Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-03

Human progress. as viewed In the
present is always interesting and as
study of the past should be beneficial.
It's common saying and general be-
lief, that the christian religion Is los
ing it's hold upon the masses. Yet in
the face of the general Indifference
shown by thousands of church MEM
bers, we see as never before the so-called
revival a successful means of gather
ing into churchs thousands that have
never before been church members or
taken any interest in religious matters.
Here's the picture puzzle Gypsy
Smith has had so far 10000 conversions
! in Chicago. Chicago openly allows
red light district to flourish. Chicago
one of the wickedest cities on the face
of the earth. is a city OF magnificent
churches and thousands of church
mem bers. Ten thousand are Gypsy
Smiths addition to their numbers.
The world is dropping religion and
taking up socialism. The world is
changing the Sabbath into a holiday in
stead of holy day. The world is adj
ding to the ranks of the atheists the
intidels. agnostics and unbelievers, and
vet the bible is now printed in over 400
languages and dialects. The world is
not adding to the number of church
members. in the percentage of inc
reased population, and yet never before
has this same wicked world been doing
so much for humanity, as at the pres
ent time We have the coming paradox
of an unbelieving world practicing
more pure christianity Doing the
work but emitting the professions.
No great ominiscence is necessary to
remark that admitting what has been
stated of conditions abroad and at
home there is something wrong OF
what use is an army of recruits TO a
general unless they are in the ranks
as fighters when battle is in prog
ress? In fact of what use is "a regu-
lar army unless 1T obeys orders and
preserves discipline? For to state it
plainly. the forces of religion, both the
regular army and recruits, are lament
ably lacking courage and ability to
fight the forces of evil. Many must fire
blank cartridges. Neither Chicago nor
any other city would today be con-
trolled by the element now in full pos
session. if every so-called christian SOL
der was in the ranks armed and
equipped and obeying orders
And to use the comparison again. For
reasons we all understand, nearly all
communities object to hearing the reg
ular army or even the state militia
called upon even in times of great dis
order So it is when the christian army
takes an active part in politics. 1t in
vites almost certain defeat when a
candidate for office has the churches
behind him" So here we have it. The
church crowd if they openly try to elect
certain candidates are accused of
Church and state" tendencies. If they
fail to express the candidacy of "re-
form leaders are accused in insin-
cerity and hypocrisy. They "are
damned if they do and damned il they
DON'T
All this is not written for the pur-
pose of offering any solution of these
"vexed questions" 1t is to present con-
ditions that confront us, rather thar
to offer cure A great big fact stands
out. It's this. The largest and bes
force for good is not doing the work
They are out generated every day ant
everywhere by an inferior army Witt
majority. the minority elects official!
and controls public affairs. The city o
; New York is today a huge object les
son in support of these statements. A
this very moment a struggle is going
on, with decent people lined up agains
the disreputable element Did an!
sane person think for a moment tha
Tammany would be defeated? Would
: the doors Of Tammany hail be closed il
the event Of the election of any one o
the three candidates for mayor?