The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-10-08

Kansas many country churches are closed throughout the entire year.
 One of the causes suggested is the automobile. Churchgoers who used to attend the crossroads westinghouse now ride to the nearest city, even if it is twenty or thirty miles distant, and sit in cushioned pews and listen to polished sermons and the music of well trained choirs; at least some of them do.
 But in Madison county, New York, one of the central and most prosper ous counties of that state, it is learned that very few of the inhabitants ever darken the door of church. A sur- prisingly large number not only have no church connection, but are grossly ignorant of the fundamental doc trines of Christianity.
 On the authority of the Living Church, widely read and esteemed Episcopal weekly, one man who had attended a funeral asked the preacher in all seriousness after the services were over "who this Christ was" of whom he had been speaking. Ger tainly that field calls for missionary.
 This populous New York county contains many men and women, ap- parently enlightened, who are practi- cal pagans, and who, it is needless to say, have no regard for the marriage relation. If like condition existed to any extent among southern white people there would be comments in some of the northern newspapers about the benighted south.
 The appalling facts which the Liv- l ing Church brings to light should cause a quickening of the missionary spirit. The luxury of the auto-car may explaiy something, but it can- not reach the case of the fertile but goddess valley of Madison county, New York, whose thriftiest families did not, in twenty years, humber single attached Christian believer.".% Mother" Jones told the wives of strik- ing carmen in New York that they ought to be out raising heir' instead of staying at home thinking about trinkets and dress If any person doesn't believe this is free country. he should study the ca reers of such persons as Mother Jones and Emma Goldman.
 l The suffragists speaking for Mir. Hughes have learned what it means to be heck led. That's what they get for leaving their happy homes and abandoning lmou- of cart.
 Now those pesky Japs are charged with trying to undermine the baseball manu- featuring business of the United States by dumping cheap basebals on the mar ket. MT. 'Hobson has always said that those people would bear watching. l * * X
 Publishers of Florida weeklies have iagreed to raise the price of their sub- scription to s2 a year. That means ye editor is going to be swamped witt oranges and grapefruit.
 x
 rather strong case has been made out for Sir Walter Raleigh as the author of shakespeares plays. With the woods full of campaign orators, this is no time to be discussing matter of that kind. | #
 MT. McGaw's baseball players, whom he criticized so harshly, had bought g set of Shakespeare to give him. While he is perusing Hamlet his heart will ge out to those thoughtful lads.
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 San Francisco officials held up tn, Barnum and Bailey circus for passes ga lore, but are believed to have paid fol their own peanuts, popcorn and pink lem onade.
 The average general in the European war may think he has responsibilities but they are light compared to the re responsibilities of the average footbal coach.
 An inventor whose gun was rejected b. the United States government committed suicide. Maybe one of the European powers will use it some day.
 X
 It's a proud and happy Briton who hal part of wrecked Zeppelin for a sou !. venir.