The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-10

Mans Moral Nature Is Neces-
sary-Must Be More Than Health
lily and Humanity Good-Bad in
Logic and Morals, Says DR.. Israel.
The Tribune printed, a week ago to-
day an editorial commenting upon
the case of Elder Gould, of Bellwood,
Neb., whose conduct, to all outward
Appearances, was Puritanically proper
and yet who proved TO be the embeH-
zler of upwards Of 100000 1t was
pointed cut that there is such q thing
MS being too good and in following
out this line OF argument, the editorial
said
"The point in Gould's case, and
all other cases of u similar nature,
is that it does not do 10 be too good
In every man there is about so
much natural cussedness which will
have to find vent during the course
of his lifetime. 1t can be damned
up for a time; but in that event it
is likely to accumulate until it
bursts the restraining influences
ment.
Our observation is that the man
who does not try to be unnaturany
cOod, but is content with being just
heaIthily good, or humanity good,
with n reasonable spillway for the
outflow of natural tendencies.
makes, in the long run. the safer
fellow in a position of trust"
At least two clergymen in the city,
Rev. DR.. C. M. Gif1in and Rev. DR..
Rogers Israel, do not agree at all with
the Views above expressed and they
didn't hesitate to tell people so yester-
day. DR.. Gifiin spoke in the Elm
Park church last night before a large
congregation, taking for his theme,
Newspaper Ethics, or Can a Man BE
Too Good" He chose two texts: Ec-
clesiss stes vii: 49, BE not righteous
overmuch," and Romans vi: IA, For
Sin shall not have dominion over you"
One text, he said. advised against
showing too much external devotion,
while the other told of the complete
deiiverance of man from the control of
sin. The question as to which was the
proper standard of living, he said, can
only be answered by saying, 1.-The last"
The first text does not represent the
true sentiment of the author of Ec-
clesastes, he said, being something eX-
traneous to the main question under
discussion.
DIR. GIFFlN'S DISCOURSE.
Il have considered it my duty" said
he ito speak in protest against an edi-
soria. utterance which appeared a few
days ago in a paper I read. I speak
not in the spirit of savagery, but with
indescribable sorrow. A cevS
tain pessimist of the press gravely in-
forms us that what is in us is bound
TO come out, and th,t it is prudent to
let a little Of the bad out every little
now and then, for fear it will work
our destruction if kept in bounds. We
are told that there is such a thing as
too much holiness and that a man can
be too good
I'VE are told that we must consent
10 the little vices, that we may keep
from being slaves to the larger ones.
1t is not good to be too good, says the
sneering pen of the editor. In these
days of civic corruption, when condi-
tons have become so defiled that every
God-fearing man covers his face with
shame, ii is extraordinary that even a
suggestion should be printed that
would have a tendency to check what
impels towards right living.
When I first came face to face with
the editorial in question and talked
with people about it, I came to the
conclusion that it was foolish to talk
OF people being too good. l thought of
Hans Christian Anderson, who was
mortally afraid Of being buried alive
and who used to pin a note on his
coNellet every night, saying, 4 guess
I'm only in trance | got the idea
INTO my head that ii would be a Wise
!hing lf every church member Wore a
badge or button inscribed with the
words, i am good, but not too good
lust humanity and healthily good
The spirit that prompted that edi-
torial makes man look with Il saulnt
OF approval upon the open shame of
the great American fnancier who re-
Gently played for high stakes at Monto
Carlo and by so doing caused an ele-
ment OF alarm in financial circles
After all, 1t is written, this man only
does what other Americans do Thus
Is endorsement given to habit. which,
II allowed to continue unchecked.
threatens to undermine the moral sol
idlty of the American public.
Its an exceedingly valuable thing
FOR the newspaper writer's every time
some poor, professed saint slips down
They rush into print and talk about
pious frauds and hypocrites and all
that. In this particular case the facts
as stated in the article itself show
the unfarness of the citizen. The man
was not good at AL, He was a pro-
fessed liar all the time. He WAS play
ing part for fifteen years ana ad-
mitted 1t himself. Yet he is criticized
for being too good.
ONE AS SOON AS OTHER.
Il should as soon say to the young
men in this church tonight: Young
men, don't be patriotic, but keep your
eye on Benedict Arnold who was a
traitor 10 his country as I would to
say don't be too good, keep your eye
on the Nebraska cashier. the confessed
hypocrite.'
II object just as much to pious
frauds and canting hypocrites as any
man in the community, and | will
consent as 4 pastor, 10 the passage
of laws by the legislatures of every
commonwealth, providing for double
punishment for criminal acts commit
ted by protesting church members, but
l would suggest to the editor who sits
down TO write homlly upon danger
Gus devotion, that he find man as am