The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-02-04

q the evil e1tfneHt III city
nocent people The government
first vigorously works to get a
man drunk. and then vigorously
prosecutes him for his drunken
ness and the resultant crime
What hypocrites we Americans
are
Yes. Tacoma. our good city has
some elements of Sodom.
Need Righteous People
Read carefully the story Of
Abraham's intercession for sodom.
He begins his prayer by pleading
for the saving of Sodom from de-
struction on the basis of so right
eous people being there.
God assures him the city will
not be destroyed II there are so
such. During the prayer the num-
her is reduced until 1t is revealed
that there are not enough good
people in the city to prevent its
destruction.
GOD pity the city without
pious people, active In their
service for God. The only
thing that stands between any
city and destruction Ia the
church Of Jesus Christ.
THE wicked people in city are
interested only in their fleshly
qualification and in the lining of
their pockets. Gold means more
to them than God, and money
means more than men. II their
kind were reproduced throughout
a city, that city would become hell
But within every city are right
eous people who make the city
happy. beautiful and worth living
in.
Don't Criticize Church
THE church Is the mother OF
all our 81 benevolent and social
agencies In the city of Tacoma.
1t has been in the uplift business
for 1000 years. Without the
church. crime and vice would
flourish beyond comprehension.
Criminals will advance on
. city n encouraged by crook
I'd officials or indifferent
church members. But II we
hold true they will not ad-
vance. In fact. the wicked
fleeth when no man pursueth.'
But ! assure you that they
make much better time II the
active, enthusiastic church mem
bership OF city is after them
The church is the dynamic back
OF every effectiv police force.
Don't criticize the church. II my
have changed since you were there
last.
so, 900 Inactive
During a recent visitation we
found SO per cent of people in n
certain section claimed to be
members of churches. IL true OF
all Tacoma, that would mean co.
900 church members In the city.
But the actual membership of
our churches is estimated liber-
ally at 10000 Professionals and
10000 Catholics. That means 60
900 people in Tacoma claim church
membership and think they are
Christians. They make a profess
sion. but are msgnifieently useless
as far as promoting righteousness
and vital goodness.
Furthermore, only 10000
Professionals and an unknown
number of Catholics attend
the services Of the churches on
Sunday, throwing Mt least an
other 10000 people into the
ranks of the inactive.
These inactive. so-called church
members had Christian parents in
some cases and today are step
children Of the church. Others
walked past a church three times
and thought they were now church
members.
Secs "Orphans"
Some parents are rear &
church orphans. mean the men
and women who stay at home and
send their children to Sunday
school. With this they seem sat
isfied.
They. themselves. never go 10
give personal encouragement by
their example. These poor church
orphans. As these children grow
older. they become like their par
ents.
Inactives Are Hindrance
IF The actively righteous peo-
pie keep a city decent. then those
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