M
S
ftfrdgrf
PUBLIC LEDGER COMPANY
ertit'B it. k cunris. raceiMurr.
lfgprrr dud Trcaurfi Philip 8. Cotllnf, John n.
EDIWniALBOAIlDi
Cine tl K C'liiTit, Chairman
I if VlUtEY . l:xutlt IMItor
.r JtOHtf C. MAtttlN denerat Iluln Manager
rulIticJ dally at I'cstio Lrdgfh tlulMlnff,
InJeiwndence Square. Philadelphia.
T.tMM CstrtiL Dread an) Chestnut Ptreeta
AtlNTic Cttt rt-tn-Vnlon lltilldlnit
KifYf Tunit ...1I0-A, Metropolitan Tower
ChIoaoo. 81T Home Insurant IJulldlnft
UXtxl 8 Waterloo Dace, Tall Stall, S. W.
.. NKWB lltmnAUB!
Whinotov noarAD....... ....... Tha font Hnildinir
New YonK Hciikad Tim Timet llulMlnir
1IKI.IN HDtrec (10 PrletrlchtraM
1.0XD0N llosrc S Pall Mall Haul. H. W.
TlJiia UVKKAU .12 line Loula lo (irand
SUtlSCRIPTlONTLriMS
Hy rtrrtif. IAlir OMI. aliccenta. ttr mall. nnlnaM
'cutalda of I'hllailelPlila. oAccpt whfra fnrrln .nut nee
l rQulrt1, Uaii.t O.ni.t, one month, twentv-na ccntj
kDAItt Qu.r. on year, three dollar All mall ul
crlptlotta payable In advance.
HBI.T, 3000 WAI-MIT
KEYSTONE, JIAI.N flnoo
3WT Addma alt cortxmuntcnltona to Kientng
Ledger, Independence Square, Philadelphia.
ENTraso ATTiiBrtiit.iDrr.rnu roaTorricic as pconb-
CtAJg MAlt, MATTM.
I'lllLAItrLI'lllA, IIIIDAK AI'llll. g. l!l.1,
tthc matt who hate others as much as he
loves himself has no time or uiij
other occupation.
Good Friday
THklUE wnn a tlmo within the memory of
men not yet old when tho observances of
the Great tragic uttitlvorsnry of Christianity
was confined In tho United Stntcs to tho
Roman Catholic Church nnd to tho then
small Frotcstnnt Episcopal conimunloii. Tho
J great body of Protpstiint Christians looked
upon it, as well ns upon the observance of
Christmas nnd Easier, with iibhonenco. Hut
nil this Is changed. Good Friday la n legal
holiday In ten States, including Pennsyl
vania, Delaware, Now Jersey, Connecticut
nnd Minnesota, northern States which wero
"not settled by Roman Catholics as Louisiana
was, wh6ro Good Friday has been observed
for generations.
The antagonisms which originated in tho
great Christian schism known In the books
na tho Protestant Reformation arc disap
pearing slowly but suroly, and adherents of
all Christian sects arc coming to realize that
there Is but one Christianity, and that they
nil believe In Its great fundamental tiuths
however they may differ in details of ap
plication So the Christian anniversaries be
long to nil Christendom. There Ik hardly a
denomination left which docs not take for
mal notice of tho anniversary which Is cele
brated today, and fewer still which will not
Join In tho gcnerul rejoicing on Raster day
I when the Resurrection If celebrated.
The Way to Be For It Is to Be For It
SENATORS McNICHOL and Crow, as well
CO as Senator Varc, have announced thnt
Sr they favor a child labor law. Rut tho rc
5j ports from Hnrrisburg cln not Indicate that
they nro partlculnily active in support of
tho proper kind of legislation for the protec
tion of the child! en. A poll of tho Houso
;' Bhows so much opposition to tho child labor
bills that the good faitli of the leaders Is
under suspicion. The way to bo for a child
labor law la to bo for it. Senators McNIchol
and Crow havo influence enough to turn tho
scale in favor of the Governor's bill If they
chooso to uso It. It will bo Impossible to kill
the bill by raising frivolous objections to It.
lcss-thceaders consent.
