The Detroit times., 1914-03-19
GOLDEN IMAGE
STILL RULING,
ASSERTS RECTOR
Power Seen In Frantic Rush
for Wealth, Says Rev. War
rem L. Rodgers
MATERIAL SUCCESS
is GOAL AIMED AT

Declares People Seem Satisfied
To Have Present Moment
Filled With GIee
The Rev. Warren l.. Rodgers, speak.
Ing In the MONDAY Lenten service In
the Miles theater, Thursday. said in
part
Emulation Is the very nerve OF So
ciety. We wish TO share In what our
neighbors and fellows deem desirable
and important In life. Public opinion
Is worth our needing. The natural in
stinct OF appreciation has q powerful
pull upon mans character and be-
lief. II Christianity were not popular
or well thought of In society, do you
think many of US would be willing to
be called Christians? Are we not all
tempted to do the popular thing, to
follow the crowd? II the crowd bows
down to Nebuchadnezzar's golden
image. shall we do differently? The
Image Is attractive and costly. The
lords OF the realm are there. The
great Thongs of people gather. Why
should we oppose what IL popular, and
what the movers Of society have ere.
ated and ordained az the chief interest
Of the moment?
Probably the men who most feel
this social pressure or attraction are
the men who believe they have careers
ahead OF them and who desire to
achieve personal ambition. These can
be realized only In and through SO
ciety. So they court the social attrac.
ton. They become allies of the gol-
den images In society. They are So
ciety's stand-patters. The image OF
gold Is seen today most cOnspicuOusly
IN mems frantic efforts to gain wealth
and to secure power over things and
people, The brains and Drawn of our
land are devoted In almost slavish
and abtect servitude to this image OF
material success which King Society
In the twentieth century hath set up.
is there not danger that q man IL
rated more by the size Of his bank &C.
count than by the might OF his brains
or the greatness of his spirit? Or II
man is not greatly charmed by the
desire for personal power or the
sparkle Of gold and success. he Is IN
danger OF being attracted by the sic.
nificancc of the present moment and
the pressure OF immediate appetites.
He will eat, drink and be merry now.
for tomorrow, oh. we'll, let tomorrow
take care of itself. The present mo-
ment shall be filed with ravishing
glee. Esau win sell his birthright
for mess Of pottage anyway. To the
image Of present passion many Q man
l~rSuo dnuye, n Vay{11fn~ AouAfAA
There are many who have little use
these give no better house to live In.
the daily meal, no loan companies
to forget the uncomfortable expe-
them In securing q higher wage, then
they will be concerned with the
church. but not until then.
"All Of these men have been and
are now Influenced by great social at
fractions, the crowd, the good repute.
the possibility of q career. the charm
of wealth. or the lust OF passion.
I'VE may not be cast into literal
fiery furnaces, or to the lions den to-
day. But we do ind adverse criti.
cism which works upon US - q great
social fear to keep u from known
duty. Rousseau. the great French
moralist. tells Of such An experience
in his. Confessions He falsely 90.
cused Q maid servant Of 2 theft which
he himself had committed.
when she appeared. my heart
agonised.' 20 he writes. but the. pres
ence Of 20 many people WAS more pow
erful than my conjunction. did not
fear punishment, but dreaded shame:
I dreaded It moro than death. moro
than the crime. more than oil the
world. felt no dread but that OF b.
Ing detected. Of being publicly and 20
my face declared thief, . Mar, and
caiumniator.'
DO you think 1t took no moral cour.
age for the man who was president OF
ceytain institution to oppose the 1T
tempt Of certain Of his trustees -
force through what he knew was .
crooked deal involving thousands Of
Christianity has had to light
against the most bitter and agsres.
sive adverse criticism that the world
has known. The most serious charges
conceivable have been hurled at Il.
Then when persecution and critt
cism did not avail. its enemies turned
to ridicule ito make al manner Of
sport OF It and Of IT. founder.
CELSIUS thought no had pronounced
q cutting BIT Of scorn when he spoke
Of the Galilean peasant, who In His
delusion mistook Himself 20 be Son
OF God, and caused His simple, super
stitious followers 70 think the same
Of Him. CELSIUS lived In the second
century. He was . man Of great learn
ing and believer In God. But 10 had
no use for the religion Of the Jews
nor for the religion Of Jesus Chriat.
He entertained many . group Of fAsh-
ionable men In the club houoes Of his
day with his vulgar gibes and ribald
criticisms OF Christianity.
There are twentieth century imita-
tors Of the Colsua Of the SECOND cen,
fury and our drawing rooms ana club
houses and public places often hear
their tests ct the expense of the ear.
nest. serious-minded Christian. II
you and take our religion seriously
there 10 always some one man ct hand
70 laugh 1t ~ and 70 call us 70
matte.
III anyone has his doubts a. "a
whether this Expressive element still
exists In society, let him i've for Z
time In many Of our oGlcoo, stores, or
mills and factories. and let him per
NIT himself to BE- known among HIS
fellow employee - church-goino
man. ~ . Sunday school teacher, OF