The Newtown bee., 1909-01-01

of public trusts. Yet politicians and office holders are not disheartened. They recognize the need of improve
 ment and set about its realization.
 Furthermore, the whole business world presents an anomalous specta- cle. We eregard ourselves as pre-emi- nently successful in the commercial world. As a nation we boast of our efficiency in business organization and methods. And yet the number of business failures is alarming. Statistics would almost drive one to the conc lu- sion that as people we are not fitted for commercial activities. Failure here is not so apparent nor so promi- nent as in the church or pulpit. And
 in the business world where actual failure does not result, how much of inefficiency and lack of careful atten- tion to details and genuine conserva- tion of interests there are. The limited experience of any individual bristles with illustrations of defective man. agement and unsatisfactory :attention to the real demands of business. Yet no one looks out upon the world of finance and commerce to-day with the awful fear that it will some day col lapse. Individuals strive to perfect
 their particular fields and success is achieved and will be increasingly achieved, as we gain in experience as nation.
 To return, then, to the church and to religion, we need snot be dismayed if here, too, we find imperfections and failures. In all the varied fields of activity the success or failure of any one will depend upon great variety of contributing causes. But in any case all life is imperfect and the lim- itations and perplexing defeats of or ganized Christianity call not for hope less and discouraged ranting but for optimistic and courageous doing.
 Furthermore, if we wish to ground this truth upon rational basis we only need to observe what has long since been truism in philosophical think ing. All existence, save that of God, involves metaphysicalss.s imperfection. It pertains to all created life to be imperfect. Nothing but Gods life is perfect and its perfection may consist not in the absence of all conflict but in a life including victorious conflict. Let us then not be discouraged by the presence of defects, imperfections and failures Tn the church. They are there. We are painfully conscious of that truth, but that truth in itself need not overcome us.
 A second element in this spirit of the church is one which, recognizing the truth that all life is imperfect, deter mines its attitude to these imperfec- tions. The clear alternative offers it. self: either be conquered or conquer Either be overcome or overcome Either lose or win the victory! For life there is but one answer. Indeed, we must recognze that all life is ac- tivity, struggle, conflict. We live in proportion as we struggle. We may never fully solve the problem of evil. We may never know its full meta physical or ethical significance, but the longer mankind lives the clearer be- comes the conception that, for the moral life, evil of all kinds. whether natural or moral, has but one purpose. It exists to be conquered. It is here to be overcome. It is here to be ban ished, to be striven against and over- thrown. To do this is to live; to real ize this is to understand the signi- ficance of the imperfections of all life. Here, then, is our attitude to our tasks.
 We find that they exist to be done. They are the summons to warfare. Every imperfection of life is bugle call to battle.
 Furthermore, we need to recognize the inherent value of being aware of our problems and inefficiency. There is hope for any organization that is of its weakness. That man is hopeless who fails and knows not that he fails. Thus what may be to some source of Encouragement is transformed into source of inspira- tion. Hopelessness and defeat belong to those who in their lethargy fail utterly to sense the real duty of life. Paul was both logical and rational when he insisted that "whe n 1 am weak then am I strong;;" or, again, Let, him that thipketh he staDdeth take heed lest he fall." There is strength in the knowledge of weak ness, and if strength, then confidence.
 But, again, not only is there strength in knowledge of our weak