The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1929-02-01
The Public Forum
CLAIMING THE CROWN

(By H. E. Prall, Sand Creek
The most popular vocation, avo.
cation or sport, (either indoor or
OUTDOOR Of the world, today, Is
getting credit for good deeds, or,
as our subject puts it, Claiming
the Crown. The credit may or
not be justly ours it is getting it
that counts. In the light of this
deploTabie condition, it is small
wonder that the modest, self-abas-
ing forms of address, commonly
attributed to the people of the
Orient, should seem so ridiculous
to us.
Modesty has lost it's former posi-
ton as a cardinal virtue. The
right hand" is never through
with hearing about what the cleft"
is doing, has done or is about to
do. Even the leading" Chris
itians of the present day pass
lightly over that saying of their
splendid Example and Teacher
BLESSED are the meek"
Consider for a moment, our
drives" for charity. Any move
ment for charity, wherein the list
of patrons will be published in
some paper of considerable circu-
lation, is sure of a generous (?)
support. Start out with a list in
the interest of such a movement
and see how many of the donors
will request that their names shall
not be included in such a list.
The successful" pastor of a
church is not accounted so be-
cause of his outstanding service
to the Master through "the least
of these" but rather because of
the excellence Of the report he is
able to make, and does make, to
his sup%eriors. Ten thousand men,
women and children might testify
of a certain minister that he was
a good man, a brilliant preacher, a
model citizen and a true Christian,
but if he could not show a goodly
number of conversions and aces
sions, and his financial report was
chronically lame, their testimony
would have little weight.
The preacher who does his pray
ing in secret and his good deeds,
also, and who modestly, "sits
down in the lowest ROOM" will
never stand in the pulpits of the
more sought-after churches.
I mention the preacher first and
at length because it is the tradi-
tional policy of his calling to 'fbear
the cross" here, and leave the
Claiming of the Crown until the
hereafter. We are led by the
orthodox teaching of the Church"
to assume that any Grown which
might be received at the hands of
the world, would be of small in
terest to a Christian.
We may assume from the re-
corded words of Christ, the great
Teacher, that were He to enter a
house of worship, to-day, looking
for His most devoted subjects, He
would look first in the lowest"
the most obscure seats. Perhaps
He would show His divine wisdom
so doing. but it would be a sur
prise to many.
PROMINENCE is the common
objective of the present day.
POPULARITY is the worlds
pearl of greatest price," and
POPULARITY AT ANY PRICE is
he worlds slogan. CHARACTER,
which is essentially the foundation
Of any stable condition of society,
IS lightly tossed aside that RE-
.UTATION may be gained. THE
APPROVAL is the low
est altitude required by society,
and THE WORLDS AP-
2LAUSE is society's mountain
op. Fortunate indeed, is that man
IF that woman who can hold on
O the VIRTUE and at the same
ime lay hold upon POPULARITY.
blessed are ye when men shall
late you and revile you for My
sake" Show me the man
n woman in the pulpit or in the
Jew or in the street, who wants
o be hated, or even unpopular,
for Christ's sake.
Have we misunderstood His
eaching? Or are we, as a people,
wrong? 1 have made statements
90 well known to be denied, what
loes it all mean?
If have dwelled particularly
n the realms of religion, it is
,ecause | am acquainted with the
atmosphere of the church, and be-
.ause | have sensed the insidious
influence of this unchristian tend
.ncy in precincts that should be
reproach. The evil is wide
pread, indeed, worldwide.
From the family h~earth-stone to
he League of Nations, the desire
or supremacy is evident to a dan
.erous degree.
Whit hoo boon cold Of tho con-