Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-30

great COmmunlCleS 10 De Ine prey oL ,
the worst thieving combinations that
may be able to coordinate around q
common center of corruption.
Another characteristic of this ideal
city was that 1t had no churches. John
said, Il saw no temple therein" No |
churches. What city that would
be! We have all read Chaplain Nc
Cabe's Dream of Ingersolville," the |
city that had no churches and we re-
member what hell on earth it was.
We have become SO accustomed to
hear the Christian churches lauded rs
the most Indispensable institutions in
the city that 1t gives us a distinct
shock to hear 1t intimated that they
are to be lessened as time goes on.
We do hear good deal about churches
abandoning the downtown, thickly set
tied sections of our great cities, but
we have usually regarded that as a
calamity to be avoided. Now to hear
that there is not to be single church
in the city that Is to come brings moth
ing less than a shudder to our
thought. But before, we reject this
ideal let us be sure that we catch
the Apostles idea II saw no temple
therein; for the Lord God Almighty
and the Lamb are the temple thereof"
| The church Is not to be found in the
ideal city, not because 1t has failed In
its duty but because it has succeeded
in its mission. 1t has succeeded in
making all life sacred, in bringing into
not only the place Of worship but into
every interest of life the holy infiu-
ence of Christs spirit.
Let Work be Sacred.
There was time in the history Of
the Christian church when 1t was
thought necessary to make religion
something very, very holy. 1t became
so holy that it would not bear the con-
terminating touch Of the secularities Of
life. The result was that vicious linz
was drawn between the sacred and the
secular. Certain exercises were re-
garded as particularly religious. At
tending church, saying prayers, count
ing beads, chanting masses, going on
sacred pilgrimages, going through
genufexions, these things we're regard
ed as especially holy. War, labor, conf
MERGE society, all the common inter
ests of life were held to belong to the
secularities. The influence of this VI
cious division Of life has been baneful
in the extreme. I do not see how any
system could have been adopted that
would have been more to the desire Of
his satanic majesty himself. II YOU
!. let him have the loom Of labor, the
mart of commerce, the palace of pleas
ure, the hall of legislation, the realm
of art, do not think ne Is devil mean
enough to disturb saints at their pray
ers. But If we can get that comprehen-
sion of religion that makes 1t as sacred
to pay debts as to pray prayers, as
holy to stand behind the counter as be-
| fore the altar, as religious for a man
to rise before the break of day and go
down the street at o'clock In the
morning swinging dinner pail as he
HES off to earn an honest livelihood
for his wife and six children as 1t Is
for wifeless, childless priest to swing
a censor down the aisle of church,
then we may hope to realize the ideal
of this coming city which will be with
out temple. What our age needs 's
the interpretation of religion In terms
Of life, an Interpretation that makes
all life sacred and brings the holy
principles of the Sermon on the Mount
into every common interest of life.
Let us believe
There are no gentle oaks, no pagan
pines,
The grass beneath our rect is Chris
tian grass"
The realization of such an ideal Is
work worth the while on the part OF
every man We rejoice in the uprising
of our Christian men all over this coun-
try. We believe it promises much for
cleaner business, cleaner politics
cleaner civic life, cleaner cities physi
,, cally and morally. This is the new
patriotism that is beginning to fill the
breasts Of men with something of the
sentiment that inspired our patriots OF
other times, when foes from without
threatened our soil. Yet this idea is
not vet caught by all | remember
hearing Joseph Folk Of Missouri re
: llate how he attended banquet where
the effervescence of patriotism rose
high and fine sentiments were express
ed At the close of the banquet man
high In the commercial life Of the state
wrung his hand and with tears stream
ing down his face declared 1T would
be pleasure for him to die for the Old
flag. Yet it was not more than few
months before that very man was In
dicted for graft. Patriotism to HIN
meant enthusiasm Ill wal, HOL HollCet'
!. in peace, not correct principles in civ
les or business. Some one has wei
said what this age needs is mora
: substitute for war, something that will
). call forth the fine devotion that mel
showed as they followed the old flag II
! the dust Of battle and before the belch
:, ing cannon.
"Heroic Age" Has Thought.
t Richard Watson Glider has givel
{ voice to this thought in his splendid
j. poem the Heroic Age"
| "He speaks not we'll who doth his time
t deplore,
u Naming 1t new, and little and obscure
Ignoble and unfit for lofty deeds.
All times were modern in the times 0
Z them,
b And this no more than others. Do tn,
t part
+ Here in the living day, as did the grea
/, Who made old days immortal! s.
y shall men
n Gazing back to this forthcoming hour