The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-05-28
The Approaching Completion
of Panama Canal Sets Re-
jjuious Forces of West To
Making Se|f-Exainlnatlon
SAN FRANCISCO Is
THE NATIONAL PROBLEM

In the Great Port of the Pacl-
fc Now Being Surveyed By the
Churches and New Plans Made.
,Bv THE RELIGIOUS RAMBLER.)
The stir of anticipation and prepa-
ration up and down the western coast
~ the prospective opening of the
Panama canal is being shared by the
churches. Local bodies and national
leaders are giving attention TO the
subject, definite and scicntiflc surveys
Of present conditions are being made,
and plans are being laid that CON
template an adequate meeting or the
rev conditions which Will be created
by the great event OF 1919.
Certain inevitable social and re-
ligious consequences OF the new era,
including an immense lnfuX OF
European immigration, make the eX-
pressed views Of the religious lead
ers as grave. as those Of the business
interests which are making ready FOR
the new order. For decades the
church has little more than held her
own on the western coast. In san
Francisco. particularly, she has Waged
what many have called a losing fight.
NOV" the 1OhOlLloll tldo pSScihAS
cal.
Forced Together by Difficulties.
The biggest news Of the whole stu
alton, from q religious standpoint, is
that the churches are nowadays look
ing at things in the large. This crisis
finds the various denominations IN
such relationship of unity and CO.
operation that they can treat the
problems as a unit. The exigencies
of present conditions AVE helped to
consolidate the forces. Large views
prevail; a national and ~world-note
und today in all representative re-
ligiouS gatherings. The parish idea
has been abandoned. The churches
have %outgrown the old casual, hit-Or-
miss, individualistic, every church fol
itself, way Of doing things. The task
OF one has seemed to be the aSh
Of all, to be faced and shared ir
In a new sympathy and friendlines:
with the Roman Catholic Church, an(
quite generally rising above jealousie:
among themselves, the united PrOteS
tant churches Of the country are go
ing after his common work which
they find laid upon them by the ney
conditions arising in the West.
Some Staggering Difficulties.
The conditions to which tn
churches have awakened are unpar
Wi1Nl AlLo >
long been clamoring for population
is likely to have all it can handl
ere many years. Some WeSter
States have had their agents i
Europe seeking European immigra
ton, although the antipathy to ASiati
residents is still strong. Sanguin
Westerners predict that the Coas
States will have 10000, 900 immigrar
population by the middle Of this Ger
fury. Be the numbe but q 1.-THE {
that. the strain upon the digestiv
organs of the States will be terrif
The West is not so well prepared
absorb new population as is the Eas
It's social organizations are neither s
large nor SO pronounced. What TT
effect will De upon the life of the We
remains to be seen: the churches a.
going to attempt to determine it
Heretofore the churches have n
Inquired very largely in the life of II
coast. Especially is this true in ST.
Francisco. The famous reforms
that city have had no d~iscoyerab
connection with the churches. Oh
observer says, "All through the Goa
region the lack Of the church's no
upon the community is commonly |
Inented by the church people; no ia
is more repeatedly emphasized in t
current Home Mission appeal tn
tina the money of the coast is not
the churches, nor are the material
sources Of the coast available for t
working out Of the ideals Of t
church"
The fringe Of the country along t
Pacific coast has been the hap
hunting-ground for all the odd
rieties Of religion: and Buddh
Shintoist. Confucian. Taoist and n
hammedan places OF worship, not
mention certain other fancy bra
OF eastern faith, may be found in
big cities. These have initiated
some measure against the activity
the Christian churches. 1t is COME
ed that in the presence Of these ave