The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-13

would influence IN unbelever III the
faith,
Next day ! read a glowing account
Of the great number al that meeting
and Of the intense interest aroused, |
found later that the report was sent
10 the paper by one Of the church
workers Attendance at other meet
ings made the same Impressions
The fact cannot be denied that the
campaign had no effect on the gem
eral mass Of people 10 those wrap
ped up in church work and in whose
minds was no haunting conception Of
the great worlds material needs, II
was an celebrating experience, The
stirring music and the mild, quiet
hypnotism induced By prayer brought
glow of self satisfaction that will
for q time keep them inactive IN any
limo of though other than The one
suggested, TO mon Ike myself, and
we arc a goodly number IN tho city, It
appeared a great waste Of we'll in
tended energy spent in a direction that
will result in no permanent effect 10
the great unphllosoph and super
fetal reasoning multitude, il they can
hu judged by their expressions Il APP
pearod show Ia which they had 10
other interest than pointing out the
fact that the promoters passed the
contribution plate and stopped at the
Davenport, "What they are after IS
money" was a remark heard all over
the city, In business places, workshops
land on the street. The average cler-
gyman appears blind TO these condl-
| tions, but Mr. Haynes appears 70 take
II all In ana sccs that the movement
failed because 1t did not reach the
masses,
IT did not appeal TO them because
their interest Is in the world they live
in rather than in some dream Of the
great unknown. They are aware that
their own knowledge Of the other
world is as complete as anybodys.
The methods OF Chapman are en-
tircly useless TO stay the growing
suspicion OF the old theology. one
can hardly pick up magazine to-
day, without finding some kind Of an
attack on orthodox ideas, sunday pa
pcrs which devote Il page to ,orres-
pondenc bristic with able attacks
Letters to the Editor page in the
Providence sunday Journal teens
with arguments Of the kind. The
New York Sun printed an editorial
two or three years ago, in which the
statement was made that whenever
an important religious article appear,
ed in its columns, thousands If let
tcrs, representing every shade If un-
belief, and all parts Of the 2oultry,
werc drawn out In reply. In these
communications II stated, bitterness
toward the church was rarely shown,
but the fact was emphasized that the
writer's had ceased to regard he old
theology as true OF It's church the
great world force. The clergy In
general appear 10 be willing 20 YER
look these conditions and attempt TO
work on llncs that are contrary to
the trend of the times. Under such
conditions Is the church going % re-
organize on broad humanitarian prin-
ciplcs. meet the demands made up
on her and gain victory in tho face Of
defeat?
II not the church Is going 70 miss
a great opportunity. To-day the dts
coverics of science have opened IN
numbcrlcss fields of practical tctlvi-
tics for the bettermcn, OF humanity
that can be worked to a limitlos5 cX-
tent by the organized forces under her
control. What are we going to 40 to
banlah poverty, crime and Injustice
from the world? The Chapman idea
offers no solutions to these greatest
of questions. neither docs it seek any
Il is not what men believe but What
they do that makes impression on tho
world. Dr.. chapman may say thai
doubt and inquiry are the great sins
but that does not alter the philosophy
of history that they arc the Narguard'
Of progress. NoltaIrc expressed
great idea when he said. The priest
dons his cap and bells and e'aimH
credit for all civilization, while the I'M
vcntors Of the saw, the axe and th'
plane are forgotten Learning Il
now too universal for any man or IN
stitution TO claim unmcritcd credit
and If the church insists on aNadinf
live affairs to ramhle into world o
Theological speculation her doom v
sealed
If / understand Mr.. Haynes Alright
he is calling attention TO these facts
not as a hostile critic, but as one Wh'
has the good of the church at AGAR
and would see her lead in the reforms
that humanity IS SO much in need OF
It demands mon of Mr. Haynes
breadth of intellect to save the insti
!. tuition.
!, FREETH1NKER.