Tho Governor seems to bo aw nro of this,
and is preparing to demand that tho Organ
ization keep its pledges-. Tho Stato cannot
afford to lag behind any longer. Tho senti
ment of the nation, regardless of partisan
distinctions, demands that tho children bo
protected during their growing years from
fit the exploitation by mill nnd factory owners.
rlf it costs moro to employ muturo hands
man cnuurcn me puouc is wining 10 pay us
jjsharf. of the expense. Any political organiza
tion that attempts to block this humann re-
f-form Is so reactionaiy that It will hnndlcap
tho party whose name It boars, and put that
nartv on the defensive In rverv nroeresRlvo
pTpommunlty In tho nation. Republican Penn-
.syivania must line up in support of t lie
humane sentiment In other State If Its ln-
flltenco Is to be potent for good in 1916. Tho
Governor Is doing his share. Let tho Gen
eral Assembly co-operato whole-heartedly
iviixi linn.
, Brincinir Nature to the Citv Child
nCHOOL cardens for tho children In town
0 are a pathetic substitute for real gar-
: denlng in tho country. But they nro better
jth.in nothing. Children wero not Intended to
Jim reared in the deserts wo call cities. They
belong In tho fields with tho (lowers. Their
'tender feet should tread tho soft sod and not
Pthe burning pavements. Tho child, liowover,
fvho cannot get Into the country may obtain
jo, faint Idea of tho pleasure to bo derived
jfjfrom making things grow by. cultivating his
lor her ilttlo plot In tho school gardens, work
Son Which has already begun.
vNext to the caro of anlmali thero Is no
jrjnore civilizing forco for children than tho
(raising of flowers. A blossom speaks a Ian-
Kliago that the roughest boy can understand
i'lt ho is left alono with It long enough to loso
feSla sense of shyness in tho presence of
eauty and to allow the natutal Instincts of
Is nature to assert themselves. And flowers
m the school gardens are, thereforo, of moro
Importance than vegetables. Those In charge
bdoubtless understand this, and are making
l their plans this year an usuul for develop
ing the sense for beauty as well as the bense
pc uso. If it were possible to place each
Kftliool in a large park filled with growing
Rnlnsa carc4 for by the pupils, even life in
Ji,e city for the child of natqro would have
Its compensations.
The Growing Peace Sentiment
HK rumor that the war will end before
.September 1 cannot bo traced to any re-
l9nsibje authority. But It Is, nevertheless,
redible. Thero seems to be a universal feel
lig that the; terrible slaughter cannot con
fnue. It must stop, anq it must atop soon
; anything la to be saved from the general
Tlia cost oi tno operations in men
meuay U so stupendous that the re
of the world cannot stand the drain
finitely- Common prudence will demand
gat the righting coawi while there la vtlU
! jt clmneo fur the nations to reeover from
ia..,a within n frariRratlnn
tul.men. responsible for the, caurs
rwwifOTjt inuut already be considering the
on which peace can be made, while
rSna
jr o,w considering ways and means
k4SlULMlna wuw" H v"
& tbey discover that tM$ ' 4 lUMl
pmi,i:t of uwiver that n fi rai4,
jy Uhi H4lity ol tiiA WWW t HU-
n.uuitKU of ar, sa a uisut u tne
vt totem am wfc ju b ivt in
LStJh5&5i
jrw e wA tl twmto. tfcw
EVENING
fix a tlmo beyond which tho war cannot coh
tlnUe. Whether it Is August or September or
December Is not nmtcrlal. At tho present
moment tho raco Instinct Is nsscrtlng Itself
nnd crying out thnt enough children hnvo
been orphaned, that enough wives havo been
widowed nnd that the door of hopo 1ms been
closed lo mnlds enough by tho killing of the
youth who would wed them to last for a
contury. When thlt feeling becomes vocal In
Kngland, Franco, Germany and Allstrln, to
say nothing of Russia, tho end will bo In
sight. Then thero may como n truce of God,
whllo an attempt Is mndo In tho coming
years to complete by diplomacy tho solution
of tho problems of Kuropo which war lias
failed to unravel,
A World in Arms Against "Booze"
TIIR belligerents light ono another, but all
wage a common combat against tho Uni
versal enemy, "booze,"
The King nnd Kitchener, In Kngland, ban
ish It from their own households, and tho
demand for national prohibition Increases.
