The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-24
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

Os1O-ZO-
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
IF=755EzF5l REAT BRITAIN, which has
lY been lately passing through
a period of serious self-ex-
aminations, has evolved sew
szAI eral remedies for national
evils, one of the most con
spicuous being the Boy Scouts. This
is General Baden-PowelPs plan for
organizing the boys of the empire for
purposes of self-discipline and train
ing in service and patriotism. All
over England, Scotland and Ireland
the traveller sees these lads in their
natty uniforms, holding themselves
erect, and the envied of their com
panions- The spirit of chiValry, 1t is
not too much to say, has been revived
by this non-military organization.
Every few days one reads of rescues
and other noble deeds done by Boy
Scouts. Today's newspaper told how
they had even rescued an alrman and
his flying machine, poised in peril on
the edge of a precipice-
The secret of the Boy Scout move
Inent Is that instead of a series of
''don'ts'' it has put before the boy
great and manly ideal 1t is making
character of the first order. BY laying
hold of the springs of impulse and
conduct in youth it is contributing
greatly to the rehabilitation of the
British character. This is the New
Testament way. Paul proclaims 1t in
the present lesson study Largest life
and Ioftiest is born of the new ldeals
which are represented by the Spirit
of God. Except we bring society III
its formative period under the DOM
nance of those truths when Jesus
expounded and incarnated, there IS
little hope for permanent human p0'
terment.
Driving Out the Snakes.
OF course it is a work of religion,
warranted by the word and example
of Christ and his apostles 70 HIahe
war against the forces OF evll Wnlcll
corruDt society. The popular concep-
finn of St. Patricks saintliness Is thdt
n consisted in driving the snakes out
of ireland. Well, that Is work Ior
saint We must put into apostoIc sue
cession the Rev MI FaI Ite So I,.it q
byterian minister, VINO WlthlI
twelve month has undertaken TO uLlHe
the worst snake of all-lnteInperalCo
out of the beautiful green island oy
the organization OF the CS forr, ny of
Pal" movement. This new form n, o5
temperance organization has selzed
hold of the imagination OF muItlluoe9
and a few weeks ago hVe thousdnu
men, all "Catch my Pals' anu
nIedged to give up strong drink ana 10
helm their friends to do likewise met
in a monster demonstration.
Great Britain, for instance, must not
only train up Boy Scouts, but she must
also close up her public houses ne
ed because of its badness, but the eng
lish public house, especially IN the Dig
cities, is indescribably worse Men anu
women both crowd the bars ana lIIe
adjacent rooms. Female topers are al
most as common a sight as males IN
the slums of London women even
stand outside the public mousse aooLs
drinking, and 1 have seen mothers
sharing the glass with babes not more
than two years old. Scientific study OF
the social problems of America nave
resulted in a strong indictment OF the
saloon. even more sweeping must be
the condemnation promo unceo aga lIls,c
the British public house. These snakes
must be killed If society is not to be
bitten.
where are the Substitutes?
Here again we are forced back upon
the principle that the extinction OF the
bad is to come about through the m
PRODUCTION of the good. Ihe FORCES VI
religion and social amelioration nave
fallen short in the supplanting OF the
improbable for the profitable. saloons
afford shelter and society; they meet
the fundamental need for fellowship.
Men find a mraderie-artificial and
unenduring, but a comraderle, none
the less-about the bar or a salooh-
There is a sort of equality there as
well as informality. A man need not
dress in his best clothes to be made
welcome: he feels that he is as good
as anybody else when he stands with
his glass of grog in his hand. more
over the liquor puts him into a tenn
porary glow and fires his gen1allty ana
his imagination.
Go to any of the great cities of the
world and what substitute for the
saloon do YOU find? The oft-tried cof-
fee house is a dismal failure. The
rescue mission is for those who are
confessedly down and out" There
is no place of entertainments or re-
freshment or sociability provided by
Christianity. Most of the really al
Turing amusement resorts are in some
wise in league with vice. They drag
down rather than uplift. The need is
CLAIMANT for a strong invasion of the
centers of common assembly. especial
" the down town of the big cities,
by the modernized forces of the Cos
pel The saloon, and all other debas-
ing agencies, must be met and battled
with on their own ground
Think on the Best Things.
st never knew a secretary who con-
centrated his thought upon the social
purity question who did not himself
go wrong somehow, eventually re-
marked an experienced Young Mems
Christian Association worker. The
startling statement but exemplified
the Pauline law, laid down in this les
son. To keep the mind on the hesh
even with the best initial motive is
dangerous. The sociologist who spe-
ciaIizes on the sex question generally
becomes morbid and unbalanced. The
man or woman who thinks about in
temperance all the time is likely to
become Temperance crank with
distorted and unscientif1c views of
things that rob him or her of real
power. No theme that has to do with