Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26

moral influence of those who create public
sentiment.
But in Washington there Is no such
counteracting influence for good in the daily
life of the commonwealth. Washington is
not commercial city, manufacturing or
business center; and it is yet become an
educational center. 1t is, indeed, a great
political center, but it's best statesmen and
politicians are chiefly nonresidents, who
cannot be expected to exercise, with their
families, the same kind of conservative in
fiuence in Washington that they WELD in
their native city or state. The whole bur-
den of this, in consequence, falls upon
Washingtonians themselves, and they must
by themselves and by their own public
spirit from the conservative power which
protects the best life of the capital of the
nation with it's traditions. History shows
that no influence in the past in preserving
all that is best and nobest in social life
can equal that of the Christian religion. 1t
has been the salt of the earth Here then
is our opportunity.
Washington is today religious city, and
this fact becomes all the more inspiring to
those who are patriots as well as Chris
tians, when they remember that all
through the first century of it's existence
ii has been have said a govern
mental city, in which the dominating in
huences We're those of our national life
itself.
when we compare it's tone of life, in this
respect, with that of other cities of the
Union, Washington gains by the COMPARE
son.
I'VE may not have the commercial man.
ufacturing financial advantages of other
places but we have this signal religious ad-
vantage, and the question is, shall this
characteristic of Washington be preserved
through the twentieth century also, or will
II be lost?
Observed by Public Spirited
ALREADY those changes which 1 have
mentioned have been observed by the most
public spirited oil the older residents of
Washington; already this religious advan-
tage is being classed, along with the old
time simplicity of Washington life and man
ners. as 'hOmespun provincialism;' already
the parasitic plant of diiettantism is twin
ing itself around, and sitting the life of the
brave old oak; already thoughtful people,
not only of our own church, but of all other
Christian bodies are recognizing the pres
ence of a common danger, and this in itself
has created a subtle and unconscious bond
OF union between the clergy and laity of
those Christian bodies whatever their re-
ligious differences may be.
IF in looking back upon the past we
Christians all behold a great religious adj
vantage, what should be our attitude, when,
in turning toward the future, We find that
door of opportunity slowly closing?
THE times call for action, for drawing
together of all who feel sense of obiga-
ton in checking the change that has taken
place In Washington life; and for a move
ment in which the various Christian bodies
may unite together, in a common cause
against a common foe, which assais all
equally, and yet which none of them alone
and by itself is strong enough to cone with.
becomes all the more pressing. from the
fact that We have a common ideal The
one aim before Us all is the formation of
that type Of character, which - only cre-