Tho effectiveness of army and navy Is dim
inished by hard drinking among the workers
nt homo. Tho safely of tho Kmplro Is
thought to rest on piohlbltlon.
Tho German Federal Council Is reported
to havo passed an order permitting local
option.
Russia has banished vodka.
Fianco has learned that victory and In
toxicants' do not go together,
Knch nation that Is fighting for Us Ufa Is
shunting off tho liquor burden that It may
hnvo a better chnnce.
Hut In Pennsylvania, the liquor ring that
hist fall financed tho slush fund shouts
about "personal llbeity" and endeavors to
deny tho soveral counties of tho Stato the
right oven to vole on whether or not they
want to license "booze."
Perhaps tho Legislature has caught the
meaning of the news from abroad. Pcihaps
It understands that the war has had ono
good result, nt any late, In that It has given
tho liquor traffic the severest blow It ever
encountered. Perhaps It Is ready to bcllovo
now thnt tho Governor Interprets correctly
tho temper of tho times when ho Insists thnt
tho local option bill must pass.
Hut If the Legislature Is blind to tho facts.
If It Is obdiuato nnd obstinate, It may at
least be crtain of one thing, and that Is
that there will lie local option In Pennsyl
vania or there will be prohibition. It Is for
tho liquor ring and its subservient legislators
to decldo which.
Money Needed to Protect Consumers
WHAT constitutes reasonable rates In
electric lighting depends on the valua
tion of the lighting company's property. Tho
hearing before the Public Service Commis
sion iclatlvo to rates In Philadelphia Is sus
pended pending the taking of an inventory
by tho Philadelphia Electric Company.
Director Cooke avers that there Is gravo
danger of tho validation of perhaps $23,000,000
of watered securities by tho company unless
his department is provided with sufficient
funds to check up the Inventory and take
oilier measuies considered necessary for tho
protection of tho public.
Whother tho Director's fears are well
founded or not. It Is obvious that In a mat
tor of such great importance simplo pru
dence requires tho city to keep In close touch
with tho situation nnd parallel the company's
investigation with ono of its own. Tho pos
sibilities of loss under any other course of
procedure aro very great. The expendturo
of JD0.000 would be a precautionary measure
which It behooves the city to undertake, and
which It cannot afford to neglect.
Tho failure of the appropriation might well
be fatal, so far as relief to consumers In this
city Is concerned. Perhaps tho company will
bo as anxious a,s tho Director to havo Its in
ventory indorsed by tho city, that thero
may never hereafter bo any doubt whatever
of Its' accuracy.
The Bights of Coal Miners
CAN any one give a good reason for ex
empting coal miners from tho benefits of
a workman's compensation law? Tho miners
are engnged in ono of tho most hazardous
occupations nt which men cam a living.
They hnvo families dependent on them, nnd
starvation to a miner's wife Is as unpleas
ant as starvation to tho wifo of a skilled
machinist.
Tho Governor laid down tho proper rule
for the drafting of a compensation act when
ho said thnt every man who works must bo
treated as though ho wero entitled to all tho
guarantees which protect every other man
who works. This Includes coal miners nnd
steel workers and spinners in cotton and
woolen mills, printers nnd cablnctmnkcrs,
bricklayers nnd burnishers. Tho politicians
who nro trying to prevent tho coal miners
from getting their due ought to havo tho
courage of their convictions and explnln on
what theory they aro planning to shut tho
door of relief to tho workers underground.
Too Good a Bill to Pass
REPUBLICAN Organization leaders, It la
reported, havo planned to kill summarily
tho Philadelphia small Council bill. The
measure never had a chnnco from tho be
ginning. Its advocates, Indeed, had shown
conclurlvely that tho reform would bo an ex
cellent thing for tho city, that It would
further good government, that It would In
crease efficiency and that it would very prob
ably put an end to municipal graft in nil Its
forms- Thero wero so many reasons why It
should pasB nnd so few reasons why It
should not pass, that It was still-born. So.
and not otherwise, nro laws made.
A man's idea of economy often is to spend
tho money before he gets home.
It Is a queer man whom somebody does
not identify as a husband in Now York these
days.
Thero are plenty of good Jobs waiting for
eood men; but there are few good men wait
ing for good Jobs'.
ii I, I,, ii ...1. 1. 1. ,i i
There Is some talk of a society for the re
lief of contributors to charitable enterprises.
