Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-16
Conservation of Character.

Conservation of Character was the
subject of the address of Rev. Henry.
+. Dunnack, pastor of the Green
street Methodist church of this city
He said in part:
To conserve and invest character
means to march steadily onward to
our manifest destiny. During 800 years
New England has battled and builded
according TO the ancient codes of our
fathers and by. them she has come TO
place ana power. Today there seems
To be a new spirit asserting itself, a
tendency to forget Moses and Jesus.
an inclination to ignore those ancient
landmarks Of our fathers.
The population of Maine has stead
lily increased since 1870 while church
membership has not more than held
its own. Four distinct reasons are
given for the change The growth of
social life outside the church: the
large immigration of people who are
not familiar with our ideals; the
large emigration of our best people
1000 of our bravest and best live
outside the State: the drift of the peo-
pie from the country to the city, this
shifting of population means the loos-
tAkLAie7 II bAAA tAt4i4E ties anu Il t0tESF-
qnent loss of moral fibre and ethical
standards.
The increasing number of families
who declare that they have no denom-
national preference and the vast
numbers who DO not attend any church
compel but one eonclusion-Maine is
drifting from her moral and religious
mornings.
The last figures for the Maine Bible
Society Just complied, give US 174,499
families in Maine. OF this number.
IS 902. or more than one-third are non
church goers; 1901 children are not in
Sunday schools.
With the exception of Rhode Island
Maine has fewer church members per
thousand of the population per thous-
and than any state this side of the
Rocky Mountains.
A second problem that presses us for
solution has to do with the physical
life of our people. l wish TO call your
attention to the fact that in those
countries where the Christian religion
is most clearly taught and it's ideals
accepted and its principles adopted
there you will find the average eff
cheney of life ana the length OF life
greatest. In England and the United
States the average length of life is "a
years, IN India il is p years.
Take our own State, with it's noun
tains, lakes, rivers and extended coast
line. its forests, its open country and
small cities; one would expect to find
a lower death rate. on the contrary
il is greater than Chicago and New
York. The figures are as follows:
Chicago 15.t: New York 16 and Maine
III per thousand of population.
Is il necessary to~say more to con-
vince<any one that decadent is not too
strong a word to use in stating the
MORAL conditions in our State and to
/ persuade you that what we need more
than railway extension or forest and
water conservation is revival of pi-
ETY., the kind grandfather and grand
mother used to have.
This is yeur work You must not
leave it to your women or paid ex-
ports. Give the boys Fairgrounds with
manly instructors. give them temples
of healthy amusement, give them
buildings where they will be held to
things good true and beautiful, and
find God in a boys way. The men Of
Maine must rebuild family affairs, must
| enter the church and give her stand
ing in towns and cities, must take W
this splendid work where the fathers
left it and see that moral idealism be-
comes the possession of the present
and the inheritance of the future.
Maine is in the grip of the world
| spirit. Her men seek for political anc
commercial power at the expense o.
| spiritual well-being. The Constitution
! of the State is violated, officials sub
| stitute their own ideas for her regu
| larly enacted laws. But the genera
attitude of cur people far more than
| the specific instances of law violation
| is a serious cause for law alarm. Tn
| less the law be sacred until repealed
| by the people through their elected
| representatives, free government
! will not long endure. Laws may b.
repealed il found worn-out and M
| longer in harmony with enlightened
| public opinion; but while they are OF
our statute books they should be OBJ
| served The official who connives a
| their violation should be impeaehed
/ The public official who trifies Will
| justice is a traitor; he sells his eoun
! try for gold and barters the prosperit,
of his state and the happiness of he
people for a consideration.
The past of Maine is secure; tn