Norwich bulletin., 1909-10-23
MEDITERRANEAN.

handicaps progress in all directions in the present age, as it has been the bane of all ages since man ceased his nomadic career. The delegation of work to others and devotion to self ish aims and purposes is at the bot tom of it all and it's effect is every where felt in communal life-it affects both the state and the church.
 Tn reply to the question, why are the people so negligent of public du- ties-so disrespectful of law-so heed less in many civic ways?" a leading citizen said: Because everybody is devoted to getting the dollar!" or, in other words, so fascinated with the power and distinction which aceumla- ton of money will bring that they have no time to give up vital com munal matters.
 Awoman who was asked, ''Why do you not go to church ?"-a woman above the average in every personal and so- cial quality. replied: q attended a church one whole year and not member of the congregation ever spoke to me or asked after the welfare of my family" They did not mean to be indifferent to any ones welfare, perhaps but they had not cultivated the warm heart and the glad hand and the welcome word. This woman had been chilled so far as church go- ing was concerned, for she felt the en- tire congregation was indifferent to her welfare.
 The young man who drifts into "gay society" tells us that it is the only place where he finds interesting peo- ple-the only place in which he hears How fare you?" which excites per sonal interest; and no one tries to tell why Vice seems to have a warmer heart and hand than Virtue.
 The same indifferentism which makes from 20 to 40 per cent. of the voters neglect the town meetings and important elections-to pay little att tention to the character or size of the appropriaions-to take no heed of pub lie issues which affect their interests in different ways, is the same which makes the religious congregations thin, the meeting houses cold and the ablest pastoral efforts ineffective.
 Too large a per cent. of good people have become irresponsive to the best qualities of the human heart and ap- pear to have lost knowledge of the good which comes to human souls through active cooperation and free communion one with another, where communion means more than vapid association or pandering to social ann bitions or vanity; and they are los ing the positive reward and the com- forting blessings which come from good works, laying themselves open to be preyed upon by the interruptions and to be justly criticised by the ob- servant few who see the folly of their ways.
 A large per cent. of non-church- goers are well behaved have a relig- sous belief and try to live up to it, but we do not get close enough to bhem to know it and we hold them in eisesteem through prejudice instead of Ninning them through our personal in- kerest and love.
 We cultivate narrowness and self eshness and chase the dollar or social ambitions, bury ourselves in sect or rult and become indifferent to most public issues, to our religious teach bngs and to every responsibility to brethren as brethren. Doesn't the welfare of the community and of the Ehurch call for something better thaA this?
 ,ndifferentism, mothered by selfish Ness and fathared by egotism, roots us DO firmly in self-interest, in self pleas pre and in self-satisfaction that we become blind to the true light and rease to be active and progressive in directions which count for a better manhood and a better government.