A large membership Is assured.-
It Is getting so that nothing likely to get
this country into trouble can liappen with
out an Atnarlcari citizen being in it.
Ljm i i iaii vn ' u ' ,
There have been owulona when a Seere.
tary of State talked little and did mueh, al
though the new style seems tq be to do
Utile and talk; much.
i m i gw
The Brazilian, ..jyrils.ter acting for the
United States still produces results, in Mex
ico, lie has forced the Zapatistas to apolo
gize for killing an American citizen, and he
has induced Uisai to pay an indemnity et
;W-StW to the family of the murdered nms
Xew all that "remains to complete the w&jrk
1 tbi cms la for him to secure the pun(ah
mmt of tae murdrrs, and. be has an
nounced tbAt tby are to be pushed.
EEPaEB-PHIITAPECTHTa:, FRIDAY, !APRIE 2, 1015;
LABORERS WORTHY
OF THEIR HIRE
How Ministers of the Church Are
Utilizing Moving Pictures nnd
Government Farm Bulletins for
Community-Building.
By BAYMOND G. FULLER
"piLLY" SUNDAY'S pay ciUclopo is fa-
JD mous. Thero aren't many ministers of
tho gospel whose Income for Bcrvlccs ren
dered dwnrfs thnt of tho President of tho
United Htntcs or of a rallwny president nnd
gives a pugilist's prize money a hard run for
fltlipendoslty. At n recent church conference
the presiding bishop Invoked tho time when
nil ministers should receive nt least $1000 a
year. Excluding the Inrgo cities the highest
average of snlnrlcs In nny denomination Is
under JTfiO. The snlnry of one-third of the
ministers In the United States Is J400 n year
or less. The day of donations has Rono by.
Tho donation of Jewelry given In Philadel
phia to "Hilly" Sunday and family Is, of
course, quite out of tho ordinary.
"Hilly" Sunday Is n community dlstuiber,
nn nwakener. Tho pastor hnB a different
work to do. It la not less fruitful' of good.
And somo of it brings crucifixion.
Charles Kinpsloy, Community Builder
In tho country communities there nro too
fovv Charles Klngsleys nnd John Kcbletf, but
In this dny of tho rural rennlssnnco thero aro
many men llko them, These workers In tho
churches of tho countryside nro community
builders.
Charles Klngsley for 33 yenrs was pastor
of tho country parish of Eversley. Of him
the Rev. Dr. N. W. Stroup writes: "Ho was
n model pastor and n masterful preacher,
lie visited tho people night and day until ho
knew every man, woman nnd child by name,
und, bettor still, ho know their Inmost needs.
Without regal d to class or culture he 'went
about doing good' 'If man or woman. wero
suffering or dying ho would go to them flvo
or six times a dny and night as well ns day
for his own heart's mho as well os for
their soul's sake.' 'Vhnt Is the use,' ho says,
of talking to a lot of hungry paupers about
heaven'." lie believed that they must llrst
be fed and made to feel somo degree of sat
isfaction with their earthly lot. Ho was a
believer In saving tho whole man. Our pres
ent day social theories wero matters of
everyday practice with him lu his work at
Kvcisley. lie was a community builder. Ho
was, above till, n spiritual Uvdcr."
A Mnn's-size Tnslc
For more than 20 jears a Ilttlo New Eng
land community hud hern without n church,
it hail cciibcil, Indeed, to be a community
In the true sense of the teim. its social
ntul moral laxity hail becoino flagrant. Tho
story has been told by Gilfoid Plnchot:
"Disbelief In the existence of goodness ap
peared to bo common, public disapproval of
Indecency was timid or lacking and religion
was In general disrepute. Not only was
thcto no day of worship, but also no day of
rest. Life was menu, hard, small, selfish
and covetous. Land belonging to the town
wns openly pillaged by tho public olilcers
who held It in trust, real estate values wero
low and among the respectable families
thero was a general deslro to sell their prop
erty and move away.
"Then n church was organized. The change
which followed was swift, striking, thorough
and enduring. Tho public property of tho
town, onco n. t-ourco of graft and demoraliza
tion, became a public asset. Tho value of
real estate Increased beyond all proportion
to tho general rise of land values elsewhere.
