The Alaska citizen., 1915-11-22
4 NEW SONG OF PRAISE.
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The easiest thing in the world to do is to say something. But what is that something? We are living in an age of fault-finding. criti- cism and complaint. It has found it's way into the town and the country, it has flourished in the home and in the state; the newspaper and the gossip of the street have as sumed an air of fault-finding and criticism that is appalling. Some papers and magazines have devoted most of their space to the cause of destruction. Everything that is a of attack, and those engaged in the opposition to right ways and right thinking, have often felt that theirs has been the victory The farther the world advances in history the less reason men are finding for finding fault. This should be d day of praise, day of thanksgiv- ing. a day of rejoicing
 Right in the midst of all this criticism and fault-finding and com plaint the world keeps right on do ing things. These things that are being done are the results of the teachings of Christ, and they will keep right on being done until all are accomplished. Christianity is not a failure; the Church is not a failure; the individual Christian is not a failure. Where failure is ap parent is but proof that truth has never been tried. Truth can not fail any more than gravity can fail The fact that many trials at righteousness fail is another req son that truth l., true. A keg of powder can be set off by an inno- cent child with a red hot poker as well as by scientist with the same means Destruction is often the proclamation of truth.
 We need to sing a new song to Jehovah. The tune of pessimism has long ago worn out the instru- ment upon which it has been play ed. We have found fault with ev- erything from international law up to the home, and many would find fault with the stars if that were possible. It is not that we are to do less Investigating, less probing into the wickedness of the world. but that we are to do it with an eye single to betterment rather than destruction. Be an optimist because you are a possum-ist.
 The world ought to sing a new song today for the results of the gospel on the lives of men and women. Consider the tremendous forces for good today that the first century never knew.
 organized church as we have today. The marvellous force of the Sunday school was not then known. To day we have more than thirty mil lion people studying the Bible in organized classes. Imagine the con- trast in the influence of the home, bad enough, to be sure, but con trast it with the monarchy even as it exists in this age. The public school was not dreamed of in the first century. It has been but d few years since China, one of the oldest of nations began to develop public school system. What of the printing press in the days Of the early century? It, too, is bad enough today, but what mighty agency it IS for good to dispel ig- norance-the foe of civilization. Think of the thousands of young men and women in organization in the Y. M and Y. w. c. A., which are uonsectarian, or of the other thousands who belong to some Young Peoples organization of their respective church bodies. The first century udQ no temperance OrSa- nizations. The Woman's Christian Temperance and the Anti-Saloon league were then unheard of. See the popular sentiment that is now rising against the saloon, the dis tricts, the gambling den, and the desecration of the Sabbath The first century gives us no record of Prevalent societies in the large ci- ties. the work of the Salvation Army, the homes for the blind, the dumb. the lame, the paraly- tic. incapable old man and woman, the friendless. What history gives Us a record of the hospitals then, of the juvenile courts, of the pre- vention of cruelty to animals, of the care of the unfortunates more sinned against than shining?
 This IS the day of organized la bor for the good of the workman and of organized capital to care for the gigantic events that require millions and millions to finance We read of civic reform. of prison reform, of institutes for the cure of the inebriate, and these because of the working of the principles of -;-