University Missourian., 1909-05-18


OF all of us that undertaking has be-
come a popular as well as a paying
proposition. Like SO many Overdon'
things. it had its origin in a good and
lust beginning Some crimes against
society were brought to light to the
great bettcrmcnt of society. Widows
and orphans got protection from the
avariciouSneSs of life insurance Oili-
cial>: the common people We're shown
the pitfalls of complicated system
Much of the enthusiasm for investiga-
! tion and philippe was directed alon"
the right way. But it did not stop
there. The people had manifested an
/ appetite for the scum that had been
raked up and that appetite must be
satisfied And so. ever since. we have
been readin" and hearing all sorts OF
denunciations of things and people.
most of which have been unwarranted
and untrue.
In our own state. the University has
but recently been the false object of
the legislative desire To appeaSc this
popular appetite. We hardly ever pick
up magazine but what We see therein
something to. at least. tickle the pub
lie palate. The Cosmopolitan mas
taken up the teachings OF the univer-
stiles. And. oh. the awful fate of the
American people. because of those
teachings. Oh. the awful fate OF the
people of Missouri bccau,e DIR. Elkin.
ver>ity for two years and though he
was the kindlicSt of men. when he was
here. had the auIacity Ia predict a
time of universal brotherhOod,'
Church. state and school have all felt
the pointed forks and have given as
Sua"cmcnt to the hungry public. And
why. Is it that the institutions of this
country are 50 very bad and that they
have crown bad in the last few years?
1t is true that some of them are as
black as pictures could paint them,
but not all are black that have been
painted so. Condemnation has gone be-
yond its rightful bounds. Many Il
pure character has been attacked and
many Il noble motive viiiied. 1t is
sad. though to be hoped for, temporary
condition, and we cannot determine
whether the blame for it lies with
those who write and talk what the peO-
Pile want or with the people. who read
and believe everything that is writ
ten.
The latest example of undertaking"
is an article in the May number of
the American Magazine, under the head |!
Of The Spiritual Unrest" and havin"
the special title of The Case Against /
Trinity 1t is an example of the
poorest kind of Undertaking" because |
it has no feet to stand on: not even |
legs. There may be case against |
Trinity Church. but Ray Stannard |
Baker has failed altogether to show it
to an unbiased and "unhrngry" read
2r of his article
The attack is based on the fact that
the vestry of Trinity parish. which
ias control of the affairs of Trinity.
las seen fit TO order the closing of
st. Johns Chapel for financial reasons
md against the desire of the con"re-
cation. In a comparison with two
'ther churches. Mr.. Baker shows that
st. Johns Chapel is very much more
proposition than either of
hem. while its membership is nothing
Ike as large. From a financial point
II view. 1t is not at all unreasonable
hat the vestry should desire to con-
olidate this church with st. Luke's.
which Is in the same neghborhood. 1t
nay not he the best thing To do; the
ourts will probably decide that. But
here is no reason in the action itself.
ndcr the conditions as Mr.. Baker
tates them himself. for doubtinr the 4;
lnceritv of the motives of the vestrv. 6
MIR. Baker goes into further crit
ism of Trinity. because of the man. +
cr in which its ministers are selected I
n one paragraph, he speaks of it as j
N Episcopal church and then seems t
D think it very strange and of doubt
III lawfulnesS that even i'm the rich
lapel of st. Agnes. when DIR. Man.
ing was promoted to be Rector of
rinity, the new vicar was chosen bv
ne vestry before the congregation had
yer heard him preach That may be
ease against the plan of government
Trinity, but it is no case against
he church or the vestry.
The most lndicrous arguments he
-lngs against Trinity are those about
n wealth, and the manner in which
le spends it. He makes a compari
m between Trinity and the life in
france companies. in which he saws:
In the life insurance investigations.
nat were some of the discoveries