South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-10-17
A MARTYR OF THE MODERN CHURCH


n Ev. J. N. Greene. recently transferred from the
N First NJ. z. church OF South Bend, today be-
gins his pastorate the First church at Terre
Haute He goes thther martyr to his sincerity. his
honesty his refusal further prostitute his pulpit
by the countenancng OF vice. gambling, bootleg
ging; making the cause OF Christ subordinate to
political intrigue.
Rev. Greene preached a sermon early IN the
summer shortly after the close of the Bob Jones
revival in which he threw partisanshir to the
winds and dealt with moral conditions here
DER noses Unlike a previous indignant occupant
OF the pulpit no, he did not held his nose
avoid the local stencil while he talked about
Mayor Thompson OF Chicago. and OF Sodom and
Gomarrah,-just show how little influence poll
tics had over him.-but ne talked about Mayor
Carson and things home.
It was more than the religio- poudco pharisees
Of his congregation could bear. There unan-
nous call for the return Of DR.. Greene and the
conference him where there
unanimous call: Terre Haute. home OF Don Roberts.
a that has had something OF a cleansing-sucn
as South Bend richly deserves.
wouldn't be surprised II the opposition to Or.
Greenes sermon hailed from much the same source
as a letter received from branch OF
that church some time ago commenting for some
editorial comment with reference TO drunken au-
tomobie driver. and political antics connected
herewith We. however, were crticisins democrats.
and wondered at the time why had never
ceived any commentator from that quarter for
our criticisms of infinitely damnabe and i'm
moral antics, in public life too. put by republi-
cans?
We think we understand. The transfer OF Dr..
Greene lets the cat out Of the bag Men in the pull
pits quite subject to the Vaccinations OF hell
in editorial sanctums sometimes
Clergymen are employed preach Christianity in
the abstract not the concrete. The day OF Applied
Christianity is either past or-yet to 1t isn't
here. DR.. Greene stood the restraint long he
could and then broke out-away out
To the credit OF the First NJ. E. the attitude OF
the great majority OF the congregatlon-especially
the women.-was with the pastor Political intrigues
concerned them less than public decency. Perhaps
sometimes happens this minority-the tail that
wagged the dog, the few who
renting downtown property for bawdy- houses
or by such indirecton sharing in the profits
OF bootegging But that majority. OF
nine TO one. was not sufficient TO make the demand
for Dr. Greene's retention unanimous Accordingly
one Of the best. most scholarly high-minded, and
finally fearless pastors that South Bend has had in
years-has been transferred to Terre Haute
We merely mention II as an incident in passing
This direction in which the Christian church
drifting has been mentioned in these columns be-
fore The writer discussed It before the Ministerial
association not s. very many months ago. We are
living today in the grasp OF the fourth dimension
the Holy Trinity; the fourth dimension OF the
Three Graces-mammon. disqualification has
evolved from mere first law OF nature into sort
religious instinct with the growth OF intelligence
find ways and means OF convincing ourselves that
the attainment OF loathsome ambitions
conscious sub-conscious-is at least excusable.
And now we are informed that a representative
OF the republican organization appeared before tho
Ministerial association at a recent meeting i'm
plore its Endorsement OF the &. :. program in the
present presidential canvass. He told that the
association not in session for political purposes
Perhaps there will be more changes in South
Bend pulpits now-befors many moons. Nobody
knows. and. consonant with Mephstophelean tenn
per OF the times perhaps-nobody