Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1921-06-22
\ D n N 0RA[
STANDARDS
RULE OUR
LIVES
Gloomy Picture of Present
Day Conditions Drawn by
President of Baptist Con-
ventiOn at Des Moines.

DES MONIES, Ia, June 22.-The
year of 1921 marks a "crisis of the
ages" the Hon. Ernest l.. Tustn, pres
ident, of the Northern Baptist conven-
ton, and well known lawyer of Phil
adelphia declared today in his open
ing address to the fourteenth annual
convention of Northern Baptists in
session in this city.
He laid emphasis upon the great
cxtravagances in living" the "deplor-
able lowering Of morals in our social
lfe," the "moral degeneration and let
down in the habits of our young peo-
ple," the morals in our local politics
perhaps lower than ever before" and
the "non-church going and non-relig-
ious people, whose knowledge Of the
sacraments is chiefly confined to those
Of marriage and OF DEATH" as evidence
Of such crisis. There is, he de-
clared, "a clear, distinct call through
out the land for the unification of all
forces of Christianity to consider the
great questions confronting the poll
teal, business and religious world
countless thousands of our people
arc running beyond their means, and
living without the economic care and
saving of our forefathers." Mr.. Tus-
tin said "There has come into the
minds of the many a desire for equal
ity of conditions. In business lines,
The whole assumption seems to ge-
get the money; get it honestly If pos
sible; but get the money. In our local
politics the morale is lower perhaps
today than ever before. In nearly
every city of cur country the word
of the boss is supreme"
AS an evidence of the lowering of
cur social morals, Mr.. Tustin cites
the terrible Indictment of young
women, contained in the advice re-
Gently given by another denomination,
which charged them not to swear, 10
give up drinking, quit gambling, re-
frain from immodest dress, and stop
joy riding. He said that there was
an equal neutrality-suspicious. and let
down in the habits of our young men,"
The cure, he said, can only come by
"a united effort of all Professionalism
The marked decrease in church MEM
ebrship, he said, while fraternal and
worldly organizations are increasing
in membership, is due to the fact
that "the great lack in the followers
of Christianity of the present day is
that we do not possess the fervor, the
heart -throbs, which characterized the
Christianity of ventury ago. We al
low worldly affairs to crowd out our
devotion and loyalty to our religious
life"
Better Sunday schools and Bible
schools would counteract the moral
let-down among young people today,
he declared. He urged the Northern
Baptists to sustain and develop the 22
colleges and 43 schools Of the denom-
nation, and to earnestly strive for the
religious education of all our people,
from the cradle to the grave. He also
urged the practice of tithing upon the
denomination.
'Let US try humbly, prayerfully,
and sincerely with the opening of this
convention to inaugurate tremendous
forward movement for another Pente-
cost" he said in closing.
The afternoon and evening sessions
today of the convention were given
over to the impressive and unique
golden jubilee anniversary of the
Woman's American Baptist Foreign
Mission society, in celebration of So
wears of successful work in foreign
lands. A picturesque jubilee process.
sional, comprising women who had
come from eight foreign lands to at,
tend the golden jubilee ce!.ebra4ion, led
a long procession of missionaries and
Northern Baptist women into the con
vention headquarters. President Tus'
tin welcomed the professional, speak
ing with high appreciation OF the
Woman's American Baptist Foreign
Mission society, which in SO years ha:
grown from two missionaries to 81
missionaries, and which today has III
stations. Mrs. Helen Barrett Mont
gomery, of Rochester, N. Y, presi
De- Two