South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-22
PRAISE
WORK OF CAMPAIGN

To well filled auditorium OF the
membership Of the church and the
citizenship OF the community. DR. Lor-
en- NJ. Edwards in bis Sunday evening
sermon presented anew one Of his
series of sermons delivered in Jan
nary upon the subject OF practical re-
ligi0n. The pastor gave a series OF
i've sermons at the beginning OF the
year, based FOR the most part upon
inspiration derived from an analysis
OF some 90 responses 10 questions pro-
pounded 10 members of the church
and community upon the individual
opinion or notion, as to just what is
the idea OF the question about what
religion may be.
Mr.. Edwards took for his text the
9th verse of the first chapter Of
st. Johns wherein that great apostle
and disciple admOnished the Chris
tan - visit the fatherless and the
widows in their afflictiOn and to keep
unspotted from the world The min
listed stated that eight out of so who
responded to his Interrogation.
touched upon this very text as laid
down in Holy Writ while % of those
responding emphasized their view 10
be that religion does no. consist of
of worship. but must be manifest In
deeds performed and works done. One
OF the laymen suggested that THE re-
ligion that feeds from the purses of
hypOcritics can not gain and retain
respect" Further. 1.-THE religion that
teaches patriotism, clanism and jeal-
Oney. that prays for peace while lend
ing support TO destruction, is not my
idea of religiOn'-in n possible critic
ism Of the church for not taking u
stand against what the writer evil
IDENTIFY deems an unneutTal position in
trading with warning nations.
One OF the answers received last
year was from a man not a member
OF the church. but wherein he COM
planned bitterly that he had been dis
charged by q certain corporation be-
cause he refused TO become a. party
TO fraudulent transaction, a high Of
fetal in the company saying TO him
when he handed him the blue en-
velope: Your ideas Of right and
wrong are too strong for u.s." In
this communication the writer as
sailed "all forms of what is sighting
~ called graft, excessive watering
of stocks in time of prosperity, in
stead of making a more equitable dt-
vision of profits between the laborer
and the manager"
EXpounding his theme in religious
contrasts as elected in the question
aire, the pastor insists that the de-
voice must adhere to his faith at all
times. stating that, lone may declare
his own conscience a sufficient guide.
his own strength sufficient power, his
own initiative sufficient directing en-
ergy, but the tragic failures of hu-
man kind at this point are preSump-
tive evidence against him."
Sympathizing apparently with the
critics of the church. Dr. Edwards
declared IF a religion will not sur
vive the wear and tear of the store
and shop and office. if ii does not
express itself in fair wages equitable
industrial conditions; in philanthro-
pies and welfare movements; if it
does not feed the hungry and clothe
the naked and help the needy, then
it must face the question mark OF
society's sober judgment and be
ready for ridicule, rejection and in
difference" But, the pastor insists
that the church supplies the member
ship of all those organizations that
are working for the amelioration OF
the race and the solution of social
problems that veX, calling attention
TO the fact that the Union Temper
ance commission which at first sought
To bring to it's aid different social
and benevolent organizations in its
fight upon the liquor traffic finally
and in the last analysis was recruited
from the organizations Of the church
alone to finance and manage the cam
paign now being waged
IN defending the church locally as
not being awake to social service and
the resistance Of evil, DIR. Edwards
pointed to THE assault that was
made two years ago on lawlessness
and the Sunday saloon and notorious
gambling and cOmmercialized vice"
in Mishawaka. and added: 1T am will
ing to accept all the responsibility,
whether with praise or blame, that
people care to shoulder upon me. .
. and l will say that if the saloons
have been brought under the mastery
of the law; if city government has
been placed upon a clean, moral nom
partisan basis; if pandering women
have been driven from the city: il
gambling houses running under the
guise of cigar stores or photograph
galleries have folded their tents and
stolen away. then whoever helped
to usher in this new day should be
crowned with laurel leaves like an
Olympian victor, and the church that
aided in the work can lay claim to at
least one victory in the realm of prac-
| teal religion"