The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-11-19
A PERTINENT INQUIRY
What II the Matter With the Church P
Il South Omaha !. N :. axes -
Intelligent Answer

Intelligent Answer
Editor Independent: For the past
year have been an interested reader
of the Central Christian Advocate,
published at Kansas City, of which
the Rev. G. B. Spencer is editor. The
question at the head of this article has
been propounded in the Advocate
many times by ministers and laymen
of the Methodist church and all sorts
OF explanations have been given, but
to my mind they have all been short
OF the truth and have missed the ina
portant point. / have been for many
years a member Of the Methodist
Episcopal church and as an humble
layman and an unprejudiced OBJ
server have formed some ideas as to
what is the matter with the churches
which | shall endeavor to set forth
in this article. / have cited the Gen.
trail as an example because / regard
il as one of the best publications OF
its class and have confidence In the
ability and sincere Christian cEarac-
ter of its editor.
| have always been proud of the
record of this particular branch OF
the Christian church, and believe that
the influence for good of the early
circuit riders throughout Illinois,
Ohio Indiana and Kentucky cannot
be oyerestimated. Such men as AS
bury, Ames, Cartwright and Simpson
are the makers of history and their
influence will last for all time. They
had an unfaltering faith in the teach
ings of Christ and a consuming love
for their fellowmen; they had no hesi-
tation in denouncing sin Wherever
found. and any infringement on the
civil rights or liberty of conscience
of the poorest man received from them
the severest condemnation. In that
early period of this church's history,
the sordid hand of conservatism had
not been placed on the machinery OF
government as it has today and with
indomitable zeal these heroes of the
church went forth to carry the light
of the gospel wherever the hardy pio-
neer had gone to establish home.
In this day of trusts, combines, i'm
perialism and the worship of Nam
mon, however, a change has come
about and even in SO excellent a pub
LEGATION as the Advocate you will ind
no words of condemnation for the I'M
holy war of conquest carried on by
cur government in the Philippines. No
rebuke for policy which makes a
farce of the Declaration of Indcpen-
dence and Overrides the constitution,
but rather the argument that this is
Gods way of opening the door OF
Oriental conservatism to the gospel OF
Jesus Christ.
Is it remarkable that the people
lose confidence in the church when it
excuses and abets this great govern
ment in sending standing army to
subjugate a weak people and following
the army with band of carpet-bag-
gers and government favorites to ex-
plot the islands against the wishes of
the people? This, in my opinion. is
one reason for loss of confidence in
the church, but not the chief reason.
In the growth of inordinate for
tunes and the corresp >nding increase
IL. poverty the tendency o. the church
seems to be too much to forget the
teachings of the lowly Nazarine, and
to touch lightly, if at all, the sins OF
the money changers who are able to
endow colleges and build churches
with the proceeds coming from the
blood of the laboring classes through
the operation of special privileges
granted by law or acquired through
the lax enforcement of law.
/ am not one of those who would
condemn the individual who acquires
an enormous fortune through the OPP
Grafton OF law, but rather would con-
denim the system which makes such
things possible. But in the pulpit and
the religious press there Is an UNI
mistakable tendency to bend the
pregnant hinges OF the knee" before
the god of Mammon and excuse the
system because its beneaciaries are
able TO build churches and endow col
leges where false system OF politi-
cal economy is taught
Under a just system of production
and distribution every man who de-
sired to do right would be able TO live
IN comfort aud raise his family amidst