Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-01-06

Sls,glS.s .ssJ or our hneSt Auul-
tOrums the Y. NJ.
c. A.. and large attendance. In his
audience Of English residents were
many japanese, Very earnest atten-
tlon was given him. We report one Of
his addresses from the text, Choose
ye this day whom ye will serve" Gosh
ua xiv, l5D He said
am deeply impressed with the great
progress which your nation has made,
which Is manifest on every hand. But
alas fear that here. as IN civilized
lands, some Of the progress Is inJuri-
Gus. The japanese and every other
people need II faith ballast It is nee
essary TO strength Of character and a
permanent civilization. without 1t, In
a little while the whole world will be
swept into anarchy. Indeed fOresee
that awful condition approaching rap
ldly-ln Europe, In America and here
In japan
Laments tho Lack Of Faith Ballast,
The basis Of anarchy Is a lack Of
faith ballast; and alas our wonderful
schools, with their dne equipments, are
the real cause Of the condition which
As approaching In Europe and Amer
len this inhdellty is CLOSED over wlch
the name Of Higher Criticism, but here
see that you more candldly label 1t
Agnostlclsm and Atheism It appall.
ed me to find that the progress Of
your scholars from Shlntoism, COnfu
cinnlsm and Buddhism has not been
toward Christianity but toward total
unbellef | have heen handed II report
from three Of your schools which has
made me hehrtsici Out Of total Of
400 Students 4 prOfesscd Christianity,
II the religion Of your fathers, GO de
clared themselves Atheists, 2S2 regis
tered rs Agnostlcs and 4G were so be
wlldered as to be non.commttal.
Alas, my friends, even your proyer-
blal pollteness, geutcncss, kindness of
character and willingness to die for
your Emperor cannot exist long under
the influence Of such lack Of faith
ballast. Aud what your scholars Of
today believe will surely reflect In your
masses shortly And ! am bound In
candor to admit that very similar
condition OF things prevails through.
out Europe aud America. The outlook
Is omlnous indeed
Whatever we may be, the closing of
one year and the opening Of another
furnishes n favorable opportunity for
retrospectlon rs well as for good reso
lutions, | trust that my audience
agrees with me In this, The greatest
power In the universe is the power of
the will, and we are all learning how
Important a matter II is that our own
Wills and the Wills OF our fellow-crea.
lures be rightly directed. 1t is in line
with this thought that the Wise man
declared that greater Is a man that
uleth his own spirit than he who con.
quers a city" and, AS man wllleth
In his heart, so is he" Proverbs xvi,
%; xiii ~
War and Rapins Not Noble Objects.
or old Alexander the Great wllled
to be the conqueror Of the world. and
Ht cost Of wealth and streams Of
blood he accomplished wonders. We
are gradually learning, however. that
war and rnplne are not sufficiently no.
BILE objects for the human ambition
aud will Instead, the bright minds
OF the world are turning toward the
conquerlng OF the earth. Highways
are cast up, rails are laid, trains nre
run, mountains are pierced, rivers are
spanned with bridges, and the human
VIII Is using steam and electrical now.
er In every direction In a marvellous
manner | am not emphasizing these
wen known focts so common to our
observation, but calling attention TO
the 'oill behind all these results. with.
out which they would not be attained
And what Is thus noted In the
achievements Of the world reminds MS |
that we each and all have willis !
which should be rightly directed and |
forcefully exercised IN all Of our ner
sonal Affairs, our lives, our ambitions
cur family and social attalnmepts A
will'less man Is good.rcr.naurbt
How important then. Il Is that an OF
our Wills should be wisely, rightly al
rected, that our lives may be made as
successful and useful as possible for
the glory OF our Creator and for tbe
welfare of our fellows, as wen as for
our own sales, suggest to you
therefore, III harmony with our tent
that we choose this day our COURSE
for the coming year, yea, for Life, and.
indinS that we have chosen wisely,