The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-10-28

the reform laws were enacted, and a
system of free civil registration and
marriage and the complete seculariza-
ton of the cemeteries was establis he'd.
Since then the percentage of illegiti-
mate births has gradually declined; but
in the latest statistics published by
the government, the average given for
the country is given as 3S per cent, and
the highest in any department little
over Sc per cent This is a fearful
yet 1t is probably the best of all these
American republics. to the South Mex
leo expected This is a terrible con-
dition. Chile is noted in that part of
the world for her railway mileage, her
schools and industries, and she is the
best, and at that with sections where
sc per cent of her children are born
out of wedlock. Remember. along
with this indictment that the percent
age runs to at least rs is some of the
other republics. Was 1t the saloon that
has to answer this CHARGE was 1t the
white slaver:< was it grating trusts or
corrupt politics? No. While they may
have been contributing factors it is
charged to the churchi to the church
yes, | repeat, to the church; to the
CnuTCn LOO AFTER they nave ndQ con-
troll for generations, after they have
been on the job for three and a half
centuries, after they claim the popu-
lation their adherents and communi-
cants. Fees, exorbitant fees. when a
man was born. when he married when
he died, and all the while between and
still more fees for his family after he
was dead Graft that not only ground
the face of the poor, but robbed the
rich and drifting off into cruel. bar
barous prosecution and even extermi-
nation Nor is this the only part of
the world where we may point to such
conditions. If you turn to senate docu-
ment 100 land OF which you may be
able to procure copy by writing to
your senator). which is nothing else
than one of the messages of President
Mckinley to the senate. and based on
the reports of Secretary Taft, now
president you will find even d blacker
page Graft surely lives in the church
today. and 1 wish to be understood as
opposed to this prostitution of the sa-
cred Offices Of the church of the living
one to think that 1 am trying to raise
prejudice against any one or any or
ganization. Ny aim is not to place
blame on any one, unless it be the I'M
worthy individuals who crept into the
fold in the several cents and have led
the church far from the divine way.
Rather would I express my sympathy
for the denomination or church that
was thus betrayed. That these condi-
tions exist today in varying degrees in
all lands is a fact, and as such wish
to present to the church universal the
problem as it is, with the appeal that
we apply our strength and resources to
getting right with God. The remote-
ness of these conditions need not turn
us aside, for graft is not wanting even
at home An undertaken told me since
have been pastor of a funeral
where his bill for carriages. hearse.
services, etc. was one hundred and
| twenty five dollars, and the charge of
the church for its services and aid was
one hundred and thirty five dollars. In
another case, a funeral fee was $50 for
a very poor family. Many other cases
| of the same kind could we'll be men
| toned. bur what is the use; we recog
| nize it as graft that is very common
| in our own land. and graft that is real
| Nv more shameless than the graft of
| trust or trickster, for in the name OF
the tender and compass sionate Savior
| to Law tax on the bereaved when
! funds have been impoverished by sick
ness and the heart is nigh unto break
| ing. to fasten a burden upon even the
widow and the orphan, that often times
| must be lifted at the cost OF tears,
sweat and even blood, surely Judas
never did worse by his Lord further
more I often question whether even
| the nominal fee that Is given to the
average pastor is not in a measure
of 40
grating of the dark ages. And as
one who has been considering the sub
1ect, and as one who wants to follow
| the headings of his conscience, | wish
| to take an advance stand on the mat
ter. And from now you may say
| for me that my services for all fune-
| rails are free absolutely free, and that
nv services for weddings, where the
| contracting parties are married IN the
| church, before or after any of our
regular church services, are free also;
| but that where special demands are
made on my time for such services. that
the usual custom will be followed. |
do this believing that marriage is a
| divine institution and that 1t is rightly
| the province of the church to seal all
marriage contracts with her blessings.
divorce has been deplored; let US turn
and the results are sure to be better.
| To remove the fee viii certainly help
| to turn the tide the right way.
| I'm taking this stand 1 want no one
| TO think for a minute that | am cast
ing any reflection on any of my broth
| err ministers of the community. for l
have every reason TO believe that they
are acting with good conscience in all
| matters In meeting this reproach OF
| the church IT shall be our task as IN
| dividual pastors and congregations TO
| work out the problem, and 1t seems 10
| me that the solution lies in continu-
/ Gus and honest effort for years and
| perhaps generations, to work back TO
4 the Divine plan of things No one
| church can ever hope to solve the
i problem The assumption that any one
/ church can finally absorb all the others
| has been disproved by over thousand
| wears Of agitation and failure But
/ there is hope that IN working a. just