The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1913-11-07


spatter board like a buggy. The auto
disposed OF the use Of horse power, but
the spatter board was still there aud
there was no reason for it. Why?
Because men did not think. We all
use spatter boards until somebody
comes along and begins an independ-
ent thought movement.
After many splendid illustrations
along this line, Mr.. OFT spoke of the
evolution OF government and politics.
He said that graft and dishonesty would
be wiped out and. he did not say 50,
but inferred that democracy would be
enthroned. This would not depend
upon the Executive nor upon Congress-
but in the evolution OF individual
thought. Men are thinking, and the
result is the evolution OF social and
political reform. So it is with religion.
The world is growing better. But it is
an intelligent religion-a sane religion.
And then the speaker described the
work OF Dowie and the fanaticism of
his following. Mr.. OFT lived near Zion
City and he had personal knowledge
Of the work 1t was man worship.
Dowie organized chorus in black
robes and he paraded in front OF them
in white, appealing to the emotions OF
the audience. This he kept up until
the audience began to tire, and then he
worked upon the nerves until the brain
was affected, and with the mind in a
state OF hysteria he gathered barrels OF
money and pauperized his people. The
name OF thief is contemplate, but
the man who uses the name OF AL
mighty God to strip the people OF their
substance is despicable of all men.
Religion is embedded in the intelli-
gence, not in depravity. The evolution
OF religion comes with thought.
Speaking further OF the creations OF
great minds he referred to Dickens who,
in his Swiss chalet, permitted no one to
enter while he forged his characters.
He wrote eight pages a day, but he gave
the world some OF the best thought.
He was an instrument of evolution. In
the slums of great city he saw an old
curiosity shop and there he found the
white soul OF Little Nell. Little Nell
was his companion for days-for months
and when the end came the most
graphic OF all character creators was
overcome with grief. How could we
overlook such work for some of our
Iatter-day trash9
The lecturer showed that evolution
brought efficiency. Thought develops
the mind and with the processes OF evo-
luton there would be no room for un-
skilled hands. The boys OF to-day must
be skilled for the future or they must
be paupers. Efficiency will be demand
ed all along the line. The progress OF
ciyics, of government and religion must
surely come. We cannot prevent it. 1t
is the evolution OF thought. In civics
Mr.. OFT addressed the ladies, saying
that they would beautify our cities as
we'll as our homes, and that the day
would come when there would be har-
mony in public buildings and thorough
fares. There is now nothing so I'M
slightly as a great city thoroughfare with
its irregularity OF streets and dissimu-
Iarity of houses.
It is not well to close this without re-
calling Mr.. Otis reference to the evolu-
ton OF the farm. With the telephone,
the rural delivery and the good road
there are no more farmers. The men
OF the country are agriculturistss and
the man who sold foot OF ground has
no conception of future possibilities.
He is using the spatter board; there is
no philosophy in his imagination; there
is no speculation in his eyes. The agri-
cuIturist is the man Of the future.
The speaker was practical, eloquent,
at times soaring in flights and then
intensely dramatic, with Just enough
humor interIarded to whet the mind
and riyet attention.
the large audience was delighted.