Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-01-27
,u..srv;Ile,s "Turn to the Right"

',u,.srviIie,s "Turn to the Hi9hI
hort time ago a few enthusiastic
eartlemen attempted to create an III
tas+ IN a series of sunday afternoon
v,aatirrs of a religious and educational
nature. to be held at local thea're
or at least, some public place III Au-
susta- The response was not OF d ma
ture to encourage the wouid-oe pf'-
n,oters and it fell through as many
worthy things are like to do IN d Guy
&c conservative" as Augusta. only
omen criticism seems to stir the piooo
- .h;e modest. quiet and reserved ola
n,aee and then it is usually diseoN-
cred that the severest criticism comes
from those who love It best, as par
on.s cbide their own children for the
childrens good.
great many ideal residence cities
are held back and kept in ruts that
might as well be graves, because those
who can do things are restrained pS
tba GOODNESS Cseemingly inspired by
netty jealousies) with which gooo
propositions are received. Many times
onenly and generally accepted worthy
innovations are frozen up and wither-
cd because so many who could heip
seem to resent the intention OF some
ora else to do the thing which they
tbemselves might and ought to have
done.
That kind of an atmosphere is dead
" To worthy upshoots. 1t slaughters
them by millions all over this proao
land. But the spirit of getting to-
eether" is growing and spreading and
1t may yet reach some of the worst
of US.
To show what Augusta has missed
by ite apathy and reserve. We point
the case of our neighboring city OF
waterville. There on Sunday after
noon last the Opera House doors had
to he closed before the time for the
opening prayer in the Turn to the
Right meeting. The crowd filled ey-
cry seat. the aisles and rear of the or
chestra hoor-and then the managers
closed the doors to keep others from
squeezing In.
We have no particular interest in
the program. That is the business OF
the promoters, and the worth OF the
series of meetings depends upon that
arrangement and its carrying out. But
we are interested. intensely interested,
in the public demand for something of
this sort-a common ground where
thoss who despise narrow creeds may
meet and feel that they make up some
small part of an uplift, civic right
eousness movement. 1t is significant
that many hundreds Of all denomina-
tioHs and of no denomination at all
flock to the Waterville Opera House,
Sunday afternoons, to enjoy a sacred
and educational program.
These Waterville meetings are en-
tirely nom -sectarian in nature and con-
tain absolutely nothing to give offense
to or to mislead any creed They con-
tain much of the spirit OF Jesus Christ
and much OF generally instructive
nature. Their purpose is to provide an
invitation to those wandering aim
lessly, or worse, in the streets, TO come
in where 1t is warm and be entertain
ed. and hear and see something worth
thinking about.
We hear from many sources at Wa
terville, that the address OF Mayor
Newbert of Augusta, Sunday evening,
aroused keenest interest and appre-
! citation. 1t was distinct "hit" be-
cause it gave hundreds wholesome food
for thought. His topic 1.-THE Square
Deal" was splendid one in the hands
of one of Mr.. Newbert's ability, and
the quotation from Lowell with which
he left them, sent into many homes
3 beautiful gem of thought:
Truth, forever on the scaffold; Wrong
forever on the throne,
Yet the scaffoid sways the future and
behind the dim Unknown
Standeth God, within the shadow, keep
ing watch above His own"