The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-07-13
What Shall It Profit


The scene is little church in Kansas. The
worshipers are enthralled by the fact that the
Governor Of great neighbor State will hold
aloft the spiritual torch to show the way to
happiness, earthly and eternal.
They listen to that old query which has had
but one answer, the question of "What shall
it profit man if he gain the whole world and
lose his own soul.'
If they be fundamentalists they picture the
fires of eternal torment. If they belong to the
more modern school of theology they may omit
the birthstone but create for themselves an
other hell into which the souls of the damned
shall be cast.
They know the answer to the question. But
they listen to the voice of authority, Gov
ernor in pulpit.
Kansas is familiar with governors who are
evangelists. It had one of its own. 1t had
man who found in the words of Billy Sunday
the message Of life and hope and who, after he
had listened, forever after held his head high
with pride in that faith which was given him.
Kansas heard him often in the pulpit.
Kansas also knew him in its capitol. 1t knew
that on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday
and Thursday and Friday and Saturday he
would write into official documents the same
spirit and the same faith and the same frank
ness which he exhibited in the pulpit.
Accustomed to governors in it's pulpits, un-
doubtedly Kansas received great spiritual
uplift when the Governor of Indiana spoke
from the text "What Shall It Profit
May it be suggested that Indiana is not in
need some very plain and outspokep state
ments from its capitol on week days
It knows all about those who lose their souls
in an effort to gain the world.
There are thousands of churches whose
spires point to the heavens and whose pulpits
have sounded the warming.
Back here the Hoosiers are perfectly edu-
Gated in the fallacy Of any such effort to risk
either time or eternity by running counter to
the imnutable laws of honesty, Of truth, of
frankness with one fellows, of following only
the path Of fundamental virtues.
1t is just beginning to learn that it cannot
follow masked leaders and night-shirted
avangels Of civic liberty.
Having saved the souls of Kansas, let it
be hoped that the Governor of this State on
his return will try to save the self respect of
Indiana.
Let it be hoped that he will be as voluble
on the same text at home as he was in the State
Of corn flowers.
What shall it profit a man if he gain the
respect of his fellow citizens, their votes and
their admiration and then cast it away by re-
fusing to explain an accusation from felon's
cell?
What shall it profit man if he, temporarily.
is able to lock prison doors and seal them with
silence, to cast men into shackled cells upon
bread and water, if at last there comes to light
damning documents?
What shall it profit man if he is seated
among the mighty, when those who call him
chief ask for one word of assurance and no
word is uttered?
What shall it profit man if he be given
the god-like power of life and death over his
fellows, andsyet refuses to break the bonds of
silence when those who gave him power ask
one simple question?
These are the questions which the citizen
snip OF Indiana wish answered, not from pull
pit but from the Office Of the Governor.
Those who sang ''It Must Be Told'' in
Kansas when the Governor ended his sermon
were not mere members of choir The re-
porter got it all wrong. They were prophets