The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-12-19

Editor Times-Why not house the
poor in houses? Why churches?
Rupert Hughes has written an article
on housing the poor in churches
that has almost as little merit as an
article he wrote some years ago on
why I Quit Going to Church.
We always are seeking an easy
way out in the affairs of life. With
a superabundance of everything
including men and machinery, a cry
is being raised to open the churches
of the land to the homeless. We
believe every church gladly will open
its doors to those wandering the
streets homeless and afraid, and af-
ford them shelter.
We also believe that the church
has leadership far too intelligent
and courageous to submit to the
type of economic life that is so
crude and cowardly that it demands
church seats for sleeping quarters
rather than beds.
We do not want church seats for
the poor, We want beds! We do
not want church edifices that are
i'll equipped to care for crowds in a
sanitary way as sleeping quarters.
We want homes! Wandering crowds
on orr city streets, homeless and
afraid, are a sign of economic dis
ease that can not be solved by de-
handing that the churches be made
vast sleeping quarters.
Ignorance sought to provide for
lepers by driving them out of the
city in the older days. Intelligence
now is solving the problem by pro-
viding them beautiful, sanitary
quarters where healing ministry
can be applied.
Mr.. Hughes threatens the church
with extinction if it does not open
its doors to the poor. The churches
would have died long ago if Mr..
Hughes article referred to previous
ly in this letter had been taken as
a guide for others.
We do not fear the reaction of
the people nor their memories
when more prosperous times shall
come. We gladly will open our
churches if need is revealed. but
wish to voice our conviction that
such makeshift quarters are wholly
inadequate and a shameful reproach
upon a country that has more wheat
than it can sell, more food than it
can consume, more gold than any
other nation, and as fine an educa-
tional system as any people in the
world.
The church will be remisS if it
does not aid the poor at this time,
but Mr.. Hughes need have no fear
on that score. Let the records of
philanthropy speak and the church
need not hide its head in shame,
but in my judgment the church will
be far more remisS in its obliga-
ton to the people of the world if
it does not lift its voice in an I'M
mistakable demand that capital
share its profits more equally with
labor, that some type of unemploy-
ment insurance be worked out, and
that men who are willing and able
to work be given che opportunity
to do so.
1t is intellectual and moral lead
ership that we need in these times
of stress if we are to be led from
the abyss where greed and war
have plunged us to the place where
we rightfully belong as children Of
God.
We have plenty. We have the
machinery and the intelligence to
create more than we can use in
every way. Our method of distribu-
tion is poor and must be changed
to meet modern conditions.
Let the church open her doors
to the poor, shivering sheep driven
by the lash of poverty to the brink
of despair, but let her also lift her
voice in an unmistakable manner
J and give this message to the world
we do not want church benches as