Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-05-08
Outside Point of View

Free Sunday baseball was advocated
at meeting Of the men and religion
forward movement here by Paul Stray
er, social service expert. Of Rochester,
n. Y. Mr.. Strayer said Sunday should
be a day for restoring not only the
spiritual balance. but the physical bal
ance, and that it should be given to
recreation as we'll as to the church. He
also said the downtown churches should
be used for free moving picture shows
and concerts"
The above appeared in the news coll
umn Of Chicago daily a few weeks
ago. How does it strike the reader ?
While. Of course, it does not commit
all men of the forward movement, it
comes from one Of the brotherhood
prominent enough to occupy the posi-
ton of teacher. That's the significant
part Of it. Such words from a world
ly" man. Sabbath breaker. would
have no weight But it does smack
Of forwardness. 1t brings out a discus
sion not only of interest to church
members. but would be church mem
bers if. Not so long ago this writer
heard Of a consistent church member
giving up his membership, because he
wanted to play golf on Sunday; and
while he saw nothing wrong in a game
of golf on Sunday he felt for him to
regularly play golf on Sunday would
bring reproach on the church. And
this suggests the query did the man or
the church lose by his action.
Firm in the belief that as minister Of
the gospel he was living in realm Of
fanciful theories and impractical
ideals. Charles H. Braden. formerly
pastor Of Grace Baptist church Of Spo-
kane has abandoned the pulpit to enter
rational politics. He is an active can
didate for congress from the Third dis
trict of Washington.
This. too, appeared as news item in
the daily papers. And there's some
thing about it contrary to our general
ideas Of religion and politics. 1t re-
qures a very charitable view Of such
action to imagine such man is sincere.
Either he is woefully ignorant or has
had no practical experience. If elected
he will find many things going on in
the house at Washington not so "ra-
tional" Perhaps he's a freak they
occasionally stumble into the pulpit and
soon fall out
At Salt Lake City. Utah. while as
surfing her audience there was no such
thing as bodily weakness, Mrs. George
S. Gannett, a reader in the Christian
Science church. tainted and fell beside
the reading desk. Another news item.
We can assume all of the above quoted
articles are true, as they were sent by
o0r inc oil
alike if special could be made out
Of them. Now to avoid any newspaper
discussion what follows is not an at
tack on Christian Science: The writer
once had for good neighbor a woman
who walked with a limp. caused by
disease of the hip joint, an incurable
disease as all doctor agree. This wom-
an became a Christian Scientist, de-
clared she was cured and walked the
same as other people. And this writer
thinks she was honest in statements,
| but he knew she was lame The ques-
ton raised here, is in regard OF her
mental condition and for that matter
all Scientists that have similar beliefs
of cures, when outsiders have positive
knowledge to the contrary. AS mat
ter Of fact the Christian Scientists
have in their ranks more of the edu-
Gated, cultured and wealthy class than
any other denomination. Mentally they
are of the best OF our citizens. But this
reader asserts there's no bodily weak
ness and faints on public platform.
My lame neighbor feels pain every
step she takes and shows it in her
walk before everybody and yet de-
clares she is not lame. There's theory
in all insane asylums. that the only
sane people in the community are
locked up in such buildings. They
happen to be in the minority. II they
were in the majority the other crowd
would be locked up. Is it possible the
Christian Scientists belong to the NIL
nority, hence we do not understand
these things.
~ r..