Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-02-17
AS TO REFORMS.

A friend OF the News" writing
from Ogden and commenting on an
article that recently appeared In these
columns on Socialism, takes exception
to statement in that article. 10 the
effect that the reformors who seek to
reach the goal outside the gospel OF
the Rcdeemer will fail our cores
pendent says II would be as logical
to argue that our Republic could
never have been founded and main
tanned without the gospel of the Re-
deemer:' that thousand other
things that have been done, could not
have been done without the gospel
of the Redesmer." Socialism. like
RepublIcanism. is only temporal
plan and can succeed or fail with or
without the gospel of the Redeem
err" he says.
We fail TO appreciate the force OF
this reasoning, rs directed against our
contention that reform plans outside
the gospel must fail. This Republic
would never have been founded and
maintained without that gospel That
is to say, the founders, divinely in
spiredi built upon principles taught
nowhere but In the Bible Neither
pagans nor inidels, nor morally COR
rupt men could have built this Re-
public. nor maintained 1t. And
should the time ever come that the
work OF the Founders is undone. our
Republic WIN nave no more security
for it's existence than the ancient
extravaganza. violence. and moral
corruption became prevalent. a So
cialistic state under such conditions
would have no better chance than
corrupt Rome.
Our correspondent proves the truth
OF our contention when he says that
tho conditions that prevailed after
the Pentecostal outpouring of the
Spirit was Socialism. What was Il
that made this Socialism possible, II
We admit that the division OF property
mentioned In the Acts was Socialism?
Why. the proclamation Of the gospel
and the outpourlng OF the Spirit. our
correspondent remarks that this was
"a most delightful condition and the
only brief breathing spell in the his
tory of the race" SO II is clear by
his own reasoning that the only brief
Breathing spelr--meaning Socialism
was the result OF the acceptance OF tho
gospel But that Is exactly our posi-
tion. We believe that the great prob
lens OF our age. social, moral. and
economic. win be solved only ms men
are influenced by the principles of the
gospel OF the Redeemer.
In order 10 build good, solid build
ing you must have good material as
well as a good plan, The story OF the
bridge builders illustrates this truth.
Time and again the structure they
had reared. fell, as soon as the sup
ports were taken down. The plans
We're gone over again and again. and
changes We're made, but with the same
result Finally practical mason
came along and examined the material.
Tho bricks were so soft that he could
crush them between his hands You
can never build anything with such
material" he said. Your plans hss
good enough, but you need better
bricks"
And that IL pretty much the case in
all reform movements aiming at the
bettermont OF social conditions, The
plans may be good enough. but II tho
material Is not equally good there will
DO failure every time. Men and wo-
mon must experience that change OF
heart which the Scriptures call "re-
generation as on tho day OF Pcnte-
cost and then II may become possi-
Die To have all things IN common"