Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-09-22
a NATlON'S SHAME.

49, fh''S ~ ''iV -, 80 $500.
of an unlettered shepherd who am
bearing an awakening message of con-
ieInnatiun and eXlortation which fell
m leaf ears. The temptation is strong
% follow the course and
% pitch into backslidden Israel, that
would be easy and comfortable, and
you'd cause no embarrassing questions
,r criticisms. 1t is always safe to con-
inc ones self to abstract truths or to
the dead past.
Besides being out of chronological
order. this lesson is designated as q
topical one, 10 introduce Il study of
present-day social conditions, especially
with respect to temperance. The evils
against which the shepherd of Tekoa
cried out have their analogies in our
own time. and IL is the part of wisdom
to be open-eyed to them. That is Il
foolish optimism which lulls itself to
contented inaction by the song of pros
perity and progress. A land In which
flourish, as open shames. the inhuman
,~weatshop, the horrible traffic in
mothers daughters. the traitorous bar
tering of public trust for private gain.
the insidious spread of the gambling
spirit among young men. the amazing
righteousness and idleness of certain
classes. the growing mateyialism of the
times. the all-pervasive liquor evil
such a land has need of its Ainoses. n
its day of arousement.
A LESSON IN CITIZENSHIP.
1t is Il hopeful sign, and altogether
proper. that the fourteen millions of
members of the Sunday schools in
North America should devote this day
to the theme of citizenship, in an en-
deavor to obtain a square look at pres
ent social and political conditions ana
ut present duty. With a presidential
election impending and interest in ma
tional affairs at Il height, the time is
opportune for calling the attention of
young people to their duties as Chris
tian citizens. They cannot too early
learn that. over II beyond their indl-
vidual duty with respect to their ma
tional and civic relations, the church
as Il whole has a mission to perform
toward present conditions. h does
not dwell in the dead past. Her duty is
10 the living present.
The hope of the state is the church;
not by Il political lance of the two
that can never exist on this continent
but by the church, in her teachings and
spirit. permeating the life OF the people.
If the great reforms of today which
.ty aloud for action are ever to come
10 pass they must be brought to pass by
| Christian people. AS our nation was
| established or religious principles n
from religious motives, so it must be
preserved and purified by the men and
women whose highest law is Thus
saith the Lord"
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
In the loneliness of his shepherd
vigils, and by his occasional visits to
the market places to dispose of his
wool, the soul of Amos had been stirred
by the debauchery of Israel. When he
could hold his peace no longer he left
his home and set forth on his mission
as a preacher and reformer. with no
other credentials than the knowledge
that the Lord had spoken to him and
meant to speak through him. Unwel-
come but unwearied. he proclaimed the
evils which he beheld-greed, bribery,
materialism, the oppression of the poor,
intemperance, lasciviousness, idolatry.
Priest and p%otentate opposed him, but
he still spoke on in clear, brave tones.
caring little for what men thought of
Amos, so long as they heard his mes
sage.
Is not this one of the needs OF the
nation today-men who see far and
widely, and whose love of country is
undistorted by partisan prejudice or
private interest, and who will cry aloud
the truth of highest citizenship, rebuk-
ing the evil and UNFOLDING the good
Every minister should be such a one,
and every editor, and every teacher;
and in his or her own sphere, however
limited, every man and woman who
loves his nation and his nations God
The present is an occasion for every
Sunday school teacher to play the par
of the prophet Amos.
A LIVING ISSUE.
Follow the r-amifications of any form
of vice or corruption and you are GER
tain to LAM shortly in a liquor saloon
The evil of intemperance is closely an(
inseparably bound up with every othel
evil, and none knows this SO we'll a.
the mar of the world. So a study o
the temperance question-and this il
the quarterly temperance lesson OF tn
Sunday schools-is really a basal stud.
of social evils in general.
Just now renewe interest and i'm
petus has been given to h question b,
the opening of the famous Subway Sa
loon" in New York, with Episcopa
sanction. Starting with this incident
for it is only an incident. the pro an
con of the general subject should b
considered. Leave in allegiance tn
hackneyed stories which usually err
bellish a temperance lesson. and try I
consider this living issue in present da
fashion.
HOW TO TREAT THE TEMPER
ANcE QUESTION.
This is a big subject. How to handl
it Is in itself no small problem. On
easy n comfortable and common wa
IL 0Sdl WILL NCliiPCL iAN - =
pour Walls of vituperation upon TIL
other man who does not think as 20
do. and to condemn him outer darl
ness. This method offers room fo
plenty of fireworks and strong speec
and self-gratufation; but 1t doesn't az
complish much. A few weeks ago
was in a meeting of several thousan
persons at which a famous evangeli!
was answering questions. One arder
prohibitionist asked II the men WI
voted for other parties than his, an
thus lent ~cOuntenance to the liqus
business, were not condemned of Co
and, implicitly, bound for the brimstor
lake. With gusto and assurance tt
evangelist declared that they wer
which statement ELECTED prohibition al
plause and made the democrats ar
republicans look glum. The spectac
was one to make the judicious prohih
zionist grieve. Where was the tempe
ance, modesty and brotherliness Of SUI
a statement? This great and pressir
liquor problem Is not to be solved /
any such farcical performance as thi
Incorporate speech will never beg
temperate conduct.
MOVING PICTURES AND TEMPEt
ANcE.
The DAY Of the old-fashioned. lachr
-A.A k~-~aponna <pnAt-nnavk xns, e.