Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-30
RELIGION Mt LOSING GROUNu
Church Never Better Equipped for
Its Work Than Now.
HAS BEST ORGANIZING TALENT
he Recognized as Tremendous
Power I'm Backing Up the
Church Work.
Has BEST ORGANIZING TALENT
BY D. v. FRANCIS.

BY ID, V. FRANCIS.
NEW YORK, Oct 29.-Cspecial to The
Bee.)-It has come to be accepted in less
well informed circles that religion is los
ing its power, that the church is retro
crossing and the tide OF infidelty and in
difference is steadily rising with a pros
pect Of surprising the whole world.
Statistics fail to show any such state of
affairs An investigation OF the facts will
show that never in the history Of the
church--I speak of no sect or denomina-
ton, but OF the church as a whole-been
more wide awake or better equipped to be
spiritually and materially for the carrying
out Of its mission to regenerate the world
The best organizing talent in the world
today Is energetically combating sin. NH
lions of dollars, exceeding all previous rec
ords are going into missions, Religious
movements, adequately financed and ably
managed. are at work among the very
foundation of things.
In the sunday school.
The Sunday school, once the perfunctory
annex OF religion, where old men, human
pillars of the altar taught bad boys
present by compulslon, and molycoddles
present from choice, and where old women
in black bonnets and bombazine dresses
instructed good little girls, has grown to
We martial in its swing, interest and force
the great recruiting camp OF the modern
church, Onward, Christian Soldiers" has
become as exciting as Yankee Doodle"
and a fife and drum.
No matter how he IS viewed as a whole,
John ID. Rockefeller has given the Sunday
school the persuading impress Of the bust
neHs. commerce and success. He is no
sour. old-fashioned nonentty in a front
pew, but commanding figure with money
in his pocket and a friendly look on his
face. His testimony counts with boys and
young men. But he is only the Tepresen-
tative of a now common type.
A pickle maker. coming out OF his moth
er's kitchen. where he learned his trade,
into a fortune OF many millions, is another
conspicuous worker In the Sunday school
as rebuilt and rejuvenated on present day
lines. SO is John Wanamaker. as every
one knows, and so is the Michigan man
who discovered a substitute for whale
bone and, in consequence thereof, Is the
owner OF the big factories and many bonds
and shares
Rockefeller's son and the son Of Thcn-
dore Roosevelt are teachers now or have
been The Sunday school man can he
found in the big advertisements OF ma
gaines and newspapers. He is doing bus'-
ness in Wall street and throughout the
land.
Alarm q BHseless.
The fact OF the matter is that the inn
preston as to the decadence OF the church
is due to the same reason that some super
fetal observers are coming to believe that
the American home is in danger OF ex-
tnction through divorce.
The fact that some more or less well
known man announces his disbelief In the
miracles or in the existence OF God, is OF
more news value and gets more space
than the thousands OF better known men
who go along serenely in the old faith.
Just as the fact that one couple, IN
mated seek relief from the martial tie
in the courts, iE OF greater news value than
the thousands OF couples who are happily
mated live good true lives and rear useful
families.
An election bonfire is more SNOWY than
the flames I'm the gas range, but II does
not indicate that all the gas ranges are
going out Of business.
In this country there are more churches
and Sunday schools than saloons. The
! pupils total 100000 and there are 1888, 90
officers and teachers William n. Hart
shoFn, a millionaire and business man. Il
the active commandments OF this
| gigantic army OF recruits.
Division Among BaUtists.
/ A division has occurred in the Bapus
ranks which Chicago leaders In the move
ment declare viii make itself felt II
every part OF the United States Highel
| criticism Is the rending force. Those VIII,
realised their common views in the move