The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-03

| Rev. Thomas r. Payne's first service,
| last night. under the auspices of Gtern-
sey hall pulpit, was a decided success.
In some respects, the service departed
from the traditional lines OF formal
! religious service. We refer especially
| to the introduction of the reading by
! Cora Morris Griffin. But instead of de-
| tracing from the impressiveness of the
! service, Miss Griffin's splendid render
| ing of Longfellow's "Sandalphon" deep
! ened the value of the whole service.
The whole service from the sacred song
service to the violin offeratory by Irma
Myers was helpful and inspiring. Next
Sunday night the address will be on
Religion and Success in Law" and
will be given by Attorney T. j. Chase,
of Wilkes-Barre.
| For his opening talk from the Guern-
sey hall pulpit, Mr.. Payne took for his
subject twentieth Century Problems.
, We give the address in part:
Mr.. Payne's Talk.
! He who believes that God controls His
universe, must believe. 1f he would be
consistent. that the twentieth century is
to be better than the centuries that are
behind it. In spite of all their good, in
which we rejoice. the golden age was
not in the past, but is in the future. The
garden of Eden was not in the past, but
is somewhere in the future.
Now. vast as were the achievements Of
the centuries flown, never to return, es-
pecially of the nineteenth century, the
accomplishments of the century we have
just entered upon will tower above them
as Alpine peak towers above foot hills.
AS intelligence. opportunity and accom-
plishmcnt increase, so do social desire
and struggle advance. God has forever
linked the two together. There can new
er he the absence of the latter. unless
there is stagnation of the former. No
greater problems, therefore. have ever
veXed and batied the world than will pre-
sent themselves to men in the century
across whose threshold we have Just gone.
What are they? YOU ask. Let ME try
to tell you briefly:
7. The first problem is found in con-
nection with truth and its wise appica-
tion. | use the word truth in its in
elusive sense. After thousands of years
of study and research and accomplish
mcnt. We think we know about all there
is to he known. But the realm of truth
is still ineXhaustible. Mankind has only
penetrated the outer shell a little way,
here and there.
The Christian Church.
II. Another great propIem of the new
century is, What is TO become of the
Christian church. Midst much error,
malice wrong and sin. the church.
through nineteen centuries, has done a
great work. and been a great factor in
human progress. Is she still to be? Is
it true she is losing her hold on the peo-
pie? Many of her wisest men say Yes"
fear so. If this is true. 1t is because
the great denominations today stand for
little that is positive In faith. practice
and discipline.
You once knew where tho great
churches stood. Do You now? I fear
not They are after numbers today more
than purity of doctrine and righteous liv-
ing.
ITT. The third problem is found in the
question, What is to become IN tho twen-
ticth century of tho submerged masses
of mankind? Are they TO sink still fur
thcr out of sight, or are they, responsive
to the call of God in truth. improved
environment and general progress, to
make n struggle for the surface?
~. Still another problem is found in
the great wealth of private individuals
and the vast corporations formed by
them How should We regard these?
Why. primarily sympathetically We can
all see that both are needed today in the
worlds development But at the same
time we should be determined that they
shall be slIbServicnt to law.
V. fifth problem pressing upon pub
lie Intelligence and conscience today lies
in the determined organization of labor
How shall We regard 1t? 1t too has come
to stay. 1t is capable of great, good to
those who are in it. and to mankind at
large in spite of the opinion of some
people to the contrary Like every organ
ization made by fallible man. it has its
faults. The good we want to conserve,
the bad We want to help it slough off.
Human Government.
VT. The last problem, ] want to mcn-
tion tonight. pressing upon the new GEN.
fury for solution concerns human Eovern-
ment At the close of the twentieth CEN
fury. which theory is TO he dominant in
practice, the DcspotiC or the Democratic?
In this country we have been accustomed
to say that this problem has been solved.
But. is It. Too many fear, men of intel
lgcnce and wisdom. that once again dur
ing the present century the old despotc
theory is to strive for the ascendency.
Briefly, my friends, I have tried to
sketch for YOU tonight some of the mighty
problems that will come up before you
and me, and our children, during the
century upon which we have entered, for
solution. Are we fitting ourselves for the
high work God is calling II sto do.
Are we trying to get at the truth OF
things? Arc we strong In the instincts
of right, justice, sympathy and mercy?
Are we schooling ourselves, first of all. to
ask our own souls. "What would God
have me- do in this matter?" Are we
profoundly convinced that these problems
will never be solved right, and so stay