The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-05-01
SATURDAY NIGHT
M SERMONS
p REvSAlHUEL
" WpURVISDD
YOUR LITTLE CLAY GOD.

In the very city of homes, churches
and orthodoxy. Searching for a plas
ter of paris figure, stumbled into an
idol factory. They were rushing to
finish large order Of Buddhist idols
for Korea. l rubbed my eyes. Dream
ing? No. l could see the statue of
| William Penn on top of city hall from
where l stood. knew we had been
sending rum and cigarettes to our be-
nighted Asiatic brothers-but idols
Wonder what they Will tell 1.-The child
4 like people" about those idols? That
they are the gods the great American
people worship? I'd hate TO be mis-
'sionary standing about when those
boxes are opened. Wouldn't like to
have to explain to the puzzled people
Just how q Christian nation happened
to be sending idols to perpetuate SUI
perstition and degradation among
these simple folks of the Land of the
Morning Calm. l picked up small
image, a hideous little clay thing with
pot belly and slant eyes, and smiled in
a superior Anglo-Saxon sort of a way.
"They That Make Them
! And yet somehow l could not help
| thinking as l stood among the sky
scrapers at Broad and Chestnut streets
q few minutes later not only of the
idols and idol worshipers, but the idol
makers. How about their conscience
and principle. men WAo IN the light
Of the twentieth century, in the third irt
largest city of Christian America, are
making images for heather to worship?
A Scripture verse kept boring in on
me, "They that make them are like
unto them" As | stood on the corner
gazing about me, visitor from Mars
like, l unused: "Worshiping God un-
der the symbol of a little clay image
or putting dependence in some other
human made thing, living as If there
were no God. Where's the difference"
But those idol worshipers are cred
ulous and superstitious, aren't theyW
know 1t, but listen. At a dinner par
ty last week in cultured Boston the
hostess said "I've no superstition at
all in regard to thirteen, but it's best
not to risk anything" A waitress
made the fourteenth guest. The whole
navy seemed to rebel a few months
ago when it was proposed to commits
sion a battleship on Friday. No girl
would marry on that day, of course.
They feel relieved when the day is
neutrality-suspicious." they call 1t. Heav.
ems! The very word and superstition
our barbaric ancestors had centuries
ago when they feared stars and
eclipses. Splitting salt, breaking mir
rops, black cats, new mG1ls, will surely
work us i'll, while horseshoes, rabbits
feet, lucky stones and charms will pro
tect US. Shades Of Salem witchcraft
Meanwhile police departments conduct
raids regularly to keep down the mum
Der Of palmists clairvoyants and theil
Xix. What is the sin? Attributing eff
fects to things belonging to our own
lowest creations and emotions instead
of to him "from whom cometh every
good and perfect gift"
A Shelf Of idols.
II Then our American people have idols
II things that take the place Of God
4 Truly For instance: In the market
i places on Wall. ChestEut and State
l. streets there IS big, arrogant, swoller
Il Image called Success. American school
i boys are taught to bow knee to thii
II god every day. Not much said abou
the means. Sometimes least said thu
Il better Moloch stands for cruelty
Il bweatshop, mine and child labor fac
| tory is his temple. He hides behln(
n screen of corporation or trust, an(
Y his priest calls, Am ! my brotheri
II keeper"
II Mammon's enshrined behind bars O.
Il gold. His thirst's Unsuitable. His dev
btees rob man and God. Baal, god O.
II lust, blinks balefully under red lights
his virgins fallen women; white slave
In wide eyed terror from their brothe
touches cry piteously before his lecher
bus priests. Meanwhile the mills o
the divorce god grind on. Deep an
swering to deep. The seats at the fan
of Eros crowded with boys and girl
IN dark motion picture show, the mos
flagrant liberties pass unnoticed b,
Uniformed usher-these souls represen
II bickels, forsooth!
Il Your Little Clay God.
II Far from all that, are you? None o
those hideously sinful idols for you
II Good. But remember the little image
Rachel hid under her skirts, protect
! Ing them by a woman's sure defense
Not even Isaac suspected her. An
images hidden under your gown O
L honsuspicion? l know a man who
Kidding acre to acre, children robbed c
education, wife's health thrice broker
= pnce mentally, under the strain-bu
no matter, the little clay god Is fatter
Ing. There's home in an eastern cit
where a wife dresses her image-sel
Hats, gowns and furs are lavished o
Il 1t. She attends a court circle wheI
others bow before proud, flabby go
Il called Society. Her husband? Prise
doors opened for him once, but h
: friends covered the ENLIGHTENMENT. An