The Republican journal., 1913-06-05

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mercial value of prosperous religious So
cieties in every community, and OF doing
the little that lies within my limited
ability to cause practical men to awaken
to realization that church organiza-
lions, like other public service corpora
tons, are mighty fine dividend payers
when properly managed and financed.
incidentally, it might afford me not
unworthy satisfaction should l be SO
fortunate as to succeed in puncturing
the pneumatic over size tire complacency
OF divers he.residents Of your town and
mine, who are never lOath to cut out the
muffier to emphasize their Importance
as leading citizens and are 60 h. p.
self-starters when a paying office is in
sight; but are forever found with water
in the carburetor when asked to make a
trip to the place for contributing an ap-
propriate sum for the support of local
religious institutions.
1t would be we'll for each of us to bear
IN mind that no race of people without
some form of religious worship-some
faith in the unseen-has ever been
known. 1t is simple truth Of history
that nations have been strong just as
long as they have been strong In re-
ligious faith. 1t were passing strange
If in the beginning of the twentieth GEN.
fury we are no longer in need of the God
of our fathers.
One may not admire the Jew, the
Mohammedan, the Mormon; but it has to
be conceded that these people strong in
religion are strong as race. Asked to
admire the work of the Mormons in re-
claiming desert, one might sneeringly
retort, Gentle capital Measurably
true, but by their religious fervor they
were moved to lay the foundations which
made Utah attractive.
The man on the street is inclined to re-
gard religious attitude as something
weak and effeminate; and it appears
( rather unfortunate that no artist has
ever painted an idealized portrait of the
Christ that suggested strength and viril-
ity. AS matter of literal fact, wheth-
er you accept the Christ as Divinity or
look upon Him as the Jewish enthusiast
which Renan SO graphically portrays,
He was above all else strong and virile
figure. 81 come not to bring peace but
a sword is not the language of weak
lAg.
And the majority of the great figures
of history have been deeply religious
So, too, all of the leaders of the present
generation of men. Gladstone, Morgan,
Carnegie, Rockefeller, Mckinley (and
Taft, Ed are among the names which
quickly present themselves as strong
churchmen, and who were reasonably
successful in business affairs.
Even with men of science, who long
denied the existence of soul in man be-
cause it eluded the scalpel and micro
scope, decided change of attitude is
observable.
But it is a dominant characteristic of
human nature to slop over. That spirit
ual emancipation which has made rapid
progress since Ingersoll has gone to ex-
tremes, quite as might have been antici
pated. Nevertheless, the value of re-
iigion and of the churches has not disap-
peared because men dare to subject the
scriptures to criticism, higher or other
wise.
The arguments of the man on the
street are too well known to need presen-
tation. And whole lot Of what he says
is true. But just as we must accept the
theory Of evolution in the physical world
so should we assume the existence of
an evolutionary condition in the religious
forms and thought of the world. And
nothing invalidates the teachings of the
Christ as the sublimest guide the world
has ever known. And mankind is in abso-
lutte need of the upiift of religious faith.
developed by private thinking and public
gathering. Materially ii pays. Within
the area served and influenced by The
Journal is a village of fire old homes.
standing amid we'll trimmed lawns. along
sinuous roads shaded by ancient elms
and naples, alluring to motorists, occu-
pants of cars passing through an unpre-
tentious business centre have observed
otherwise irreproachable shopkeepers
sweeping the litter from their places of
business into the highway. Beside one
store platform there reposed a literal com
post heap of rottirg fruit, banana skins.
orange peel and sweepings, fostering in
the typhoid fly and of malodorous ema-
postoffce blazed with discarded circulars,
envelopes and tor paper, like the elias
sic leaves of Va,lo mbrosa, marking the
courses and habits If careless citizens
All of which evidences personal pride,
as shown by the upkeep of private
residences, but woeful lack Of civic
sentiment and altruistic coopersti ton for
the common good. And, of course, quite
as might be expected, the traveller has
no difficulty in learning that the religi-
Gus sentiment of the village is at low
ebb. The old meeting house, with its
fine example of the traditional Christie
pher Wren spire, stands desolately amid
weeds and litter and uncut grass disfg-
uring the parish lot.
And this village is by no means unique.
1t is merely one of type selected to
show concretely the widespread need.
There is something radically wrong with
the small, old time communities that are
decadent in business way-a some
thing which very closely resembles de-
generation. 1t is mental rather than
physical and one might trace all along
the way exhibitions of al Extensively ag-
gressive liam just as good as-you- be. -
attitude, which serves to delude the pos
sesors into unconsciously feeling that
''the king can do no wrong" In the
newer communities, the under element
aspres to better social status, the old
guard is forced to see to its laurels, and
with all classes of society showing their
metal we witness fine esprit de corps
which is uplifting and refining. Along
with this, however, we have to contend
with the perniciods publicity given to
the antics of the whelps Of the very rich,
who have rather too much money to
spend for their own good and that Of the
common throng.
Aware of the fact it would hardly be
/ E. i. IL Il