Arizona republican., 1922-03-06
SAYSNORNALCY
ISDEPENDENT I
CHURCHES
Former Vice-President Is
Chief Speaker At Cor
nerstone Ceremony At
New Methodist Church

New Methodist Church
The salvation of the United States
rests upon a new conduct of the
churches, a return to the fearing
principles that directed their teach :
ings a generation ago, Thomas r.
Marshall former president of
the United States, told several hun
dred persons gathered to witness the
laying of the corner stone of the new
central Methodist church yesterday
afternoon. The ceremonies were con =
Quoted by members of the Methodist
clergy and pariShioners at the site OF
the beautiful new edifice, Pierce
street and Central avenue.
The love of God as interpreted in
the church today has resulted in an
utter disregard of laws; a disregard
of the laws of man and God, Mir.
Marshall told his hearers. The fear
of eternal punishment, felt by the
transgressor of a generation ago, is
the minus quantity in church life Of
today
For four years, now, we have been
awaiting the return of normalcy. We
were promised it two years ago, yet
there has never been a time in the
history of this nation or the world
when there has been so much crime,
he said. "The laws of God and man
are trampled upon by citizens every
where and the worst part of it is that
there is neither power nor desire TO
punish. What is to be learned?
Il assure you that we have Il re-
gard for authority just in the pro-
portion that authority has the power
to enforce.
America in Contempt
There is a supreme contempt for
America because she is not enforc-
ing the laws. | assume and dare say
that is because the average man and
woman is a law unto himself and
herself.
II am not defending all laws an2 /
know why all laws are not enforced
they can't be. There are so many
laws that no one knows when he is a
law breaker. / would recommend
that all laws be stricken from the
statutes and the Arizona legislature
be instructed to re-enact the ten
commandments and then see if we
couldn't enforce some Of them.
1--WE are on the wrong track. We
must retrace our steps, back to the
days of the God-fearing principles OF
Christianity. We have got to walk
into the churches and put ourselves
right with God before normalcy will
return"
Public opinion and public desire
mold the destinies of the world, the
former vice president declared in a
brief discourse on world events, with
especial reference to the overtures
looking toward a lasting peace.
There IL no difference in the prin-
cipies which man may enunciate." he
said with emphasis. whether ii be
Wilson's idea or Harding's, the prin-
ciple behind the proposal for world
peace is the same. We may sign
papers and documents until our arms
weary of the labor, and they will be
utterly worthless unless they have
the backing of the people. The peo-
ple govern here and everywhere today
as they did yesterday; tomorrow as
they do today. If it be the desire
Of the people that lasting peace shall
come unto this EARTH then 1t will be
so.
"But say TO you now. that any
document that may be written VII
be as idle as any painted ship on a
painted ocean unless it has the people
behind it,
Any Belief Is Good
The belief in a God, even in an I'M
known god, is a restraining Influence
TO society. Mr. Marshall said 1t is
better that every man believe in some
kind of a god, not especially in the
interest of the souls salvation but in
the interest of the salvation OF
America. he added.
People feel much the same about
the church as they do about the sun
shine-they can't see the sunshine
but they can't see without it. They
don't want the church, but they can't
do without 1t. They feel they viii
need IL to have a parson when they
die: to have a parson lie about them
to the satisfaction of the family.
Mr.. MarshalPs talk was the prin-
cipal address of the cornerstone
laying ceremonies.
Others who assisted In the pro
gram were the pastor, Rev. Cecil M
Aker; Rev. w. J. Sims, former pas
tor and now presiding elder of the
Tucson district; Rev. w. r. Thorntor
of Berkeley, Calf, also a former
pastor and now missionary secretary
for California and Arizona: DIR. j. Nj
Boon, former presiding elder OF tht
Kansas City. Mo, district, and now
of the church.
Actual laying of the corner stone
was done by the trustees, aided bS
two workmen. The granite stone was
hoisted to its position by the trus-
tees. The words, "Ceatral Metho-
dist Church. South" and "1S75-1920'
were carved on the front Of the stone
The Rev. Aker deposited certain
church records. together with copies
of the Phoenix newspapers and de-
nominational publictions, in the stone
Work on the new church is to be
pushed, Rev. Aker announced last
night. A meeting of officers of al
church committees will be held to-
night, he said, to devise means OF IL
nancing the work and reimpurslne
the building fund.
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