The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-02

to be in a state of distraction. DOUBT
prevails everywhere and pervades ev-
erything, reaching even the marrow of
the Protestant church. Nearly all con-
temporaneous religious thought-at
least as it finds public expression-is
tainted with dissent from the apostles
creed. Ingersoll and his followers con-
tinue brazenly to herald the announce
ment that the Christian religion Is at
last wounded unto death. And the atti-
tude of many Protestant ministers
seems to give the assertion warrant.
The Protestant church has permitted its
faith to become obscured by theological
controversies-with the inevitable result
of empty pews and diminishing reve-
nues. So noted pulpit orator as DR..
Talmadge is obliged to resign because
his church could not pay running ex-
penses, let alone his salary. Even the
aggressive Methodist church is unable
to bring it's missionary contributions up
to their normal level despite the good
times that are supposed now to be pre-
valing. The Roman Catholic church is
experiencing trouble in adjusting itself
to American life and American condi-
tions, but the problem it is seeking to
solve is very different one. The eX
periments it is making in the United
States involve no essential of belief or
doctrine. In the Catholic pulpit is still
preached the simple gospel Of Christ.
Catholicism betrays no so-called lad
vance Of thought along the lines of lib
erality.'
Two weeks ago this morning the Rev.
DR.. w. s. Rainsford of New York city,
an Episcopal clergyman of wide repu-
tation, preached a sermon in which he
said: You must reach the people
through their amusements. Their
amusements now are the saloon, the
dance hall and the theater. I have no
patience with the man who damns these
and offers nothing in their place. The
only way is to give good saloons, clean
dance halls and clean theaters for the
bad ones. If only some of our rich men
would put their millions into the peo-
pies amusements they would work for
righteousness in a way that the church
cannot. Moreover, it would be a paying
investment. If l could I would not build
a saloon, a dance hall or a theater for
the people for nothing. Let there be in
them good drink and good plays, SIM
ply. and let there be no suspicion of
text or preaching. I believe in that and
would carry it to the limit. l have been
talking in this way for nine years. l
tried to make people see that it was
possible to make the saloon-I don't
care what name you call it, I call it
saloon-better; but they would not see
it. They cannot see that great waves
of unrest are advancing on us and that
no people can be permanently great
who are not good, who have not Christ.
God will bless those who quit talking
and put their money in
That is to say, there is no such thing
as spirituality left in the church. The
process of making people good by in
spring them with the hopes and con-
solutions of religion, must be aband-
oned as something too Anticipated to
suit modern tastes. The church must
undergo a revolution as radical almost
as the revolution led by Martin Luther.
1t must condescend to meet the devil
on his own chosen ground and under
| take to beat him at his own game. 1t
must establish neral saloons, dance
halls and theaters. 1t must reach a
mans soul through his physical appe
tites and pleasures. Who wonders that
DR.. Rainsford has been talking in this
way for nine years" without result?
| The betterment Of the saloon, the dance
hall and the theater is a worthy object