The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-08

city government. He believes that
churches and Christians have an obllga-
ton in such matters because OF their
religious affiliations.
NI,et your light so shine that men
may know, how and where you stand on
every question of morals and human
ity," says Dr. Guild.
Believing that it is the life lived here
that will count in the hereafter, and
that the present life is fully as import
church should aim to teach people now
to live their daily lives Alright. This be-
ing the case the church is but fulfilling
its obligation in taking a stand onl
questions of city government. Further-
more the churchman owes it to his cltl-
Zenship.
~ never expect to pose as a Park.
hurst, but as long as l am a citizen and
E. have the rights and privileges of cltl-
zenship, I shall take an interest IN the
affairs of city, state and national gov
ernment,' said DR.. Guild yesterday.
cit is my right and my duty. The fact
that am churchman or even minis
, ter of the gospel does not alter the case.
| The same is true of all churches. There
is no reason why churchmen as IN
dividuals, or united in church organlza-
! tions, should not take a firm stand In
all questions Of municipal government,
especially on questions of morality IL
is high duty.
HIf Christianity is to amount to any
thing, if it is to be sincere, II 1t IS 10
be effective, it must stand for some
thing, and having stood for 1T, 1t musV
make good No political party. can
succeed without principles for which 1t
= stands, and without sticking to those
principles. They are the watchword
and banner of the party. The same is
true of the church. 1t must stand hrm
in it's faith and fight for it's principles.
"The work of the churches OF the
present day is more practical than ever
before Settlement work among Tor
eign peoples and among the ignorant
: other branches Of Christian labor IS as
much part of the church work OF the
present day, as the public school IS
part of the local government of today
Church workers and pastors are daily
coming in contact with economic ano
social problems in the concrete and are
becoming more competent as Judges OF
the needs Of local government: In
these branches of church work the Ell
: fects Of good or bad government are
quickly brought out.
Hordes of Foreigners.
elm America we have today vast
hordes Of foreigners. They come tt
thousands and settle in our large cities
Those from the south of Europe are
slow of assimilation and many are alb
solutely indigestible. It is among these
people that anarchistic and sociallstlt
teachings take easy root and ig grow t. e
pofSbg that p asgss on the
growth Of these political evils to
greater extent than does corrupt and IN
efficient local government. A dsre
gard of government and all that, /
- means is the most dangerous thing tina
confronts the modern American city.
"Inas1nuch as the church is con
stantly working among these element
Of our Heterogeneous population it il
Il directly interested in the administration
of all large cities. Christianity cal
prosper under good government ant
! good citizenship, but it cannot dwei
in peace with anarchy and disorder
- is ferment in such surroundings. Tn
church is working to teach these peopl
how to live honest, clean and healthfu
| lives. It is as much interested in clea7
streets, honest policemen, pure CIT
! water, and efficient schools for ther
as it is in their eternal destiny. TIL
suppression of vice and clean y rphysica
! surroundings are paramount Chrlstla
issues in the city.
- eff the law of the community say
that the saloon, gambling, social eV1l'
law is disregarded, it has an evil effec
upon the entire community. It encou1
ages further disregard Of other law
and the whole social system suffers, /
and gambling is tacitly licensed, tn
81 entire community must suffer. Th
same is true of the Sunday saloon.
] the church is working to help peop]
to live better lives, it must resist ever!
thing that is destroying, manhood.
L. 411- NY,
against its opposition, the church is tn
loser. It loses the respect of those fe
whom it is working. : 1t becomes
laughing stock and byword anon
-e- men for being afraid to stand firm f
what it represents. 1t stands IN TT
coward. The church then is under obi
cations to it's followers and to it's prime
Time is opportune.
"The church has it in it's power
bring about great changes for goo
and no time was ever more opportu1
than the present. The politics of O,
! cities may be purified by energy fu
nished by the Christian church if tn
energy is expended in practical ca i, d1re
Hanley type are the men who posse
the future in politics. Honest, fearle
men, who are willing to stand for I
form, to fight for reform and to pra
tice reform, will succeed. The chur
is awake to it's rights and it's duti'
There is in every community co
I stantly increasing number of resolu
men determined that the administl
lions of the future shall be cleaner a,
better than the administrations of t
/ past. ...
/ cit is not only by objecting to ext
ing conditions that affairs may be i
proved Objections bring about few
- forms until they are backed up
vigorous action. The church, thru
3 members. can insist on the enforceme
of the laws now on the statute boo]
Why is it that Legislative bodies pc
stringent laws regulating vice OF eve
sort and then consider their work don
& These laws are often passed by m
who know that no attempt will ever
made to enforce them. Why do tn
y pass them? 1t is because they are
Z moral towards They dare not. p;
openly vicious laws permitting vice
all it's varied forms to reign supre
a without regulation Of any sort. III
4 know the temper of the general pub
Il They know that such an affront to
Il decency of the public would be ami
H repaid at the polls. They fear the
suits of doing their own will and en-;
-~~lH such laws as are passed simply becal
they dare not do otherwise.
% Here then, is a power in the hal