The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-13

often most profoundly affected it's history smaller churches have many times had the most real influence. The Cedar Avenue church of Cleveland, "O1d Cedar,'' as it is farniliarly called. was like the little man who never grew up. As a church enterprise among the Disciples of Christ, neither it's pastor nor it's members were much concerned about growing big. In 1880, Harris R. Cooley, fresh from college, succeeded his father as pas tor. Socialism had been the subject of his graduation oration in g. day when Socialism stood for anarchy and revolution. The young man carried his head in the clouds. He was wrest- ling with the problems of the poor and needy. His sermons were full of appeals for suffering humanity. His vacations were spent among the social settlements of London.
 A Pioneer Preacher
 It must not be forgotten in the tell ing of this story that Dr. Cooley's ministry occurred at a time when there were not in the whole country dozen proc1aimers of what we know as social Christianity. Many mem bers of Cedar church had made the rounds of the Disciple churches of Cleveland, only to stop at the little brick meeting house with its tall, bashfu1 preacher and say to one an other: e"This is what we have been 1 looking for.''
 Among these people came 8 man who was destined to transform and l enbody the Cedar avenue church life in a special way before the world. Tom L. Johnson, se1f-made traction magnate, quietly dropped into the lit tie church and bright Sunday morn | ing, and when the invitation hymn was of of presented himself with his young wife | for membership in the congregation. | MT. Johnson was conspicuous in just those qualities that Dr. Cooley lacked. | The traction magnate was preem1n-
 ent1y an organizer and promoter. Later there met at the church | club which had an unchurchly mem bership and discussed many questions | in most unconventional fashion The
 members had been brought together | in the foreign section of the city and contained many men of many ideas. 1 Anarchists and Socialists, single tax l CTS, free thinkers-they were all free talkers-and many others, who had 1 peculiar political, religious, and social 1 ideas were brought together for the , freest expression of views. No restric- tions were placed upon the members
 except the restrictions of free speech
 and fair play.
 | Break With the Disciples And then came 8 break with the | Disciples of the city and of the ma 4ion. A few persons, otherwise desIr-
 able, but {who did not want to be inn | tnersed after the custom of the Dis ciples, asked for admission to the congregatior1. Dr. Cooley, never much
 interested in the building of eccles-
 iasticaI organizations, was inclined to
 admit them on the ground of their l Christian character, previous stand | ing in other churches, and their com
 mon interest in Cedar avenue aim and ideals. The official board of the | church endorsed Dr. Cooley's views
 and the new members were received, | but not without scandal and bitter l ness in the surrounding churches. | Such a church had certain possi- | biIities, which only waited executive leadership to ripen into more pro nounced results. The ful1ness of time | comes in church circles as in other
 situations. It came to Cedar avenue
 when Tom L. Johnson received a i change of hearts as a result of read ing Henry Georges works. He an- 1 nounced that he was ready to devote his fortune and remaining years to the promotion of better social condi- tiOnS.
 l It is hardly possible that, in so small l a congregatfon, such a change of ideals by it's most forceful member should not affect the whole band. It is said that there was more political conversation at the close of service than religious sentiment. The whole life of the church was given new bent A neighboring Jewish rabbi
 was invited to preach and his sermon received wide notice in the public nrints. Folks called the church sim gle tax club and not a church. And so Cedar avenue church stood apart, regarded with suspicion as to both politics and religion.
 Dr. Cooley Leaves Church
 The account of Tom l.. Johnson s cannaiens is a story in itself and has lrevolutionized political life in Cleve-
 land.
 After his election to the office Of
 mayor. Mr. Johnson was beseiged by
 office-seekers As the organizer and head of great municipality, the sfreet-car president appeared in his hest light He was a natural judge
 of hunan nature and of the abilities
 of men to perform special tasks. It was but natural that in the selec- ton of a band of Heutenants the new
 mayor should turn to his old friends and pastor. So Dr. Cooley was asked
 to leave the little church and take an
 office in the City Hall.
 One of the very first reforms, in- 1 stituted by the new administration, | was a different treatment of crinin- als. In spite of frantic objections,
 pr. Cooley began by paroling large
 per cent. of the prisoners in the city
 work-house. He made these prison
 CTS understand that they were to have
 the opportunity to make good. The city would cooperate and encourage.
 Municipal lodges were told that the | policy of the City Hall would not be
 to take vengeance upon offenders l against the law, but to save them.
 Against a great deal of opposition, the city was led to purchase a farm | of 2,O0o acres. On separate corners