aetna rp ies DS a ae aaa tacit ciel ae aie = THE M IRROR Harold Bell Wright's Constructive So- lution to America's Greatest Problem (W. E. Donnelly) The groceryman's name was. Joe Paddock. He wag forty-five years old end lived in Westover. There was no- thing unusual about this particular town. Indeed it just seemed to be fairly representative of the conditions familiar to all modern towns. Of course it had its share of the 183 var- icties of denominationalism existing in America, and its 44 churches maintain- ed the distinctive features of the de- nominations they represented. Joe Paddock was not only a grocery- man. He was also a director of the Kirst National Bank, and a _ personal friend of Mr. Winton the Banker. He was likewise a Presbyterian and con- sidered the church an asset to the town. Of course he was not a grocery- man because he was a Presbyterian. There was no special relationship be- yveen his business and his religion. Day by day he helped to answer the human prayer--'Give us this day our caily bread," but he had no particular -ason for being either a groceryman cr a Presbyterian. Joe Paddock's church connection was ally a bequest. Grandfather and <randmother Paddock were devout and pious souls, maintaining the old time Christian home, and sweethearts stil 'ter fifty years of married bliss. Mar- riage had been no slip knot to them, but a sacred life tie. As Grandmoth- * Paddock said one day to her grand Caughter Georgia--"Your grandpa and i had something besides sex attraction. Ve had religion to keep us sane." iivery day for five decades they had read the Bible together, and found at the family altar the real inspiration of life. "It takes a lot of religion," they ob- served, "for two people to love and marry and live together long enough io raise children and become grandpar- ents." But because of religion the everyday affairs of their home were freasures beyond price. And the ac- cumulated experience of the years had made the last of life the richest and the best. But Joe Paddock's home was not the same as his father's. The outside world was unaware, but the home was anything but happy. Their social in- tercourse with other people was pleas- ant, but when they entered their own home they were "as joyful as two peo- ple paying a visit to a family tomb." And it was a tomb. For love was dead, and "The light of the whole life dies When love is done." Joe Paddock knew that his wife.was carrying on a clandestine affair with a young pseudo-literary light, Edward Astell. e also knew that his daugh- ter Georgia was a typica] flapper, and had fallen into evil ways. Mrs. Pad- dock thought she dominated her gro- eeryman husband by virtue of her in- tellectual superiority. She forgot that a husband is ruled, not by a woman's intellectual superiority but by a man's love for a woman. She had lost her power over him. And George Paddock found it very easy to argue that it is old fashioned for people to live happily together, and that people don't get married because they want homes. "Look at the homes where most of us were born!' she said. "Our parents are not happy. The ideas and ideals of young people and their standards and customs are different because our fathers and mothers have changed theirs." Jack Ellroy, too, the friend of Geor- gia, had acquired "that cynical disbe- lief in womanly virtue, which is the seed of racial degeneracy.' Joe Pad- dock was deeply concerned about it all, and somehow he found comfort and hope by gazing long upon the counten- ance of the Great Teacher of Galilee in a picture above the radio. One day John Saxton came to West- over. Nobody Knew why, but his er- rand was serious. Saxton was the confidential friend and agent of Dan Matthews of Kansas City. Yes, the same Dan Matthews whom Judge Strong and his brother officials had driven from the Strong Memorial Church. That was twenty years ago. For twenty years he had made adven- tures in the realm of business, and had suceeded well. 3ut he had never for- gotten the old Christanity, the religion of the Good Shepherd of the Hills. While the old negro janitor, black but with a clean white soul, was croon- ing the wailing melodies of some old time hymns, in a suite of offices in the Union Mining building Dan Mat- thews had opened his heart to John Saxton. Matthews had entered business with an ideal. Every man, he believed, had a ministry to his fellows. All work that truly served humanity was God's work. But in the ministry of business he had failed. He had failed to ac- complish in any large way the minis- try of all Christian business. He had failed in spite. of his large bequests and donations. For, wére not the peo- ple of America more irreligious than ever? The annual cost of crime was growing. The percentage of prisoners in the population was rapidly increas- ing. He recalled that the old Shep- herd of the Hills had once written to his friend Dr. Coughlan--"We build temples and churches, but we will not worship in them; we hire spiritual ad- visors but refuse to heed them; we buy Bibles but will not read them; be- llieving in God we do not fear Him; | acknowledging Christ, we neither fol- low nor obey Him." Matthews thought the statement of the Shepherd truer than ever. Of course Dan Matthews that the church was active. were thinking and talking -- religion more than ever before. Even the great popular magazines were carrying religious articles, and