In tho decade and a half that his elapsed
slnco the church begnn Its work boys nnd
girls of n new typo havo been brought up.
Tho reputation of tho village has been
changed from bad to good, public order has
greatly Improved and growth of tho place
as n. summer resort hns hogun. It Is fair to
say that tho establishment of tho church un
der .Mr. GUI began n new era lu the history
of the town."
Such churches am a positive, not a nega
tive Influence. In service to tho whole com
munity they are finding themselves.
Social Enginecrinc;
In the name of religion and in tho cause
of social hcrvlco an increasing number of
tho country ministers of America nro doing
tho work of Klngsley and Oberlln, according
to the needs of rural America.
They nro preaching in terms of country
life.
They aro teaching young and old to play
and how to play.
They aro promoting scientific agriculture.
I'hey themselves nro coming to regard agri
cultural knowledga as a part of their neces
sary equipment.
They aro social engineers. Social engineer
ing Is tho science and art of helping com
munities to help themselves.
They nro helping communities to rediscover
themselves ns communities.
Truly whero such men nre nt work re
ligion is taking hold on life. And thero the
churches are no longer one-day-a-week af
fairs. Their activities embrace all cornmu.
nlty Interests. Their alliance Is with the
Hoy Scouts, tho school, tho library, grange,
the village Improvement society, tho county
HOW BISMAECK
TIIK Triple Alliance enme Into existence
through IJIsimrck's engineering. The Ger
man statesman was the president and the dom
inating forco In the Congress of Berlin In 1878,
Russia retired from the Congress in III humor.
She had .lost the vast concessions extorted
from Turkey at Ban Stefano. The Czar and
)ils Chancellor had expected more than the
Congress 1iad granted. They had expected bet
ter pay for refusing to Interfere In Germany's
wars with Austria and France. The Russian
press called Bismarck a traitor. The Czar
complained of him to Emperor William a an
Ingrate. The Russian Government courted the
friendship of France, and an nntl-German alli
ance seemed likely to be formed.
It was not Bismarck's way to explain, ex
postulate or apologize. He aoeeptad tbe situ
ation, and going immediately to Vienna he se
cured a treaty which changed the whole ex
isting system of European alliances. Prussia
and Austria were to stand together.
The old Bmperor William, because of his
close relations with his nephew, the Czar,
pleaded with Bismarck not to break with
Rusala, anA the only method by which the
Chancellor could secure the imperial signature
was to threaten to resign. Thus began the duai
alliance of Germany and Austria.
Italy Joined tbni not og afterward Says
Andrew p. White: "quietl, lit lajbi with
tha frenah representatives at the Berlin --on-(ereaw.
Bt&raarolt hun acknowledged the Jus
Uee of their luJf-Uuawtwu, batf-melancholy
"I
agricultural agent, tho extension department
of tho agricultural college. Their Interests
nro community Interests, good roads, good
amusement, sanitation. Their weapons nro
corn clubs for tho boys, cooking clubs for
tho girls, play festivals, pageants, moving
pictures, anything which makes country life
wholesome nnd Interesting and prosperous
und friendly. "Thy Kingdom como on earth."
Good nnd Faithful Servants
Thero must bo leadership for tho church
of tho countryside. Tho lenders nro worthy
of their hire. Tho country ministry hns not
in all places measured up to its tasks, it is
true, yet cfllclency nnd set vice wero discov
ered long before the title of "social engi
neer" was Invented.
Many a country paison of llrst rato abili
ties and of the finest scholarship and culti
vation has run his godly raco rcrnoto from
towns without ever wishing to chnngo his
place. Ills contentment with his lot and his
devotion lo the people of his parish aro al
most Incomprehensible to men moro ambi
tious for position anil power. There wns
such a man perhaps .who onnio into jour life.
There was such a mtyi perhaps who molded
tho community whero you onco lived nearer
to Christian ideals.
A man ho was to nil the country dear,
and
in his duty prompt at every call,
Ho watched and wept, ho prayed and felt,
for all.
