The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-05-01

and more model tenements.
"'If Christ had been a millionaire,
he would have used his money to build
up character In other people rather
than build magnificent brownstone
palace for himself. But we cannot
imagine Christ as q millionaire.
"'It is as true now as when Paul said
it nearly 20 centuries ago, 1.-The love Of
money is a root of all kinds Of evil"
1t is the curse of our civilization, the
greatest god of the human race today.
"'Our civilization is only partly
Christian, for Christian civilization
means more comforts; ours means
more wants.
verted with his soul, the man will not
get into heaven with it.
There are certain things that mon
ey alone can secure, but among those
things 1t cannot buy is character.
"'An wealth from the Christian
standpoint is in the nature Of trust
funds, to be SO used as the admins
traitor, God, shall direct. 70 man owns
the money for himself. The gold is
plain and repeated teaching Of the Bi
BILE.
1T is not wrong for a man to make
money. 1t is wrong for him to use it
selfishly or foolishly.
line cOnsecrated wealth Of the
men Of Milton could provide work for
every idle man in town. The Christian
use Of the wealth of the world would
make impossible the cry for bread.
"'Most Of the evils of our present
condition flow out Of the love of mon
Protestant America.
eff men loved men as eagerly as
they love money, the millennium would
be just around the corner.
Wealth Is a curse unless the owner
of it blesses the world with it.
"'''lf any man hath the worlds
goods and seeth his brother have need,
and shutteth up his compassion from
| him, how dwelleth the love Of God in
| himT'
"'Christian socialism teaches q man
to bear other peoples burdens. The
very first principle of Christian social
| ism is unselfishness.
| "'We shall never see a better condt
ton of affairs in this country until the
| men of wealth realize their RESPONSE
bility and privilege.
"'Christ never said anything against
the poor. He did speak some tremen-
dous warnings in the face of the selfish
rich.
""The only safe thing for a man OF
wealth to do is to ask himself, What
would Christ do with my money IL he
had it?'
"It would be impossible to describe
the effect Of the Rev. Mr.. Strong's talh
upon the audience. Once the applause
was SO long continued that it was 9
full minute before he could 60 on
When he finally closed with tremen
dous appeal to the wealth Of Milton tt
use its power for the good Of the place
for the tearing down and remodelinl
of the tenements, for the solution Of
the problem Of no work for thousand,
Of desperate men, the audience rose t,
its feet and cheered again and again.
"At the close of the meeting the min
lister was surrounded by a crowd O.
men, and an after meeting was held, a
which steps were taken to form a com
mittee composed Of prominent churcl
people and labor leaders to work, l
possible, together toward a common
end. =.
ut was rumored yesterday that sey
eral Of the leading members Of Cal
vary church are very much dissatisfie
with the way things have been goin
during these Sunday evening meeting
: and are likely to withdraw IL the
continue. They say that Mr.. Strong
! utterances are socialistic and tend t
infame the minds Of the people I
7 l acts of violence. Since the attack o
Mr.. Winter nearly every mill owne
in town goes armed and takes extr
J precautions. Mr.. Strong was muc
pleased with the result of the Sunda
D night meetings and said they had don
: much to bridge the gulf between tn
e church and the people. He refused
8 credit the talk about disaffection
] | Calvary church"
In another column of this same p,
: per were five separate accounts Of th
q desperate condition Of affairs in tt
: town. The midnight hold up attach
were growing in frequency and
boldness. Along with all the rest II
sickness in the tenement district ha
t assumed the nature of an epidemic (
9 fever, clearly caused by the lack I
d sanitary regulations, imperfect drail
e age and crowding of families. Clear
the condition of matters was GROWN
4 serious.
nj At this time the ministers of diffe
J. ent churches in Milton held meetir
a to determine on course of action th'
q / would relieve some Of the distres
J. Various plans were submitted. Son
proposed districting the town to asce
e tain the number of needy familie
Is Others proposed union Of benevOle
'e offerings to be given the poor. Anot
e er group suggested something else. .
q Philips mind not one of the plans su
mitted went to the root of the matte
< He was not popular with the 9th
IL ministers. Most of them thought
d was sensational. However, he ma
n a plea for his own plan, which W,
D. radical and as he believed went to Il
real heart of the subject He prope
e. ed that every church In town, regar
l. less Of it's denomination, give itself
IS it's pastor and members to the practiC
" solution of the social troubles by pt
sonal contact with the suffering a.
,f sickness N the district; that t
N churches all throw open their doors G
1T cry day in the week, weekdays as W
h as Sundays, for the discussion and a
III tation Of the whole matter; that t
le country and the state be petitioned
L 4ol nj 10 ard xarox,idi