Evening journal., 1917-02-24
" IS THE WORLD
GROWING better"
Some of DR.. Randolph'S
Answers Are eyes"
Others Are "No"
SUNDAY SERMON
ON THE SUBJECT
"Is the world growing better?"


This IS a fitting subject for the
concluding sermon tomorrow evening
OF the series on present day topics
which the Rev. DR.. Herbert f. Ran
dolph has Seen preaching on success
sive Sunday evenings at Grace NJ. E.
Church.
The scores OF business and pro-
fessional men who, In their answers
to questions Dropounded by the min
lister. have furnished the live material
for these sermons agree generally that
the world is growing better, and they
give reasons IN support Of their be-
lief.
One Of the correspondents. who be-
gins his answer in a spirit Of pes
simism, hedges in the end, and even
he Is willing 10 admit that things
might be worse. This is the way he
puts it.:
mo. the world is not noticeably
growing better The idea that every
thing is growing steadily better is a
pleasing delusion. 1t has been hard
for clear visioned man to share in
that delusiOn since August, 1914.
There was never any real ground to
believe in the steady promotion OF
goodness in tho world That notion
comes from the self-fattery by which
men amuse themselves. But there is
not satisfactory evidence that the
world is growing worse. I think, as a
matter of fact. that the devil Is being
held pretty level in this old world. II
4 D. fr,Tr har
are no worse. The millennium is COM
ing, not gradually, but suddenly and
all at once on some blessed day"
DR.. Randolph's question was put in
this form:
Are there any evidences that the
world Is gOwing better? (Give in
stances under each head)
"(a) In business life. (b) In politi-
cal life. (c) In social life"
"Of course the world is growing
better, but it is easier to say 50 than
it is to prove it," is the way one writer
declares himself Then he proceeds
to prove il" by citing the growth OF
fair dealing in mercantile life. the
Improvement in political affairs and
the better relationship between hui
man beings. He thinks political af-
fairs could be vastly improved If the
light Of publicity was thrown on
them. for he says:
zone great drawback is the absence
Of any real publicity. Our newspapers
are owhed by men who can afford to
do as they please with them and run
them at a loss If necessary as long
as they promote or do not expose the
owners Of the newspapers. This fact
10 1uruo1xr saapnncfhIa for oufs rattan
politics, and then some preachers are
little timid."
There is no uncertainty about the
opinion OF the optimist, who says:
These are only a few OF the ex-
tremely interesting answers. This
eighth question has given full play
to the pens of those TO whom it was
sent and there is every prospect that
the sermon will be the most striking
of the series.
Dr. Randolph will preach in the
morning on The Power of Humility"
The music at the morning service will
be as follows: Organ prelude. "Chan-
son sans Paroles" Tschakowsky; pro-
cessional, when Morning Gjlds the
Sky" Barnby; anthem, How Sweet
the name of Jesus Sounds" Shelley;
AAA'A wi aNl anu o0AAf MISS 4NANA uuG
Dohmen; contralto solo, Mrs. Eleanor
GirtOn Kemery; occasional God
Moves In a Mysterious Way" Cowper;
organ postlude, Allegro in ID. Smart.
The music at the evening service
will be as follows: Organ recital by
Norris c. Morgan: Prelude in f Major,
West; Theme and Variation, Ewing"
Sheppard; The Rosary, Nevin; process
sional, 20 Mother Dear, Jerusalem
Ward; anthem, Now the Day is over"
Reade; Duet. THE Lord is My Light"
Buck. Mrs Kemery and Mr.. Harper;
offertory, soprano solo, Miss Gertrude
Dohmen; occasional, Lord ! Cannot
Let Thee Co." Newton; organ post
lude, March Militaire," Gounod.
The special soloist will be Miss Ger
trude Dohmen of Philadelphia.
The Sunday school meets at 2
o'clock and the Epworth League at
6.45 o'clock. DR. Randolph will be-
gin a series OF Lenten addresses on
THE Way of the Cross" next Wednes-
day evening.