South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-02

holds that which is secular be mOnastc Of
ecclesiastical control We say control not "infu
ence" There is a vast difference between being indie
pendent Of the church monastic enthusiastically
world ordained representative Of God and being nde
pendent Of the Almighty Himself. The municipal
Thanksgiving festival proposed by would have beer
independent OF the church. but we thought we suff
cienty recognized human gratitude due God with Hin
TO be praised Author Of All Good" to make oui
conception and purpose at least reasonably plain.
thing is not Of necessity wordly-Godless-me be-
cause it is not churchly.
And now in the face Of his criticism. would like
to ask Dr. Edwards what he thinks of South Bend:
annual municipal Christmas secular nsttu
ton? II a municipal Thanksgiving service. separate
and independent Of the churches-which would not OF
any necessity, or by any means imply that church
members could not take part-would work a despirit
ualization Of the day render it independent Of
Cod" then what the secuaEzation Of the Christ
mas festival do to it? South Bend makes an annual
appropriation to the presentation this Christmas
in doing which it must treat a secular institution
or otherwise it is Misrepresentation Of public funds
for religious purposes, contrary to the laws of the
state; even the state constitution. which
"No money shall be drawn from the treas
ury for the benefit of any religious theo-
logical institution"
This Christmas tree is either religious theolog
institution" else presented city il
must be regarded as secular civil institution and
under Dr. Edwards Interpretation of suggested mu
nicpal Thanksgiving day festival despirtualized and
robbed its Christian significance Frankly, dc
with Edwards that everything is despirit
liked rendered Goddess. INDUCED in outside
the church that the absorption of the Christian
spirit affairs robs the church of any
Of its prerogatives Chrst's pulpit the mountain
side and the plain; the Jordan His baptisma
fount; His manse was the wide wide world He broke
bread with beggars and slept under bush. but who
denies the spiritualzing influence of this He
mingled thus with the nonchurched.
Which is exactly why the municipal Thanksgiving
festival proposed bring together in thanksgiving
and praise multitude possible. whom the
services the church might never draw. Neither
would such service of necessity, have been indie
pendent Of God" merely because of a secular order
our entire government is secular. To declare sec
Thanksgiving service Goddess puts the stamp
of GodIessness upon our entire secular fabric
cares America heather nation. at least athestcal
and that deny.
our government is all the more Godlike it is
of secular order and it is the with the state
and the municipality. 1t the individual citizen
Render Caesar the things that Caesars and
unto God the things that are Gods in perfect free
dom, and the nation state, or the community
wish call their people together TO give thanks to
Heaven the blessings that they have enjoyed
divduas citizens of the nation the state the
municipality regardless their affiliations
the lack of them, insist that the tendency is to
spiruaIize vitaze such assemblages with Christian
spirit rather than TO lose il to them.
DR.. Edwards Overestmates the Importance of church
ImonopolizatiOn of Thanksgiving, we fear Thanks
day institution. why
secular procamatons from the president and the gov
ernor, which he us reading Theirs is
no voice from Heaven. Neither one of them, so far
see, called upon the churches processing
Christians alone observe the day. The proclama-
ons issued the people; all the people and in
manner, has been the custom of years sug-
gestive of secular observance The Christian church
had it's good exemplifed the fact that
lar government like is not independent of God,
and claim independent of Cod" in fact
proclamation calls its citizenship citizens to
give thanks God for the blessings that He has
ferred them.
The church is generous to throw open its doors on
such secular occasions We viii even admit that is
the proper place for all citizens go give thanks
if invoke the presence greater multi
tude along with the Thanksgiving seek to spirit
ualize that multitude with a larger insight into Amer
lean ideals-so highly rfammable with the Heaven
born brotherhood Of man; for such purpose we say
additional should held the church
we are still dense to see the crime in it, or even a
downward drift