The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1930-01-30

A about through with
'> Sunday school and
church. Seems to me it's just vast
ed time when there Is so much
fellow wants to do. Besides the
church is dying. In generation or
two there won't be any such thing
at all, will there?'
Dad smiled indulgently, bob you
are always so cock certain In your
conclusions. l suppose you have
gathered dependable facts for that
statement. It's very dangerous to
allow ones thinking to be based on
mere opinions, or worse, casual I'M
pressiOns.
'It's a very popular indoor sport
nowadays among certain very wise
folks never to lose an opportunity
to give the church and all it stands
for a good kick in the pants, un-
conscious, no doubt, that such talk
advertises to the high heavens their
total ignorance of facts. Some
things in our modern life, my boy,
are far too big to judge from a few
scattered facts. Much the same sit
,uatiOn as your rotten politics. No
doubt that we do have too many
little struggling ineffective churches
and | share heartily the idea that
we have vastly too many sects and
creeds and denominations. 1t would
be a marvellous forward step for all
modern life if an effective get-lO-
gether program could be arrived at,
but Just because here and there you
find half-dead church and an old
mOss-back preacher who has out
lived his day and his usefulness
don't generalize too soon on little
or no data.
"BOb, | saw some facts the other
day which tended to show that the
modern church is the greatest bust.
ness in the world. 1t has absolute
ly worldwide scope. 1t has branch
offices In every community In every
civilized country in the world. 1t
has more paid employees than the
greatest industry. Its hospitals and
orphan homes, its schools and col.
leges; it's organized agencies OF
hope and love and mercy add more
to our modern peace and happiness
than any other given single factor.
bob, if you and your gang would
catch some of the historical values
out of your Sunday school lessons
instead of just spending your time
arguing some minor point for the
sake of argument, things would
look much different to you. Why
take this fact alone, boy, pretty
much our whole modern attitude to-
ward women, and that means to US
our attitude toward mother, is the
result of the tremendous efforts of
this church which has from its be-
ginning champiOned women and
motherhood and any boy who is not
too old to feel a love for his own
mother is not too old to support an
institution that is making life more
worthwhile for mothers all over the
world.
"And Bob, going to college? Sure
if you're ever going to be senator.
But, say, where did the colleges get
their start? Did you know that
Harvard was founded by Chris
tian minister? Yale was founded
by a group of Christian ministers
and supported by the church largely
for many years. Fully quarter
of a million of college students In
America today are attending schools
founded and developed and sup
ported by this dying church. Sort
of surprises you doesn't it, hoy?"
swell, another thing to remem-
Der, boy, is that the church of to-
day is quite unlike the church of
yesterday and very likely the
church of tomorrow will be differ
ent again. Change and progress are
always at work. We know great
deal more in every realm of thought
today than even hundred years
ago, and just as rapidly as folks
with their prejudice and deep In
grown convictions will allow IL to
happen, the church, too, will adjust
her thinking and teaching to the
best that is known by men. Keep
in mind as you consider your atti-
tude toward the church that re-
ligion is neither apart from life nor
part of life but life, lived at its
very best. Any agency that devotes
itself to such task cannot die, it
can only re-adjust and re-adapt It,
self to new times and new condi.
lions. So don't be wise guy my
boy, and try to blow out the moon
''The best of men in all times,
meh of world travel and very large
experience have supported and do
still support the church at work
with their personal allegiance and
their time and their money. Hand
. me that Life Of Roosevelt there. !
marked a passage in it not so very
long ago. Here it is: I think II
is the duty of every man to go to
church. Frequently shave to lis
ten to sermons that bore me, but
the church has contributed so enor-
m0usly to civilization; It's service
to society is so great that irrespec-
| tive of all other considerations !
feel ought to support 1t and to at.
tend whenever / cam
"There you are. old boy, and such
argument might be presented on
and On aud on ~ u