Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-03


will ultimately lie with the Contributors
inherited notions In both state and
church AFFECT the prehefit uee 81 this!
power; but more and more the maes Of
the population perceives that the pow
ers Of the state reside ultimately not la
the rulers. temporary or permanent, but
In the wealth producing classes, leaders
and followers combined. So In the total
voluntary church under q political DEM
ocracy, the powers Of the church are to
be transferred from the priestly or min
isterial Office to the religious claes, lead
ers and followers combined. II 10 an en-
couraging prophecy for the future that
wrought much more good than harm to
religion.
The voluntary church in a democracy
gives its members good deal of prac-
tice in organization for good objects.
There are numerous active organiza-
tons for missionary work at home and
abroad, women's alliances. Endeavor
Societies. Epworth Leagues, Christian
Unions and church temperance socie-
ties; and all these draw their Inspiration
from the churches. which, in turn, they
recruit and stimulate Some of these
societies supply the improved modern
equivalent for pilgrimages to- shrines
namely. instructive summer excursions
at cheap rates for many thousands Of
young people travelling, together in or
der. safety and good fellowship.
OF the 1922 religious organizations
in the United States more than four
seventies are in polity Congregational or
Presbyterian, both these ecclesiastical
politics being democratic and strongly
|anti-episcopal Among the So called
episcopal organizations are included 27,-
019, belonging to the Methodist denomi-
nation, and 4,224 belonging to the Prot
estant Episcopal; but the authority Of
bishops in these two bodies issof a very
mild type, and closely limited. A Meth
odist bishop is. moreover, an officer
elected by the general conference, a
democratic body It clearly appears
from these figures that the great major
| ity Of American churches are real nurs-
cries OF democracy. They contribute to
the instruction OF the peoplesin the wise
conduct Of its own affairs It is natural
that the Christian church should at
length prove itself the nurse Of democ-
racy, for all the principles Of modern
democracy are tersely and persuasively
STATED in the Gospels.
The religious and social work Of
churches in the United States, has been
and will be modified by new sort of
|competition which the freedom of assoc
citation existing in the United States has
created. This competition, being un-
ldoubtedly one of the results of our de-
mocracy, must be taken into account
in considering the working of our vol
untary method in religion. 1t is sup
posed that in the American population
two out Of three persons are not really
members OF any church at all, altho the
churches have many adierents who are
mot members. A considerable proper
ton of the unchurched population has
found some substitute for church in
THE mutual benefit societies, the lodges
lof Odd Fellows, Masons, knights Tenn
lplars, knights of Pythias and 50 forth,
land the oranges. Many OF these secret
associations have some form of mutual
i insurance as their real bond-insurance
lagainst sickness, accident. burial ex-
lpenses, or death: some are temperance
societies, and some are intended to pro-
mote the interests of special occupa-
ltions, like farming, for example. Nearly
all OF them have from time to time polit-
zeal or Industrial objects. These socie-
] ties enlist many millions OF American
linen and women, and answer for their
members some of the objects which for
lmerly the church alone answered.