Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-06-14
OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW
written for tho Times Republicnn,

tOuTSlDE POINT OF VIEW J;
s-e-s -s-s-s-e-ss-s-s-ss -!
Written for tho Times Republican.
And now comes the time OF the year
when. SO to speak, religion takes a va
cation. From past experience many
ministers know and realize that during
the summer months their congrega-
tions only require one sermon on Sun
day. Sad to relate, they also know that
many of their usual congregation do
not even demand that and lamentable
is 1t is to admit. many church members
find 1t impossible to regularly attend
divine services during July and Aus
gust. OF course we are speaking OF this
climate of the temperate zone. There Is
nothing to show but what in the lands
nearer the equator religious interest is
kept up With the thermometer in the
nineties. But to us all OF our mental
dishes and enjoyments are affected to
u serious degree as the heat OF the
summer increases. Summer novels and
light reading come with the neglige
shirt and the ubiquitous shirt waist.
Even the student thirsting for knowl-
edge finds continual bodily thirst
Very much interfering with his power
of absorption-mental absorption re
ferred to. And all this seems to have
an irreiigious tone. for 1t implies that
this poor, weak. sinful frame OF ours
sets Its comfort above our religious:
wants and needs. 1t is possible that
hot. stuffy church on July Sunday
has the power to silence the cravings
of the soul for higher and better things.
Can we not "enjoN religion" with the
Thermometer at 100 degrees? 1t seems
not. And so the wise pastor omits the
evening service for three months. AM
the same evidence of wisdom is shown
i'll shortening the sermon in the morn.
! ing service. Curiously enough. the
song service can be given IS usual. i;
does not seem to be so hard on us to
have even a longer musical program
than usual. And another peculiar thin;
connected with this hot weather mem
tai degeneration is that while the hu-i
man body can not endure the stifiling
heat of an assembly room in the church
| 1t is capable of enduring the glaring
sun and hot country road II said body
| is astride bicycle. More wonderful is
| it to see a generally good, regular
church attendant, forced to absent
himself from church because of mis- in
ability to sit in cushioned pew during
the heated term. yet so wonderful is
| the power of the human body in other
respects that the same Individual. can
sit cramped up in a small boat on hot
July Sunday. the boat floating on
| glass-like water and the reelection
equal to the heat of sun glass. This
I3assuming he has wisely protected him
| self With a fish. pole held at the proper
angle to ward of the rays of heat. Now
these conditions exist. They confront
us as Mr.. Cleveland observes more than
theories 1t Is not the purpose of this
screed to inquire into the why and
wherefore of this business. so to speak.
1t has been the misfortune of the
writer to haNe3never been able to sug-
gest anew remedy for public ills. He
has had the good fortune in this col
umn many times to offer the ideas of
Others. And all that has been said in
this article must have occurred to the
citizens of Columbus. Ind. for we are
told that Mayor Caldwell. Of Column
bus Ind. in an interview stated that at
his suggestion congregation in his
town was about to build roof garden
upon its church. Yesterday evening
the Rev. o. G. White. pastor of the
l8Christian church. announced that the
new structure. to be Immediately erect
ed by his congregation, would adopt
the same plan and that n roof garden
for summer services and other religious
gatherings would be laid out along the
lines suggested by the Hoosier mayor y
4.
here is a ten strike. Those who have
attended the light and frivolous enter
tainments given in or on a roof garden,
know that even during heated term,
I with the heat almost unendura Bile in
the streets below. once on a roof gar
| den, life is again worth living. In near
lily all of these places of recreation, lit
lis actually necessary to have a large
A canvass spread along the balcony TO
llprotect visitors from the cool breeze.
This when thermometers ten stories be-
]#low register so degrees above zero. 1t
i is a fact that many citizens OF our
large cities, gladly pay the price OF adj
i nlittance to these places. not so much
4 to see and hear a performance
#I.perhaps they have witnessed dozen
4, times before. but for the luxury of a
i cool air bath. surrounded by mutual
friends. the heatless electric lights and
some other possible adjuncts, neces-
|sarily to be omitted when the religious
4 roof garden Is opened to the public.
4 Right here lest it be forgotten, a free
4 elevator to the church roof garden
must be had. Even q rehgiously in
clined individual will demand that he
shall be carried up on high. AS the
4 writer is probably the first to suggest
this innovation here in town he would
be pleased to point out to church COM
mittees adopting this plan. few other
sIlittle things in the management OF re-
4 ligious roof gardens. that will add
4 much to the attractiveness OF the place
and the enjoyment OF its patrons.
Ali.6Lll15