Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-26

familiar voices. Any one who has ears
to hear must catch now and then in the
common speech of men a note of unus-
ual seriousness. The facts which have
been coming to light during the last
few years respecting the terrible inf
deity and abuses of power in high places
have touched the heart of the common
man with a sense of solicitude. In days
like these the airy optimism which can
see no perils in the path of the Nation
is an impertinence. Sensible men are
not ashamed to confess their fears, and
in their study of existing conditions the
truth is brought home to them that the
remedy which is needed is a deepening
of the life of the people-something
organic and elemental which shall change
feeling and renovate the springs of char
acter."
All of this 1 most steadfastly believe.
The remedy for the perils which threat
en- our national life is something orr
ganic and elemental which shall change
the common currents of thought and
feeling and renovate the springs of char
acter." We have had quackery of so
Geology and the like, long enough; we
have had it ad nauseam, in fact. 1t is
time we had done with the quacks and
were returned to the only remedy that
ever has availed to cleanse the moral
life and cure the moral disorders of men
and nations. The editor of the Century
points out what that remedy is in the<e
strong words:
Moral rules are not enough what is
needed most is moral motive power
the love of righteousness. the impulse to
integrity, the enthusiasm of virtue. And
this, as even the common man is begin
ming to feel, is kindled only by religion
by fellowship and communion with
that Power not ourselves which makes
for righteousness. "a merely secular
morality is not enough there must be
something sacred and supreme in it, else
it will have little meaning for us and
little power over us. Religion is. after
all, the principal thing; mere readjust-
ment of ethical formularies is not
enough; a deeper note than this must be
struck if we hope to restore the lost
harmony to the soul and the social
order. There must be something to wor-
ship, something that kindles our purest
love and marshals our highest loyalties.
Nothing less than this will meet the So
cial need of the time. which is a call for
a radical change in ruling ideas. for a
mighty reconstruction of ideals, for new
conception of the meaning and value of
life
For a decade or more. the theological
quacks have had a hearing out of all pro-
portion to their ability to do the country
any good. They have cried their patent
prescriptions from the pulpits Of many of
the prominent churches, and from high
seats in over-endowed universities their
academic allies have poured scorn upon
orthodoxy and the evangelical forces of
the country. 1t is time we should observe
what have been the fruits of their teach
ing. by their fruits We shall know
them" And their fruits are painfully APP
parent. Public virtue has been deterior-
ated. University graduates, who have sat
under such teachings. have gone forth
to loot great insurance companies, and
officers of city churches, where such
preac hments have been common, have
played shameful parts in municipal scan
dals. About the only people left to con-
denim and correct these outrageous pro-
ceedings have been the men of old-fash-
foned faith and virtue who have never
run after the new lights"
Fortunately i'm the South we have not
had so much of this quackery as some
other sections have had to endure. 1t
is we'll that among us many old-fashioned
religious meetings have been held. If