The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-11-03
Churches Aroused.

English churchmen are shocked by what Is
going on today in the two closely related
countries. Great Britain and the United
States. The bishop OF Durham looking west
ward characterized America as 'the most
criminal and the most wealthy nation in the
world and explained that the condition here
demonstrated the folly OF neglecting the
moral factor of life. Meanwhile Canon
Woods. OF Cambridge leader of the life and
liberty movement in the Anglican church
paid his respect more directly to the situa-
ton at home, and denounced this as the
donkey age" Canon Woods statement was
as follows:
1t is evident that serious lack OF dis
ciDline runs through all common lie to-
day. Politicians, who lack true sense
OF responsibility; the idle rich, who have
apparently never heard the word dis
cipline:" working men, who repudate
agreements made by their leaders; dram
atists. novelists and film producers, who
never knew when or where to stop; loot
ball crowds who boo the referee; Holt
day makers, who defile the countryside
with their litter; parents, who cannot or
will not control their children; young
people who know no authority but their
own whims and wishes, and those who
are in the Christian church who have
not learned the meaning OF order loyalty
and authority.
The bishop OF Durham, after referring to
the United States as "the most criminal and
most wealthy nation" admitted that England
offered the same spectacle on smaller scale.
Canon Wood, who devoted his attention
solely to English life appeared to have ex-
perenced the same conditions that obtain in
this country. In word the whole social
plan of life is some what disturbed, out Of
line, irregular, abnormal and uncontrolled.
Explanations OF the situation in the Unit
ed States have been offered by various OBJ
servers with most OF them agreeing that the
wealth here and the mixed quality
OF blood are responsible for the greater part
OF the recklessness. 1t might appear to the
student that people such as the English, or
the Germans, or the Irish, or the NorWegians
and Danes would be more likely to accept
for general adoption rules OF conduct, where
as mixture OF races such as are found in
this country would bring contributions OF
various kinds, thus creating disorder and con-
fusion. The predominatng traits in human
nature brought to this country by various
peoples express themselves with a variety not
seen on such large scale where one race,
one people, has ben established for many
It appears however, that the present age
is one that baks more or less at restraint
everywhere. No country is wholly free from
the influence that is running riot throughout
civilization. Some cali it money Madness
others trace the recklessness to the world
war and others feel that it is due to material
ism The phase OF life SO frequently criticized
no doubt is due to many conditions, one Of
the most dangerous being the state Of mind
which demands absolute independence in
thought and action. 1t is well enough for a
race, OF a nation, to demand freedom in gov
eminent; it is another thing for citizens Of
all ages to resist discipline and to fout au-
thority The spirit of independence is mani
tested early in life today Mere children, So
phistcated beyond their years, demonstrate
it on every hand Life has changed appre-
ciably, and the old order probably will never
be restored. The churchmen everywhere and
in every denomination face gigantic task
in the work they have undertaken, which is
not to say that it is entirely hopeless, for,
while a complete restoration is unlikely, an
Improvement surely ought to be possible