Alma record., 1921-12-15
GOOD ADDRESSES
GIVEN HERE BY
{. |. WILLIAMS
CHICAGO'S FIGHTING PARSON
LEAVES STRONG IMPRESSION
ON ALMA PEOPLE.
Better Moral Tone
A Big Need is VieU

fhe appearance of DR.. Elmer Lynn
Williams. the fighting parson of Chi
cago, for three addresses i'm two days,
Sunday and Monday. proved to be
sufficient to draw out the largest
crowds that have listened to a speak
or in this city for months, and there
probably is not single person who
heard one of the three addresses but
what has far better knowledge Of
what his community service SHOULD
be-
\ packed audience gathered at the
First Methodist church Sunday even
ing to hear DR.. Williams give his lee
tmc, "The Big Game"
Tho big game to which have re-
fcrred," declared Rev. Williams, is
the duty that confronts every young
American to get into practical serv-
ice and to make democracy real
i,y."
DR.. Williams outlined the dangers
that beset the youth Of the commun-
ity and he warned his hearers 20 be
On guard to stamp them out should
10y rear their heads in Alma.
we need the cooperation Of the
churches, women's clubs and civic or
panizations 20 clean up American
cities" continued the speaker, land
unless we do this today tomorrow we
viii have riots and all sorts of dis
order, and your American institutions
will suffer such shock as there has
never been before in America. The
foundations of government are rock
ing in the old world and the influence
that caused their undoing arc seeking
q foothold in America.
Ideas are more contagious than
smallpox. Men who participated in
the revolutions in France and Amer
lea carried the torch Of liberty to
South America and drove Spanish and
Portuguese rule from that great con-
tinent. BY the same token, bolshe-
yism and anarchy, which We regard
with adherence, will find its lodge
ment in the soil Of our American
slums unless we are careful to stop
it,
Monday noon Rev. Williams was
the speaker at the noon day luncheon
cf the Alma Chamber Of Commerce,
the announcement that he would
speak, causing the sale Of all of the
tickets for the luncheon, 100 in num-
her. Many Of these were sold TO bus
mess men who did not hear DR.. Will
Jams Sunday evening.
At the luncheon the speaker layed
society women who spend their time
raising money TO found homes for
homeless dogs and cats and asserted,
1T is time 10 stop this tom-foolery
and get down to the business of look
ing after the children. Democracy as
il exists in America today is to blame
for the fact that thousands Of child
rem are going to school hungry and in
rags while there arc $200,000,000 ba
bics i'm the land who are sleeping in
$4,000 cradles. Poverty and ignor-
ancc are the enemies of democracy
and it is no wonder that under cx-
isting conditions some Of our foreign
born citizens and some Of those born
Nn American SUI ulE tS-lhlHS ItNtlH-
ton"
In his address DR.. Williams sound
cd a plea for the better element to
stand solidly behind the public Off
Gals who do their duty and TO con-
stantly seek to get better men into
office.
In speaking Of community service
DR.. Williams said that the meanest
man was the one who took everything
that he could out Of community,
without ever doing thing in return
for tho betterment of the community.
The 1t mcanest he described as the
man who seeks public office for pri-
vate gain.
Monday afternoon Rev. Williams
gave an address to the members of
the Alma Civic Improvement League
at the First Methodist Church. In
this address adventures in Reform"
he told of some of his experiences in
Chicago, but made as the main points
of the address the need Of betterment
in the homes, the bettcrmnt Of COM
munity life and the great need that
there is for better moral conditions
among the boys and girls.