Newark post., 1910-02-02

Conferences on the Country Church"
we are calling this statement The
Standard OF Country Life 1t is a
sketch of the code OF aspiration for the
country church; the rule by which the
country church shall reconstruct her
life.
First. The country church has her
doctrines OF right and wrong for the
community. You older men will re-
member when the temperance reform
was a mere signing of pledge by in
dividuals. Today the temperance re-
form is a propaganda as wide as the
Nation, expressing itself through local
option and law enforcement. 1t is a
community doctrine, not a personal
abstinance merely. The country church
is speaking to the country commun-
ity in the modern temperance move
ment; for mind you, modern temper
ance reform is the doctrine born of
the country church. The whole agi-
tation is manned and derived from the
conditions OF rural life awakened to
the need OF community standard. In
the modern temperance reform the
city with its forces has been sterile.
This agitation has used the cities as
centcrs OF transportation and occa-
sonal fields of financial harvesting
but the men and the resources and
the opinion came from the country
Second. In this communal code
which the church is teaching the COM
munity--is Sabbath observance, on be-
half of the workingman. The country
church is realizing that the Sabbath
day is being exploited by money-mak-
ing. We are all alarmed at the fact
recently disclosed that four million
, workingmen in America must labor
on the day OF rest. The church is
not the owner of the Sabbath, but the
trustee. She holds it for the men who
toll. To them it was given in the
Fourth Commandment and in the word
of our Lord. The SABBATH has been &
difficult burden for the church, and i
has been of doubtful value to her, tc
use it as a sole day of worship. To
day in the interest of the great body
.of men who toll the Sabbath must be
rctaken, through the power OF the
State, and by the creation of public
sentiment. 1t is the greatest effectiv,
shortening of the continuous straii
OF labor that the world has ever known
We may aspire to an eight-hour day
but we do well to set great value OF
the six-day week.
Men talk about 'perishable goods,
which must be moved on the day o
rest. Nothing is more "perishable
than shave or haircut, but tn
BARRIERS of New York State went t,
the Legislature, and demanded protec
ton against the toll in their perish
able" industry on the Sabbath, an
the Governor of New York has close
the barber shops on Sunday Nothin
is more perishable than meat, but tn
butchers workers in New York wen
to the Legislature, and demanded tina
the butchershops be closed on tn
Sabbath, and they are closed. TIL
workingmen of France and Italy ar
demanding the day of rest, and the
are able, as the churches are not t
enforce this demand. In Rome yea
ago, some ladies of my acquantanc
tried to buy the pretty Roman scarf
on their last day in the city, whic
was Sunday. but every shop in Rom
except few where the Pope sells HI
relics, was closed. Did the Pop
close them? Did the Protestai
churches, or the tourists? Ga. nc
| They were closed by law enforce
, by the Mayor of Rome, who is a Sot
, alist by the name of Nathan, and
| Jew.
, The third feature in the consula
, good for country church and con
{ munity is the promoting of recreatio
nc 6a1J Il ,,,nr,1 ,,,,n-n,ra,,a,t n,
, fathers in the great days of II
, Church's power were not afraid
| speak of recreations and amusement
, and play. They were strong and ma
terful, it is true, but they we're NJ
, without sympathy. The modern mil
! lister is afraid to deal with recreation
but the work;ngman is forced to see
' Continued on page 4