I know him. Ho was a man of spiritual
vision, able to translate his vision into
earthly realities. IIo was n man of latitude,
for a small community docs not necessitate
a narrow life. Ho was tho burden bearer
nnd burden shnrer of his people. Ho was a
soldier of the cross, risking Ills' health and
oxhausting his strength In ccnscloss toll and
self-forgetful performance of duty day and
night in tho worst of wenther. He camo to
his white hairs and bent ilguro prematurely,
and thero wero thoso who spoko of him then
ns "a broken-down minister" of no further
use. Hut tho angels had kept the scroll and
the record of his deeds and character had
been written In human hearts forever. From
tho modest Ilttlo piusrmago In the village,
with lilacs In the doorynid, he was called,
not to a larger salary or n city pulpit, hut
to the golden city nnd a mansion prepared
of old for IiIk coming. To tho widow and
children over hundreds of miles of telegraph
wire, from one of tho many who had known
him but to lovo him, camo tho words: "God
rest his shining soul."
THE FIGHT FOR LOCAL OPTION
To the Editor of the Evening Ledger;
Sir Tho sentiment In favor of local option in
Pennsylvania is rapidly assuming tlrtnl-wnve
proportions, mid both tho liquor Interests and
political leaders, who oppose its passage, would
ba wise to withdraw their opposition, thus
nveitlnc the disaster of political oblivion to
which they now seem destined
If they are afraid to trust the people, tho
people havo Just canto to be ali.ild to trust
them, and the people are likely to act accord
ingly at tlio next election Perhaps by that
time a local option bill will not be sufficient
to appease tho wrath of an outraged constit
uency, nnd Pennsylvania may tuko her right
ful place with tho IS other Commonwealths In
the Union that nre now prohibition Stiles.
Wake up, -Mr. Liquor Man and politicians, arid
overt your doom by standing back of Governor
Brumbaugh In bin splendid tight for a county
local option bill. JOH.V WATCHOR.V.
Frankford, March 31.
THWARTED ITALY
complaints that France alone, of all the Powers,
was receiving no concessions. AVIth Bweet rea
sonableness he had asked:
" "Why does not France take Tunis? It Is
ner close neighbor on the Mediterranean; It
Is a menace to her In the hands of Its native
population; why does she not annex It? Na
one will object.' "
The French Government considered this sug
gestion, and presently proceeded to take Tunis,
which Italy had coveted, but had not dared to
seize. The result, os Doctor White says, was
that "France was soon, too busy with this new
acquisition of territory to give any trouble to
Germany, and Italy, In revenge, threw herself
Into the dual compact of Germany with Austria
against Russia, thus forming the Triple Alli
ance." Bismarck himself had little expeetatlon or
Italy's long continuance In this league, in view
of recent events. It Is of especial interest that
in 1S85 he made the remark: "In case of a rec
onciliation with France, Italy might resume
her Irredentist policy and renew her claims on
Austrian territory."
Italy's desire for expansion In Africa was not
only the cause of her Joining the alliance, but
the cause ot leaving it Sir Edward Grey
alienated Italy from Germany by consenting
tp the Italian conquest of Tripoli as Bismarck
bad consented to the French onquest of Tunis.
The great war was nearly precipitated In 1311,
when, in spite of German protests and threats,
QrMt Britain, Franee and Italy agreed among
UieitUKlves foe the partition of Northern Africa.
AGREE WITH SHERMAN!"
BEST THOUGHT IN AMERICA
DIGEST OF TH
(1) livcrybody's "What is a Christian?"
(2) Yalo Itovlow "Tho Unity ot tho
Churches."
(3) Forum "Tho Ilellglon of Demo
cracy." (I) Century "Tho Bondngo of Modern
Religion."
(5) New Republic" 'Billy' Sunday."
RELIGION
R"
1CLIGIOX lias been tho subject of moro
magazine articles in the last tlirco months
than In any twolvo months for sevoial years
past. Rofcrenco to Poole's Index shows that
1 1 of our representative magazines not In
cluding llctlon magazines havo printed only
30 articles on religious topics In tho Inst four
years an averngo of considerably less than
ono n year. Thoso samo magazines havo
printed 12 religious articles already this year,
exceeding their usual year's averngo In tho
first three months.
The reason for this Is undoubtedly tho war.
Many of tho articles are concerned with
arguments as to tho responsibility of Christi
anity for tho war, defending or attacking tho
church us the caso may be. "Billy" Sunday,
tho sensational revivalist, has also been tho
occasion of soveral articles in tho March
and April magazines.
