Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-19
Press Comment

/ Press Comment j
Kansas City Journal: Good Phil
adelphians complain that Billy Sun
days language is too violent. Phil
adelphias orthodox ministers have
employed gentle words year after year
and the old town has slumbered on.
Waterloo Courier: In CURLY relat-
ing the story of the death of boy who
was run over by bobsled, Daven-
port correspondent says, "a friendly
push by companion threw him under
the sled" If sarcasm could kill, the
friend would be sharing honors at
the funeral.
Davenport Times: The president in
his Indianapolis speech said he want
ed to ask the business men present If
this was not the first January in their
recollection that did not bring a
money stringency for the time being
because of the necessity of paying
out great sums of money by way Of
dividends and other settlements that
come at the first of the year" Well,
it may be answered, there was not
very much to pay out in dividends
this time. Most people would run the
risk of little more stringency in or
der to get larger dividends.
Clinton Herald: The comment is
frequently made that large proper
ton of Iowa young people go outside
of the state for their college educa-
ton.
The Bellevue Herald gives list Of
students returning to school after the
holidays, showing that thirteen 60 to
the University of Iowa, four to the
agricultural college, two to Dubuque,
one to Drake, one to Chicago, and one
each to two Wisconsin schools.
Twenty out of the twenty-three go to
Iowa schools, which would be fine
record for a town in the center OF the
state. Bellevue is one mile from Illi-
nois and eighteen miles from Wiscon-
sin.
Cedar Rapids Republican: In Phila-
delphia also they are debating Mr.. Sun
day, especially the Unitarians, whom
he seems to have raped across the
knuckles, for their lack of faith In
Christ. But they should take into con-
sideration that Mr.. Sundays theology
is OF an older stamp. He Is q stand
patter on Christianity He has not re-
vised it much and he has but little faith
in it's modern revisers. That Is why
he also quarrels with Christian Science
and has kind words for Catholicism,
which is even less revised than Presby-
terianism. Mr.. Sunday picks up the
threads of Christ's teachings where the
disciples dropped them when they died.
He goes back to Galilee 1t is either
heaven or hell with him, God is the
eternal Judge and Christ the informed
iary and intercessor for men-its take
Christ or perish eternally, from the lips
of Mr.. Sunday.
We may not all be able to endorse
that version and vision of Christianity.
Some of us may think that religion
also is a progressive Interpretation Of
God, 'and that the God Of our century
is not the same as the God whom the
shepherds of Judea saw in their skies.
To some Of us God has become more
merciful than he was to the old tesla
ment Jews, our God will not stop the
sun in order that captain may slay
the remnant of his enemies.
But, after all, these things do not
matter 80 much. They are not worth
quarreling over and if one who does
not think as we do, consigns us to his
hell, let us forgive him for he may not
know what he is doing. But some
things do amount to much in Mr.. Sun
day. What does matter most is that
he sets men to thinking and that he
leads many into better ways of living.
We feel with the Philadelphia North
American, which commenting editorial.
ly on his presence in that city, advises
all doubters and remonstrants to at
tend faithfully some Of these meetings
ITO see this ex-ball player with abso.
lutely no aid from ecclesiastical sur.
roundings, creating in an ugly wooden
barn the spiritual atmosphere of a
cathedral and moving thousands to
change the whole course of their lives
and then tell us what force it Is that
he exerts"
After they have done that, they will
have to admit in all honesty and sin.
cerity that there is something in the
man, if not in his theology, and that
he accomplishes wonderful things.