of our magnificent pines and oaks,
and, in consequence, the blessed springs
and water courses have fed
''When the hills are. forest clad.
Fruitage makes the valleys glad''
The government has set apart about
forty million acres, as forest reserve, and
it is step in the right direction, if we
would leave to posterity bounteOus, and
not barren, land.
An Endowed Baptist Press.
(The Standard.Di
No, please do not endow Baptist news
papers so that free copies may be sent
into every Baptist homer We thank our
wide-awake Michigan correspondent for
his suggestion, but that is not what is
needed. Such free distribution of de-
nominational literature would, at best
only meet the demand in part. The de-
mand is for ministry and membership
endowed with sanctified common sense to
know that without an enlightened people
there can be no adequate appreciation of
the necessities of missions, and that re-
ligious kno Wedge and missionary intel
ligence and enthusiasm can best be Sc
cured by the circulation of our denomina-
tional papers. The demand is for an ac-
tive, aggressive campaign to get the peo-
pie to pay for the papers and to read
them.
Character by Contact.
(Zons Herald.)
Very few Christians fully realize the
missionary value of character pure and
simple. Yet it is, perhaps, the most po-
tent of all evangelizings agencies. 1t is
the man, and not the presentation of
doctrine, over and over again, that leads
the sinner into betterr life Read the
story of it in such a book as Mrs Wards
"A Singular Life,i' where the Christlike
character of the young mission preacher
drew within it's circle of influence so
many children of the slnms, and nourished
in them the divine life Literature is
full of it-this testimony to the redeem
ing power of character. Men and women
come into intimate touch with good
man, and are made good They seem
to imbibe character by contact. The vir-
tue of the good man passes in to them, as
did the virtue of Christ into the woman
who touched his garment.
Religious Inertia.
(Chrlstian WORK.
In organizations of any kind, those parts
which do not in some manner contribute
to the support and efficiency of TIE or
ganization become detIiment In 10
connective, in tree, in the human body,
every member is help or hindrance
The Church is an organization. Every
member in it has his, place and potency
If any one fails to perform his allotted
part the result concerns not himself alone,
but the entire body. The system is
thrown into disorder. All the rest of the
members are hindered in their purposes.
Just as much work has to be done. The
number to do it has been diminished.
Either the faithful ones must make them
selves equal in power to those who refuse
to work. or the work must suffer Just in
proportion to what has been lost by their
idleness, But one man can only do one
mans work. One man may be able to
inspire and conduct many others. But
one man, however willing, cannot supply
the deficiency of another who has his al
loted part and leaves it untouched.
General Disarmament.
New York Observer.)
We fear that those of us who have been
looking forthe speedy disarmament of the
nations, and the settlement of interna-
tional difficulties by arbitration, are far
in advance of the times. For if the pres
emit conduct of Greece, Turkey and Spain
teaches any lesson at all, it is that the
desire to fight is that which nations will
sacrifice most to crafty, and the power
TO fight the last element of national life
which they lose. Here are three nations
practically bankrupt, and with every in
ducement to maintain peace and devote
their energies to productive labor. Yet
on provocation to war, which with each
could have been avoided by small COM
promises which would not have greatly
affected national pride, they place on
their frontiers within few weeks, or
send over sea, armies varying in number
from 100, 900 to 200, 600 men. 1t is not true
to say that this is the work of the gov
ernments alone, which regard themselves
as trustees, and so must be keenly self
regarding as respects national honor.
For the peoples are quite as ready to
fight, and at the first summons forsake
their avoeations and join the colors,
though they know that they will have
nothing save qualification of the fighting