A composite of tho opinions of 5203 readors
of Everybody's1 Magazlno on tho question
"What Is n Christlnn," is printed by that
magazlno this month (1). Commenting on
thlB mass of answers to Its question, which
was printed In a recent issue, with a request
for expressions of opinion, tho magazine
hays:
Tim great mass of letters wero from tho
plain people, moro than two-thirds from mon,
not more than a hundred or so from cleigy
moti. The greater proportion were from the
small towns and country, moro from the
South und West than from tho North and
Kust. Nearly all the letters agree that n
man must do, believe or ho homethlng before
ho cm he called a real Christian.
The point of view most often and most
strongly emphasUcd was that: You may bo
a good member of society and bellevo In what
Christ stood for and still not bo a Christian,
becauso you aro at heart selfish, self-centered
nnd Jealous of your personality. You havo
to ho turned inside out. Not until trouble
or Christ or somo other forco does it can you
bo n Christian. There must bo genuine emo
tion, a spark of tho dlvino behind your nets
nnd beliefs or they aro worth nothing. This
Is tho cssenco of Christ, nnd If you nre llko
Hlin, in that you aro a Christian.
Unity Among tho Trinities
Church unity, tho dream nnd hopo of many
Christians for marry years, has been under
process ot dcflnlto organization and advance
ment slnco 1910. Newman Smyth, an ardent
advocato of the movement, writes of its
progress in the Yalo Boview (2):
Tho Episcopal General Convention (of 1910)
appointed a commission to carry out tho pro
posal for n World Confcrcnco which their
action contemplated and tho lato J. P.
Morgan, who was present at tho convention,
at onco offered to Inltlato the finnncing of
tho undertaking by a gift of 100,000.
As a result of the Initial work, over 40
Christian bodies from all quarters of the
world nro now officially engaged In this Joint
enterprise and favorable responses from
others nio'soon expected. Tho Ideal of unity
must Includo all branches of tho Church of
Christ, the East nnd tho West, tho Itonuin
as well as tho Protestant world. Tho method
to bo followed has nlready cleared Itself un
it might ba called a reassessment of the
Christian values held by the several churches.
No single form of ecclesiastical polity is
sufficient for tiro work to bo done, What is
demanded Is religious statesmanship broad
enough, high enough, human enough to find
or to mako the way out to brlpg men who
hold opposite opinions together as fellow
Christians on tho common ground of work
ing ngreement.
In tho Forum (3), Henry Wright, a profes
sor of philosophy in Lake Forest College,
undertakes to describe the religion of the
future:
Tho religion of democracy, which is des
tined, we bellevo, to be the religion of the
future, will bo an ethical, a social religion.
It must teach:
1, An Immortality of the human person con
ditioned by his devotion to inclusive social
ends, and consequent Identification with the
life of a spiritual community,
2. Tho existence of a spiritual community
made up of those persons who, during the
period of their earthly existence, labored
faithfully for the universal human good and
who Jaliej- death has removed them from
the eaTUify aaone, constantly inspire men to
deeds of heroism and self-sacrifice in service
of society.
3. The Immanence and efficacy of God as
the guiding spirit In social progress, tha
leader In the work of human betterment who
strives and suffers with us in the cause of
universal evolution.
An. Bplsoopal minister, the Rev. P. a.
Duffy, writes with unusual frankness as ta
the present status of the Church, and his
hopes for the future. In tha Century (4):
I'osaibU it U beeauie religion has become
mow uurl xm,x isigeiy matte of fwnlalna
MAGAZINES
Interest and concern thnt men have un
consciously grown to regurd It ns of that
gender, nnd so adopted toward It a spirit of
mistaken chivalry. At nny rate, to its own
disadvantage, nnd by Us own consent, or
ganized religion has occupied a position of
prlvllego which has shielded It from the
frco criticism essential to tho life of secular
organizations, with the result that ono Is
icgarded with a certain disapproval If he
ventures to question tiro values of much in
its corporate life. Tho appalling drift froth
tho ranks of corporate Christianity Is ns em
phatic on one side of tho Atlantic as on the
other, the only dlflereneo being the coloring
duo to local onvlronmont. True, the American
man may havo a better, becauso a moro
clearly defined, understanding in his own
mind for his nction, hut generally speaking,
tho plain, simplo truth seems to bo thnt tho
old charm which onco attracted nnd held the
hearts of men hns somehow or other gono
out of tho modern llfo ot religion. Tho one
nnd sole reply to tho question which forms a
hackneyed religious diversion nt religious
conventions, namely, why don't men go to
church? Is to bo found In the statement that
tho American man Is n prugmutlst. IIo asks.