outstanding writers in the secular field were turn- ing to religious topics. People were interested in good works and support- ing charities with commendable gen- erosity. fruit of the Christian religion they are not religion any more than a barrel of apples is the tree. "'We have come. to be a race of spiritual grocerymen, traf- fickine in the produce upon which the very life of our nation depends, but with no thought of the gardens and orchards which supply the stuff we sell." We must do more than deal in good works, thought Dan Matthews. We must worship God. We must give God récognition in all our business. "In short," said the keen business executive to John Saxton--"If the business of the country, and if the citizens of the nation do not somehow get a littlle Christianity into their af- fairs, nothing can keep us from na- tiona] destruction." Dan Matthews felt convinced that the church had failed. If we can't question the divine religion of Jesus, then we must question the human ef- ficiency of the church. Isn't the real failure of the church in a2 multiplied denominationalism? There are 183 different denominations in America. There are 17 different recognized People kinds of Baptists, 21 varieties of Luth- But while good works are the | erans, 17 sorts of Methodists, 10 branch of Presbyterians. We are put- ting denominationalism above our Lord and Master. "The Christian church members need to rise above the worn- out machinery of their ancient denom- inationalism and_ re-establish their touch with God." Dan Matthews wanted to give his millions to religion, but not to the churches. He wanted to give to re- ligion as other men had given to sci- ence and education and social welfare. And John Saxton was his confidential agent to set a new experiment in mo- tion. So Jolin Saxton came to Westover. His object was to investigate the so- cial and religious conditions of West- over with a view to establishing there the pet dream of his chief, an eXperi- ment in Social and religious unity. The. investigation was made. Plans were set down. Five men met in the Palace Hotel and resolved on the great service. Joe Paddock, the grocery- man, was one of the five. Young Am- erica was rejecting the church because it saw the pretenses, shams and fail- ures of denominationalism. Trrelig- ion was chargeable to a lack of Christ- janity in the church. A new experi- ment would be tried out in Westover. Instead of 44 churches they would plan to' have three. Each would be a tem- ple with a seating capacity of five thousand. These temples would be holy ground, sacred to the worship of tod, and always open for meditation. They would have no denominational character. They would memorialize no one but Christ. They would proclaim no Christian religion. There would be no guilds, aids or societies for raising money. The temple ministers would give all of their strength and talents to the ministry of teaching. They would be free to devote themselves entirely to the service of Jesus. The temples would have one aim--to make God a vital force in the life of the people. There would be such a presentation of the Christian religion that "the youth of the land, with their daring inde- pendence, their intolerance of sham, their insistencé upon realities" would be irresistibly drawn to it. So the first temple was built. It vas a model of somplicity and beauty. It provided such an atmosphere of sin- ecre and true religion as commanded instant response. There were no elab- orate decorations, no unnecessary dis- play, not even erpensive windows. The organ and choir were out of sight. There were no hymn _ books. The iwords of the hymns appeared in turn | in letters of light in a panel above |the pulpit. No collection plates were | passed. There were neat receptacles | for the offering, with a suggestive in- | scription on the back of each seat. |The minister was not dressed in a dis- }tinctive robe or garb. The sermon | presented such careful thought as |drew the attention of the best minds, ibut it was simple like the sermons lof the Master. There was no straining fast pulpit oratory. The address was a | thoughtful interpretation of the spirit of Jesus in the terms of today. Every morning and evening the music of the church chimes floated over the city. Every night, high against against the sky, the people saw the Cross of the tower. And Westover responded. The transformation was quick. Tony's so- Gial quarters were closed up. The Sun- down Inn was having a hard time to meet bills. Mrs. Paddock made full confession Phone 1580 Residence 2198 FRANK P. GIBBS Chartered Accountant 102 Ontario St. Stratford, Ont. (Beacon Building) of her guilt to the minister and sought the way of Christian grace. The gro- eceryman and his wife put away the mistakes of the past and together be- gan a new and more abundant life. The rendezvous of the young lovers, too, became holy ground. The home of the groceryman demonstrated the great truth that we dare not let go of the spiritual realities of religion and that "the only control the world has ever known is spirituality." "Tea that always pleases me" is China Hall English Breakfast Tea of course it does! ** JL. BRADSHAW CHINA HALL MM SUUPUARNGQRDURSUERREREEDA CHRAQOCUOSCCORDAREODEMEDEDOHATULEEOERERECEROCEIETED Electrical Wiring Fixtures and Supplies Work Guaranteed Estimates Free DAN WOLFE 105 Ontario Street Suite 2 Phone 2007 COAL ANTHRACITE COAL