Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16

to another. from one standard to another.
It thinks 1t Is advancing. and so it IL
and women In 1t are slipping backward.
1t is killing itself by inches. It will die
Of sheer exhaustion; It will wear out both,
the brain and body Of the individuals in
what 1t Is pleased to call the march Of
progress. Society has become a reient-
less machine. which brushes out all that
should make life worth living. l do not
know how you have attained your posi-
ton. but I can guess that It has partly
been through the ruin OF other men, and
that you have done much that you will
not care to think about on your death
bed. Take the tradesman who sells adul-
terated goods and calls it the custom of
the trade; take the artist who paints
popular books, the musician who com
poses popular music, the lawyer who
prolongs litigation. the laborer who shirks
his work and robs his master OF an hour
and the most honest. in that he does not
profess to be an honest mantle criminal
the common type Of all-the man who
steals
He paused and his whole body quivered
with emotion. His hands were clenched.
His eyes glowed with the flre OF enthusi-
asm. His very attitude hreathed out de-
struction.
yes" said Mr.. Lampirthy, softly.
What 10 the evil genius Of all these
men7 What has destroyed their honesty.
has prostituted their art, has made them
desire for noney-to be got honestly, II
possible, but got at any price. This IL the
boosted result OF all the centuries Of civil
lixation. and this alone. Men are no hap
artistic, more learned. save In science.
than they were In the time Of Julius
Caesar They have railways. telephones.
motor cars and all the various toys which
ment Of money making and pleasure But
they have nothing else and they have lost
much. And the evil that is threatening
the whole race with mental and moral de-
struction 10 the pursuit Of money: But
and by Gods help l will!'
For a few moments there was silence.
Father Francis stood erect as a soldier,
and his face, haggard, wild and unkempt,
was clearly defined against the back
lionairs sat calmly in his chair. the en-
bodiment of passive resistance.
You are a dreamer" said Mr. Lam
pirthy, IAN idealist. There is nothing
practical in what you say What do you
is, admit. all paramount in the modern
social system? II you destroy, you must
r. by the help Of God viii replace and
th saS IDOL sns set The dr,sp
Of the true God. There 10 only one force
which is strong enough to combat this
evil. and until recent years II has held
its own. Not long ago it was more
wealth. It was the one thing which men
feared and honored, and for which they
were willing to give their lives and happi-
ness. 1t is the belief in a God--you can
call 1t religion. II you will
Religion" snapped out Mr.. Lampirthy.
religion.
IN Christianity there are Catholics and
Anglicans and Noncomformists: there is
the Greek Church, and believe tho Sal
walton Army has done much good. Yet
all have failed"
YES replied Father Francis. "An
have failed. But it was not always so.
At one time the church was a power
second to none in the direction of human
affairs. Then It became q tyrant. Then
mon rose against 1t and overthrow it. 1t
is now a mumbled creed. a house divided
against itself. In another hundred years
it will be a ruin
And how do you propose to infuse life
into this dying giant? How do you hope
and earnest men have failed? Are you
better more clever. more earnest?'
God forbid that should boast" Father
Francis replied humbly. but have had
years have been alone in the deserts Of
Arabia. Ny brain and body have been re-
moved from all worldly influences.
have seen things clearly. My vision has
been unclouded by the smoke and dust
thought. At times I fancy ! must have
heard tho voice Of God. 1 have prayed.
and I have seen tho vision of q now
world. in which religion Is q living and
actual force, in which all mems actions
standard set up for US by Christ. in which
the ceAtral idea shall be that man cannot
live by bread alone. That IL the world
which saw In the silence OF the wilder
ness
"A dream" said Mr.. Lampirthy, kindly.
the world of . visionary. the Utopia
which good men have always hoped for
but impossible in these days. You can
not put the clock OF civilization back
ss two The so whole
pose to fight against the whole world?"
II shall preach the word Of God" the
enthusiast replied, in q low voice 1.-The
simple teachings OF Christ. which were
doctrines have left their influence on all
the world. They swung mems minds out
Of darkness into light: but now people
are slipping back into darkness again
the darkness not of barbarism but of ul
REHABILITATION. I intend to organize
great crusade. in which men of simple
lives shall 60 through the length and
breadth of England and preach the doc
tr1ne OF simplicity and honor and truth.
l shall endeayor to inspire these men
with all there Ia in my own heart, make
them see with my eyes and hear with
my ears. And these. in turn. shall light
their torches. and put them to the fuel.
and send the blaze Of enthusiasm through
the country as fire sweeps through the
dry grass of prairie. And England
shall light up tho worid.'
The fire will 60 out said Mr.. Lam
pirthy. There 10 nothing new In all this.
Religious REVEALS are common enough.
They blaze up like fireworks and all Is
darkness again. They are merely emo
tional outbursts, and experience has
shown that the human mind cannot be
kept at high pitch of emotion for
long"
Il am quite aware of that" answered
Father Francis. land did not como here
to waste my time and yours in trying to
make you q convert to emotional religion.
/ am conscious Of the defects in all re-
vivals. and that is why 1 have come to
ask for your help"
You want money. eh?" said Mr.. Lam
pirthy. with a shrewd glance Of suspicion.
Yes" was the quiet reply. II want
of pounds. 1 propose to fight the devil
with his own weapons. But l want more
than money, Mr.. Lampirthy: / want a
shrewd. practical business man. q great
organizer. a cOmrade, who can fight the
world on It's own battlefield, who can
deal with money to the bAst advantage.
whose business capabilities are not
clOuded by emotion Of any kind. In
short. want just the talents that have
made you the richest pan I'm the world"
This sounds more practical" said Mr..