The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-02

men which threatens the purity md
Integrity OF oti- nation We shall yet
learn how to deal with Wall Street
pirates, ts civilization learned To bnnisli
outlaws from tho high seas. But our
danger 10 deeper ntd far more deadly.
II Is the power of money overall men.
THAT power rests upon faith inathe8 omni-
potencc OF money When we ones Under
stand how widespread Is the pc er A OF
money we need not wonder 1.-The mania
for It's possession. Think Of ! u! poll teal
power. Despite the splendid 4svic tories
OF reform here and there we must still.
rs calmly as we can, face tlte fact that
IL state can be bought. council be
grated to n corporation. II congress III
duced to see things from d differcht
standpoint, and even cabinet Influenced
to act In tho interest of commercial well
fare. We must remember, too, that In
this land OF democratic simpllclty money
means social power. There are seats at
certain dining tables in our8land which
cost more than seats In QUIZ Senate cham
Der, III our curclessness forshrlstocratic
BIRTH we hold nh ancestral Bblcssng as
lightly as an Esnu. and swapFitgns read.
ily for a mess Of pottagc-ifgit be served
by tho right chef This power has III
vadcd our educational wotld.g91n many
quarters II large cndoWmentsC carries With
1t the right to dictate economic crcctls,
and furnish the historical Interpretations
to be taught. The definitions Of Il mod
ern college president Included tho GU
phemism man of affairs Mark Hop
kins's log is being built into scholastic
hotels Of palatial splendora and proper
tons. and It takes money to keep pace
with the competition. Nethersthas mann
mon halted at the church. We5may finch
If we please, but he has "a Theological
influence and Il homilctic Fvnl,ie.8 Ecclesl-
astical plans require grcattsums to be
properly executed, and the advice Of q
great glver who puts up dollnr for dollar
will outweigh the combined wisdom of n
score of clerical experts.
Purchasing Power"
What is this power when$all is said?
It Is the purchasing power An ugly
word but nevertheless 1t finds a thou
sand neutrality-suspicious. from the Grass
bribe OF theSward politician to the most
delicate attention. fragrant and refined,
Of social life a great financier tells
lis that wages are TO be determined sim
ply BY the market price TO his mind.
and to the minds OF many, wa ges are
noa to be the equitable division of profts
from production, nor fair exchange of
service, but they are to be the purchase
price This conception is the step by
which mammon ascends the throne and
man becomes his servant. Thus It n is
possible to state the value Of a man In
in terms Of money. aud treat him as
property, instead OF as a person. Men
60 from the market to the ballot box,
the board meeting, the drawing room and
the church. and carry with them this
view of their fellow men,. Man is a.
means toward money, They have been
buying and selling men, and they must
deal with them according to the market
price. Every now and again the guess
ton will burst from our hearts:
Have We founded your thrones and
your affairs, then
On the Bodies and Souls Of Liv-
ing Menu"
We cannot wonder al this condition of
affairs When we come to look fairly at
the basal principle Of our commercial
life. Competition for gain is the life Of
our trade. True, 1t has been greatly
modified by Christian teaching, and liml-
ted by legal enactments. But in prin-
clple our law of commerce Is the law
ct the jungle-the weaker competitor is
the natural food of the stronger.
Nov. what has the Church to oppose
to such a system? Let us remember that
the Church has no creed Of political
economy, nor theory of finance, neither
is she back of any pet social programme.
Tc cure this money mania, which is In
the very social blood, she must go far
deeper than this A nation will never
rise above Its own thought. The very
beginning Of the upllft Of people ia
the elevation of their ideals. Therefore,
Christianity is essentially a religion OF
ideals. She offers first Of all an ideal
| man. The Church's task Is TO show the
world the vision OF this man as he
| stands with his face turned heaven.
| ward, murmuring as he leads a race tc
prayer, Our Father which art In
neaven,' until humanity thrills with tht
Consciousness OF It's divine kinship. o.
show him as he turns and putting his
arms about the least OF men, says, my
brother until the poorest life become:
| radiant with a new dignity, and price
less with a new virtue Faith this mar
| means not alone faith In God, but faitl
| in the eternal worth of human per
| onality. Standing by the cross where
| he died for all. the Church is to preacl
| that to gain whole world will not pa!
| FOR the debasement of one human char
reter. Money is TO be translated bacl
| into terms of manhood. For this tasl
the cross must be rescued from the din
religious light gof closets, clolstcrs. AM
churches, and set UP IN the throbbin
marts of trade. where It's 1ight Gal
shine full on the faces Of men. Throug
faith in Christ on Calvary world mus
be brought to believe in the value Of
| mar
! Mans Relation to Man.
B"t'iom faith in the ideal man tn
Church is 10 lead the world to faith |
the ideal relation of man to man. TIL
la the Kingdom of heaven. In that king
6cin man Is TO be OF the first value, an
minis,ering TO the welfare Of man sha
he the highest social service. The churc
is TO believe and teach that the preser
principle of competition for gain Is to /
substituted by the principle OF compe
,ition for service. The most succcssf,
business man should be the one VIII
renders the largest and best social SCI
vice. a man, therefore, should cntt
business. not to gain the most none.
hut TO render the best service to HI
patrons and his profits should be pro