The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-07-20

scarce taken his sea- when a good
brother arose and said: "Criticising
the church is small business. The
church is all right; at any rate, this
church is all right"
The Illinois farmer listened to the
TRADE which was so Unexpectedly
hurled at him, and then arose, saying:
1T is well for me hat l came here to-
night. l never before supposed that
there was a perfect church, composed
of perfect men and m Out west,
where i live, all men and women ac-
knowledge hat they are imperfect,
and they are praying for salvation. l
will go back home and tell the old
folks that there is a church commun-
ity in Washington which is absolutely
perfect, and without sim"
There was no reply TO that innocent
sarcasm. But such things should not
occur in alleged Christian commun-
tiles. There is neither reason nor ex-
cuse for any community to boast of its
perfection, nor its approximation unto
perfection. The churches in this city
are no better than the churches in
other cities, towns and villages. And,
likewise, the churches and societies in
the various cities and communities OF
this republic are not perfect. They
have neither right nor reason to sup
pose that the national capital is a hot
bed of corruption: and that it needs
the guardianship of the reformers OF
innumerable communities, who might
better be engaged in casting the beams
out of their own eyes, before they look
for the mote in the eyes of our people
here in this ten-miles-square, which is
the home of the federal government.
When the congress is not in session.
particularly, this is q model city. The
people who are so anxious to regulate
the morals of the army posts n the
spiritual development of this city
might well employ their time and tai
ents in selecting model men to repre-
sent them in the national house O.
representatives. 1t is when the con
gress is in session that the hotels
make their big money" as they call
it, by their all-night poker games with
liberal sales of champagne n cigars;
all of the most costly brands. 1t is
when the congress is in session that
the "~strange woman described in
Holy Writ infests this city. 1t is
when the congress is in session that
the national capital needs the guard
ianship of the moral elements OF the
nation. Therefore, let the people whit
want to make this a perfect city qul'
sending here as their representatives
men who worship themselves, instead
of worshiping their Creator; who wor'
ship their appetites and passions, wei
knowing that they are safely screened
by newspaper men of small caliber, to
whom they offer small official ta1ors
Thus is plain talk, of course; and II
is all true. But you must not imagine
that the people send nothing bu'
! sporting men to the national house o
representatives. Quite the contrary
There are 357 members of that body
. Fully 300 of them are reputable an'
z worthy citizens. But the people whit
: want this to be n model city usual.
, elect so or more common scrubs ever
two years, and they leaven the who'll
, lump with impurity and d~isrepute.
a So don't allow yourselves to imagin
that this community needs a nationa
guardianship. 1t don't. 1t is one Q
the best governed cities in the worlc
1t is a credit to the republic, and t
e every citizen of the republic. Petition
Il for the betterment of the city IN
l. valueless. Let the people send onl
" proper representatives to congress
,, and the national capital will be a
D, right. SMITH D. FRY