Will It work? And his absence from church
nnd his general IndHterenco to tho llfo of
i elisions organization Is his reply.
Thoso nro ciitical days for Christianity,
and though tho word crisis Is ono wo In
variably assoclato with fears, it simply
means n time when matters havo so shaped
themselves as to leavo humanity vory plastlo
and capablo ot being molded easily for the
good or 111 of a cause.
Thero Is a personal Impression of "Billy"
Sunday as ho appeared In his tabernacle In
Philadelphia by Francis Hackett In tho New
Republic (5):
Tho two men whom Sunday most recalled
to mo nt first were Elbert Hubbard and
Georgo M. Cohnn. In his mental calibre
and his pungent Philistinism of expression
ho reminded mo of Hubbard, but In his phy
sical attitude thero was nothing of thnt
greasy orator. Ho was llko a quintessentlally
sllok salesman of his particular lino of
wares. As ho developed his homely moral
Berrnon for his nttcntlvo middle-class con
gregation, It did not seem to mo that he had
ono touch of dlvino poetry. Ho humored nnd
argued and smoto for Christ as a commodity
that would satisfy an enormous .acknowl
edged gup in his auditors' lives. He was
"putting over" Christ. In awakening all
the early memories of maternal admonition
and rotinsol, tho consciousness of unfulfilled
desires, of neglected Ideals, tho ncho for
sympathy and understanding, ho seemed like
an Insurance ngont making a text of "over
the hill to tho poorhouse." Ho had at his
finger tips all tho selling points for Christ.
Ho gnvo to sin and salvation a practical
connotation. Hut whllo his words and
actions apparently fascinated his audience,
whllo thoy laughed eagerly whon ho scored,
and clapped him warmly very often, to me
ho appealed no moro than nn Ingenious elec
tric advertisement, a bottle picked out
against the darkness pouring out a foaming
glass of beer.
And yet his henrt seemed to ho in it, ns a
salesman's heart has to bo In it. He spoke
for faith in Christ nnd left tho rest to tho
clergy. And to tho clergy ho said: '"If you
nro too lnzy to take caro of tho baby after
It i3 born, don't blumo tho doctor."
And vnrlous factory superintendents nnd
employers mlnglo benignly around, glad of a
religion that puts on nn nchlng social system
such a hot mustard plaster.
WHAT COLOR IS A ROSE?
To the Editor of the Evening Ledger:
Sir As once, In a moment of sentimental fool
ishness. I spent JI2 for a don American Beauty
roses thought I knew what tho fiower looks
like; but a friend has Just told mo that the
American llcauly Is pink nnd another friend,
whom I asked to act as referee, says "I should
call It a deep pink." Thofco which I bought
were dark red. Cun you tell me whether I did
not get what I paid for. or whether my friends
are Ignorant of horticultural chromatology?
BENJAMIN WKST,
Swarthmore. April 1,
APRIL
April is a Jady;
April is a queen;
Woven mist and sunshine
Wrap her In their sheen,
Rosy gleams of beauty
Through the meshes seen I
From her clinging garments
Breathes a perfume sweet!
Violets spread a carpet
For her dainty feet.
Winged breezes circle
, Her on errands sweet.
She, with budding scepter
Plucked from bush or tree
Leads the wild bird chorus,
Sets the captive free;
Laughs to see It leaping
Forth to meet the sea.
All the world yields homage.
Bending low, to glean
Of her golden largess
Sfatttred on the green.
April is a lady,
April is a queen i
Pauline Fnnc prop, la Bolton Trnerlpt
MAJOR AND MINOR
A bird sang sweet and strong
In the top ot the highest tree:
Ilu sang, "I pour out my oul In song
For the summer that soon shall be.'
But deep lu tbe shady wood
Another bird saag. I pour
My soul on the wolenin naUtude
For the spring thit return no mote
,V-