Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-20


next spring and make for themselves an
Industrial paradise" If the thing did
not present such bundle OF human
tragedy it would be amusing. Not one
of these hobos wants work. Never In
the history of our country, or in the
history of any country, was there such
q demand for labour as now. No SOBER
competent man need wait one DAY Tor
work; but, of course, nobody wants TO
employ a drunken idler, whose only
well-developed power is the ability to
draw wages and to complain that he
draws no more Whatever may be the
faults of the social system, these men
are not the victims of the mal-ad1ust-
ment of the social machinery. Fhey nave
wrought their own ruin, and If all their
demands were acceded to, they would
not be one whit better off than they are
now. The difficulty of their case is IN
their characters, and not in the INDUS
trial conditions of the times.
Nevertheless, they will find sensa-
tfonal sentimentalists in the pulpit
apologizing for them, and echoing their
demands. In fact. Cincinnati judge
seems to have been affected by such
sentimentality already. He is reported
as Issuing a unique challange to
preachers, business men, and women IN
Cincinnati to prove in a practical way
how much they care to assist IN help-
ing unfortunate men and women who
come before the bar of his court. he
called for ten representatives OF each
class named by him, each to become re-
sponsible for one man or woman TO De
taken from the flotsam and jetsam OF
the police court The three hundred
derelicts thus chosen, he asks shall be
supervised personally for year, and
be supplied with clean clothing and
place to live, and be given positions in
which they can support themselves in
a self-respecting manner. This judge
evidently means to suggest that the
men of Cincinnati are of such doubtful
preachers, business men, and godly wo-
character religiously that his test will
show up the hypocrisy of the whole
lot. His challenge is simply a senu-
mental play to the ''hobo gallery"
happen to know many of the preach
ers and christian people Of Cincinnati.
know something also of the many nu-
name institutions of that great city
on the Ohio 1t would be saying too
much If I affirmed that no case of real
need could escape the attention of the
charitable forces of the community;
but l risk nothing in saying that for
every worthy case of need, that this ju-
dicial demagogues will point out, there
are a score of generous, christian men
and women in Cincinnati ready to offer
ample relief. I venture to affirm that
the preachers and churches of Cincin-
natl know more about the outcast class
es OF the city than this judge knows,
and that they do more for the relief of
the wretched in one month than the men
of his class do in decade. 1t is quite
possible that they have tried to close
the bar-rooms and immoral resorts in
the city, in which men and women are
led to ruin, and that the politicians ana
office-holders have opposed all their eff
forts to put an end to these factories
of immortality and indulgence.
Yet some of the Cincinnati preachers,
like some preachers in other cities,
have helped to create the sentimental
ity to which is addressed this challenge
designed to impeach their christian
characters. To that degree they de-
serve the impeachment which is thrust
at them.
1t is time to have done with these
sentimental outbursts, whether they
come from pulpit, bench, or the popular
press. Men and women can not set at
nought all the laws of life, and then
demand exemption from all suffering in
this world and all penalty in any world.
Everything that we know of nature
forbids the entertainment of such soft
and silly notions; and all that we are
taught in revelation affirms the folly of
such views. The voice of law through
out the universe cries in solemn, aw-
full tones that the way of the trans
gressor is hard" Such must be the
case. If the way of the transgressor
were not hard, the case of the whole
race would be much harder than it is.
The chief trouble with the way of the
transgressor is not that it is hard. but
that it is inexcusably sinful.
Our lIxuri0uS
ever, revolts at suffering far more than
it repents for sin. There are many
minds of a certain fiimsy texture who
can not endure the thought of a holy
God, who refuses to look upon sin with
allowance; but they are ready to coddle
and pet a sinner who rebels against the
authority of a pure and loving heavenly
father with impunity. They deny the