The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-04-19

emberShip the same mental and moral
incompetence which had kept them
poor in the world profane. In word,
most of the men and women who are
endowed with acquisitive talents which
make for bank accounts, would natu-
rally find the attraction of the world
much stronger than those of the Chris
tian commonwealth. 1t is only mod
ern case of "how hardly shall they that
are rich" etc.
1t follows, then, logically enough, that
the larger part of the membership of
such a society would be made up of men
not only poor, but men with a talent
for remaining So Even in men Of a
very high type of mind and conscience,
dsproportionate mixing of the guile
1essness of the dove and the wisdom of
the serpent is fatal to those useful fac
ultieS which preside over the bread and
butter industries that rebone human
society. Some of the results of the dis
proportionate mixing of celestial and
terrestrial proclivities have been noted
by Emerson in his essay on experience:
'At Education Farm, the noblest theory
Of life sat on the noblest figures of
young men and maidens. quite power
less and melancholy. 1t would not rake
or pitch ton of hay; it would not rub
down horse; and the men and maid
ems 1t left pale and hungry"
With all these perpleXities the Chris
tian commonwealth has had to contend.
Like America, it opened it's arms to all
with onlymoral restrictions), and in
both cases the incoming guests have not
always furnished an occasion for hilari-
Gus exultation. Even when new mem
bers could meet the necessary ethical
requirements, their empty-handed adj
vent could scarcely elate a colony that
has subsisted on rations averaging a
daily cost of three cents per capita. In
these CHASTITY figures, one may read the
slow and silent tragedy of The Chris
tian Commonwealth" The members OF
the society, which now numbers ninety
five, have thus far displayed an i'm
mense amount of pluck and grit; but
even grit cannot survive Indefinitely
on daily three-cent diet, consisting of
aenemic vegetables and corn or
shorts" The expenditure of vitality re-
quired to maintain life, not to mention
any of the Christian graces, on such
starvation regime, is not a subject that
invites pleasant reflections. That deaths
should occur from a prolonged season of
such high" thinking and plain starv-
ing was foregone conclusion. But
whether the deaths which have actual
ly occurred were the result of the fam
inc menu cannot be known positively.
A further curtailing of this luxurious
catering, furnished at three cents day,
~ pf 10y
suit, into which the society was forced
by villainous interlopers, who imposed
upon the hospitality of this peaceful
band. For besides those who went to
them poor alike in spirit and pocket,
there have been others who wore sleeps
clothing, and spoke that which is not"
One of these impostors gave himself out
as bachelor, when he was married;
another attempted to circulate objec-
literature, and a third was
thief
Other undesirable qualities of ma
ture not pronounced enough to warrant
expulsion, have come to light among the
accepted members of the society. 1t is
the old story, the world is 'all-of-
apiece" by whatever name any partic-
ular section may call itself, and at Com
as elsewhere the ''old devil
is not far off," Even in small families,
there is nearly always one, if not more,
who is lazy, or ill-natured, small mind
ed, selfish or incompetent and in a fam
lily of ninety-five it would be extraordi-
nary if there We're no occasion for such
editorial comments as appeared in re-
cent issue Of the monthly published by
the CommonWea
but we know about the other kind
(the lazy kind here. They believe in
the conservation of energy and are
enough in this one thing
to compensate for all their radicalism
In other things" II notice that when
people come here with the idea that
they are at last free from all accounta-
bility to any one, and their own boss
they don't fit In very WELL They are
in Commonwealth. y
The periodical from which this ex-
tract is taken, the Social Gospel de-
serves more than passing mention. 1t
IS rare indeed that one reads any kind
If periodical in which all the articles,
and they cover a wide field of politics,
art and letters, are of such a uniformly
nigh grade of excellence.
Although it has only celebrated it's
irst anniversary, the Social Gospel has
wide circulation in America, besides a
soodly clientele in England, Scotland,
Russia, France, Belgium, Switzerland, |
Japan, Palestine, New Zealand and
Australia. In the most widely separa-
ed corners of the world there are peo-
ole anxiously and sympathetically |