POCAHONTAS, Egg Size } Red Jacket, Egg Size Solvay Coke Cornish Coal Co. Phone 44 tT > The Place to Buy : Reflectors : We have a large stock of reflec- } tors. According to a recent made law you must have a re flector on the front and back of either a bicycle or a buggy. { It will pay you to give us a call. } Reasonable prices. : % - W. E. MCCARTHY 3 Phone 781d Wellington St. ce His mother asked why his socks WERE AND THERE By "Doc." "Nowadays it's up to the husband to get jealous when he finds a long hair on his wife's shoulder. =e = +. * 'We prefer to get our close shaves at the barber shop instead of at rail- road crossings. ae nee + * & What will we do with the word fliv- _ ver, when the new Ford comes on the 'market? st : * * & es We know a farmer who is so op- ee 'posed to blasphemy that he wouldn't Ae even say "Moses" whenever the bull 'rushes. oS 'ont Se ae We put our foot in it everyday we - - put our shoes on. = : ita meve, 3 A local man said recently that he me : was going to make his son shift for himself, so he bought him a car. 2eS ao = tes a To the slogan, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," has been add- = ed, "An orange a day keeps the dent- ist away." Now if some wise guy would find an antidote for lawyers. ; ee Our latest is on the Scotchman, who on finding a clock in his room at the - hotel where he was stopping, immed- - iately stopped his watch. era * * & 4 2 e : ak young lady who took her dog to the Toronto Exhibition was heard to remark that she didn't expect him to get a prize, but, he would certainly meet a lot of nice dogs. : eee * * # -- -'Bven the patience of Job would have been sorely tried by a radio an- = Fe nouncer who takes up the greater part of the evening reading - gtating programe coming in fine. PH x & *€ When asked at the marriage license bureau where his "bride-elect'" was, a negro replied sharply, "What yo- all mean, bride elect? Dey weren't no 'lection; de lady done appoint her- self to do office at mah own pussonel request." j : * * * "were on wrong-side out, Bobby replied that his feet were so hot he turned - ¢he hose on them. f *..6: 55 During those fine weeks this fall we used to enjoy meeting the coalman and remark, "Fine weather we're hav- - {ng," but he'll have his day. = * & & A scientist tells us that the best way to bring on sleepyness is to think of nohting, but our experience is, to become real sleepy think of getting up. s * * & See Through the busy Glasgow streets a stalwart policeman led 4 little child by the hand. ; "MIRROR before them a moment. . Then, in a sudden burst of sym- pathy, she bent over the child and kissed her. : "Puir wee lamb!" she said sadly. "She looks sae cauld and starved like; and she hasna been washed for weeks. Some folks canna be ~ trusted wi' bairns. Whaur did ye fin' the wean, bobby?" "Find the we'an?" said the police- man angrily. "I didna find her at G She's ma ain bairn." %* * And that's that! not afford to miss- telegrams | & Cas OUR BUSINESS IS REPAIRING SHOES For years we have devot- ed all our time to this trade. Do not ask us how well we do our work, but ask some one who has been here with an old pair of shoes. for a short time. Sale price strument, now is the time to buy. o- 2.0 0 ew? ne Oe ee Bo HEINTZMAN & CO. Piano and Player Piano BARGAINS Our House Clearing Sale includes many values that you can- If you had thought of purchasing an in- Some of these instruments as well as many others not here quoted, have only been in use Wormwith & Co. Cabinet Grand in beautiful walnut satin finished case, a very sweet toned instrument, thoroughly 4 6overhauled and in first class condition. a B24 Charges very moderate-- and that's a consideration. Try The Superior Way. Mason & Risch, Classic, Mahogany satin case. exchange on New Heintzman & Co. piano. not be told from new. Clearing at. + +.4.> + Taken in This piano could Oe ee ! Superier Shoe Repair 11g Ontario Phone 941 dition. . year on new piano. x Schaeffer, ebony case, very fine practice piano in Al con- Will allow all monies paid within one Sale price... 653. s.. " ..$150 Your Hat Store rolls free. To clear at... a ae New Fall Hats Borsalino, Christie, Moore's, Biltmore, Wakefields, Scot, King Hats, Alpine and Derby Blocks, all the new colors ; sizes 61% 10 73%. Prices-- phonographs. 131 Ontario Street. amr nc a oy oa ye Devonshire Player, demonstration in store. Regular price $725.00. Sete eb ee Oey Oe a a ae We have several other bargains Call or write for list. Mahogany polished case, used for With bench and $10.00 worth of 99D in used pianos and HEINTZMAN & CO. Ltd. J. ANTHONY, Manager Phone 769 $2.50 to $8.00 P. J. KELLY Your Hatter -- a Paper Hanging and Painting Wallpaper at all prices. Just now we are offering some special bargains. C. MACE {| Phone 810F 157 Front St. A motherly looking woman paused 4 H ot new Hockey Shoes Skates Are Here We have just opened up a shipment and Skates, well known and celebrated makes. These shoes are designed specially by a hockey player and have every fea- lture that makes skating a pleasure. Wi They fit at the heel and hug the in- Histep. Come in boys and try a pair on. lWwe have marked them at very rea- ijsonable prices vevsees es coe00 and up Tube Skates guaranteed from $3 up Don't think of buying until you have =jseen our stock. JAMES K. MYERS Phone 162 a a 4 Lj Ee ef 3 7 i : Ae re 7 : ; a eg 3 'a 9 m4 i be F. be Bayh 4g uJ a 7 "S a B oe: