The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-07

;, Philadelphia, Oct. L. come to the
a call to come. l think the civilization
Of your country, with all it's great pos
sibllities as an engine of happiness, may
yet become, a burden to bear down q
necessary to saving spirituality. L
think that l am able to inject this
leavcn of the simple, the sincere and
the natural, and it is my gospel that
to do" said Rev. Charles Wagner, the
distinguished Alsatian preacher and au-
thor. NJ. Wagner is now on his first
| visit to this country. 'Of all the cities
of this big country, with which I have
made acquaintance thru reading and
said NJ. Wagner, Philadelphia. claims
the greatest share of my curiosity and
seemed to me to typify, in very prac-
teal way, the doctrine preach. True,
l expect to find much Of the Quaker
spirit that marked its founding swal-
| lowed up in the tremendous movement
of modern life and activity; but, even
| so, the place will be none the less field
| Of study Of peculiar interest to me, if
only because of the fading Of that spirit
of the old time and the old habit
M. Wagner speaks English haltingly,
when it is considered that he has been
thinking in English,' as he expressed
it, for but three months. He began
to study the language about year ago,
when he first gave Mr.. Wanamaker a
promise to come to the United States.
He is sturdily built, rubicund, slightly
of his ffty-two years, twenty-five of
which have been devoted to what he
calls his Emission of hope and work to
make men realize that they are men
before they are anything else." He
is to devote the week to an inspection
Of the city in it's every guise, and then,
next Sunday, in Bethany Presbyterian
in an address to the congregation and
at meeting to mark the fourteenth
anniversary of the Brotherhood Of An
drew and Philip. "The more objec-
tive my talk may be,'' he explained
''the more effective it always proves
Philadelphia before talk to Philadel
phians. A man who tries to do mis-
sionary work along spiritual lines in
an unknown field needs must be sub
jective, SO that he talks in general
ties. AS a child at school obtains 8
better idea Of country's shape ant
dimensions from a map, so does gath
more from the preacher who uses, when
ever possible, the object-lesson.'
He was asked if his allusion to thu
Quaker founding Of Philadelphia indi
Gated a special regard to the Friends
! teachings and practice.
ITO the extent that the Quaker
have their religion in the spirit rattle
answered. II have made no specia
: study of their religion or their precept
, beyond that afforded by opportunitie
for observation: have noted tina
{ their work is always useful-to them
/ selves and to others. If they prose
! by the process of Finding fault wit
t and casting stones at the faith of thos
d not in agreement with them.
j. "Your Franklin has ever been on
f of my heroes. Your Lincoln was al
n other SUCH, Your president, who is m
g is, in my thought, an uncommon mai
! have had letters from him-le ttel
,. that praised my books and that Shove
l. simple, lovely character maintaine
l. in high position and amid the gres
It embarrassments that must accompan
It that position. feel certain that sha
l. find him to be what I have Judged hi
% to be.' = .%" 1&
f "You feel, M. Wagner, that yot
t, doctrine can be applied to the ever,
r day life as it is lived in the great il
n dustrial cities Of a vast. moving, pr
'e gressive, restless nation9'
IT feel that it can be applied an
m where and by everybody, for it h;
70 nothing to do with the outside. l fir
rs the heather here as the missiona1
e finds the heather in the places whe,
- .civilization has never been. My me
re- sage is to the civilized, who are II
g spoiled of the earth. With civiliz
ID tion comes a drying up of natur
a promptings-a pessimism ,cumul
e. tive spirit exemplifed best by the que
L ton, Whats the use9' Simplicity
y, heart-a new ear for the promptings
at the soul-means to civilization tn
en- hardened just what water means to t!
90 parched earth. What preach can
!. taken into the heart Of every ma
8 mind cultured or informed =.
e. DERBY DAY PROLONGED.
q Good housekeeping. Il