The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-06-06
REV. HARGREAVES ON
SOCIAL UPHEAVALS

In a recent sermon delivered at the
Heights Baptist church, Rev. }. K.
Hargreaves spoke Of the modern day
social upheavals and the disturbing
elements Of the industrial world. hr.
Hargreaves views them as an eyolu-
tion towardsa more perfect relationship
between the different classes Of men.
The sermon is given below.
Do not mistake dormancy for peace
or say peace, peace, when there Is no
peace. Real peace is a relative quail
ity subject to conditions and cannot
be maintained az the cost " right.
In the social world the thorn must be
removed before the sore can heal and
peace be attained. In the recent in
dustrial difficulties in Lawrence, Mass,
quiet efforts would in all probability
have been fruitless. Doubtless the
capitalists Of that city sighed for qulet
but at the cost Of right. Without
doubt some Of the daughters thought
il an outrage that workmen should
arise and cause their indulgent fathers
anxiety. but they did not look at the
other side with its anxiety for bread.
Until conditions are righted the idea
Of peace can only be a dream, but
dreams when prophesies Of overwhelm"
ing desires are grand things. How
ever, when the desire for peace merely
expresses itself 10 the sigh Tor quiet,
then we have manifestation Of ridicu-
lous seliishness.
In the religious world at the time Of
Luther and Wyclif | fancy there were
those who said: why this commo.
tiou? Why not let US have quieti
Today we are rot sorry for the eommo-
ton Of that day. We see that ii was
necessary to the subsequent partial
peace. Yet there are those who sigh
to be let alone in our condition, though
thorns just as poisonous are IN our
sides.
Today we look back TO the middle
ages and say, "How could the reform
ers have stood their condition so
long?" The time will come when
those who succeed US will look back
and ask, possibly with scorn, How
did they stand it so long?" Now we
say praise US for our church methods
and Sunday school systems, and say
we all mean we'll and are spiritually
conscientious in our multitudinous or
ganization, and at least seli-sacriticlng
in our Sunday school work.
Peace Peace! When there is no
peace. In our numerous Sunday schools
the undisciplined, the entirely un
trained teacher meets classes often
without semblance of preparation mem
tai or spiritual, and we say, "How can |
we better it2" and 'They mean we'll -
If we cannot better it then let US stop |
the so called Sunday school. We re-
gret the Sunday base bali and !, for |
one, regret exceedingly that we should
have scuh, but in my heart as deeply |
regret our baphazard church methods
and believe that in many instances our
careless Sunday school services with
the prominent ideal the mere getting
Of scholars does as much TO injure re-
ligious sensitiveness and regard for
the Bible as does the Sunday base ball.
Yet on this point we continue saying,
80, we mean we'll, let US have peace
and appreciation. Today some Of US
look back and say of our different
Home Mission directors, why did you
permit and abet such confusion IN our
little towns and villages as comes from
the many little and almost helpless re-
ligious organizations. Why did you 80
divide things up that the cost of unsat- |
isfactory home work is now so great
as to exhaust funds winch might be
applied TO the great fields beyond,
never to speak of the poisonous leal-
ousies engendered by the many divi
sions. But when those little churches
were started the effort was credited
to devotion to Christ's kingdom and
those who objected were accounted the
selfish enemies of the cross. Now we
are beginning to say, 20, that such
so called enemies had spoken more
loudly" 1t had certainly been better
for the peace and prosperity OF the
present had there been some right
royal obiectors to the methods of
church propagation of 20 or 30 years
ago and even of more recent date. Yet
even today there are those who wish to
continue in the same old ruts Of the
past and feel that those who can see
only a break down in such journey
are the disturbers of the peace, the
disloyal to the faith. The wayfarinp
man smiles with disgust at many o.
our religious proceedings and W,
charge such smiles to his pronounced
worldliness OF ungodliness. 1t wer,
better sometimes to charge it to ou
own ungodly stupidity and selfshness
Peace does not come in impossible
conditions. Why talk about peace in
Sunday school condition where, as i
this town, we are trying to conduct 1
or II Sunday schools in a population
which naturally will not afford pre-
pared workers for more than two o
three, and why be quiet about a cond
tion which is an outrage against tn
best interests of society. Let US hav
peace Yes, but let as have condition
which make for peace, peace whic
will be the heritage of generations t,