The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-09-19
REV. W. 7. BROWN
DELIVERS SERMON

Rev William Thurston Brown, the
eX-UDitarian minister of this city,
who recently was made the victim OF
police brutality In Salt Lake City.
gave the first OF a Ceries of social
sermons In Music hall yesterday
morning. From his lecture it would
seem that Mr. Brown intends to or
ganiZe a socio-religious society In this
city which viii hold weekly meeting.
The speaker declined to make his
plans public at present, but stated
that he would announce them at the
next meeting, which Will be held in
Music hall next Sunday morning
Mr.. Browns left ear still shows the
effects OF the blow dealt him by the
Salt Lake policeman, following the
minister's arrest for making a social
iSt speech on a street corner. During
his lecture he did not touch upon his
trouble With the police, but when
asked. after the meeting, why In his
opinion the officer had struck him, he
replied with smiling irony;
Il don't know-the officer says II
was In self-defense, that he was
afraid I was going to strike him"
Mr.. Brown started his lecture by
defining the modern schools of Spain,
in the foundation OF which Francisco
Ferrer gave his life. He commended
Professor Ferrer for his broad intel
lect and heToism and stated that while
Ferrer was dead his school slll lived.
Il am organizing modern school
in Salt Lake City and l shall probably
organize a similar school in this city,
said the speaker. 1T VIII be a school
OF lectures TO the working classic
the people who are destined to rule
the world. ] expect to give lectures
In this city all winter. II l find IL pos
sible 20 make my expenses in so do
ing. They viii not be what are com
monty termed socialist lectures.
may not use the term 'soclalism'-lt
matters not whether / use that word
or not for there Is no secredness In
words, but In their meaning
The speaker drew a picture OF the
misery and want that exists today
among the working class of the larger
cities. quoting from Lyman Abbotts
articles on democracy. now running
in the Outlook" He stated that in
Salt Lake City at the present time
there are 500 carpenters idle because
there Is no work for them to do. He
assorted that there arc at least 1000
willing workers in tho capital city
without jobs.
Democracy moro than any other
word signifies and describes true re-
liGion." he said. You cannot he re-
ligious if YOU feel no responsibility
for these men, If you feel no respon-
sibIlIty for the great mass OF work
crs In the great mines and mills or
for the great army OF men who are
yainly seeking employment, never.
never call yourself Christian. Re
llgion Is no longer n little individual
thing: II has become a social thing.
And a religious man must do more
Z than strive to push his own little soul
into heaven-he must work for tho
whole race. He must strive 10 raise
TO a higher standard the life oi his
brothers, OF society IN general.
IF Christ came TO earth today /
doubt II he would be recognized in
any church OF the country. for he
would not be with the master class,
but With the struggling workers. He
would probably be arrested for his
public utterances and thrown upon
the rock pile OF some modern city
prison. Tho church of today Is prov
ing Itself inefficient and inadequate
TO meet and cope with the conditions
which confront It. Religious thought
vs. changing and must change to con
form with the truths OF evolutionary
science. We must recognize that the
work and inspiration OF such men rs
Darwin, Spencer and Haekel are just
as much entitled TO be called holy
as are the efforts Of theologlans.
left the Unitarian church not be-
cause ] have In any sense repudiated
religion-I want no one to think this
but because the church would not
open us doors TO social truth as | saw
IT. l left with no bitterness. but with
feeling that ! had grown out of II:
that / must utilize the results OF mod
crn science and that 7 could do this
outside Of the church bettor than 7
could within"
The crowd which had gathered 10
hear Mr. Brown speak was not large
one. but numbered among It many OF
tho speakers old friends. II was not
a socialist crowd. although there were
In Il number OF Debbs followers As
whole II was group representative
of that element of citizens which de-
votes much thought to religious and