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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 5, 1916)
A TTTE STJXTJAT OKEGOXIAX, POIITXAD NOVEMBER 5, 1916, WHOLESALER AND WIFE INVADE THE ROGUE COUNTRY AFOOT Mr. and Mrs. William F. Woodward Travel Into Wilds, Dine at Homes of Settlers and Hear IMeas of People for Wagon Road. "8 1 VST' 15 3, .4 .V t n I : 1 K2 wxs I I ... ... -ti rz ... , . . i I . - Z -. V. Ji ... v. .- J A I I .." . " . .,:VP"", - .. -. J III ittT ST .-- : V "V fe;r IseVJ k--r. .V W i?- VCi HI I - , 'TTt 7 - T- sorrowful: "Sure, w have lota oil I : i.rww. .3 I I II jv1 ; ' .V V, Jill 4 oFZh9 BY WILLIAM F. WOODWARD. ITH the many scenic wondnrs of'n?ilk' but separated every morning. Wour state must ever be included the Rogue River Gorge. Extend ing for over 100 miles, cutting- its devi ous way through mountain range to ocean. It presents in variety and rug eredness a fascinating and. bewildering panorama. We left Merlin, on the Southern Pa cific, Monday morning, a suitcase with Fpare apparel making a prosaic detour by parcel post to Gold Beach, our desti nation at the river's mouth, by way of Kugene and Marshfield. We reduced our knapsacks to the simplest essen tials, though it's wonderful the way our needs diminished in Importance with every mile afoot. Merlin is fairly in a mountain pass, and our road, a well-ballasted highway after crossing Jump-off Joe Creek, soon brought us to the river, which we were to follow, with delight and wonder for elx days. Some thought of Its material value as a source of power and electric energy through these lower reaches would obtrude upon us at-times; its fall of many hundred feet or more while pursuing a vexed way between mighty cliffs calls for the descriptive pen of n engineer and the capital which will harness its mighty strength at some distant day. Ranches Dot Way. There are many little ranches be tween Merlin and Hell Gate, dairying, stock and fruit-raising. The day was warm; the lad of the house, where we first stopped and gently raised the question of two glasses of milk, wa George has taken the cream to the station and we always give the milk to the calves." .Happy calves! Thirsty tourists'. Better luck at Mclntyre's, where milk once separated was happily reunited to more than its original quota of rich cream, garnished with apples beauties they were, from the root house; Mrs. Mclntyre the while singing praises of this "Rogues" paradise. Hell Gate is the scenic drop curtain which rises before the traveler's vision; a water-worn chasm, through which the river boils in its mighty flow. Be yond in quiet reaches it rests, the road.. In many places cut from solid rock, follows the very brink, overhanging even at times, the stream far beneath. A mile further it crosses the river on a fine bridge, and from this point to Big Bend, some BO miles further, we see no more farms, passing Instead, a succession of prospectors' cabins, many deserted "mining propositions," others the scene of activity, where placer and quartz are giving up their gold to pa tient toilers. - I.nnch Taken in Cabin. Galice, 15 mile from Merlin, is a mining town. Its single street is the highway, while Its trade comes from the gold-seekers all about in stream and mountain. We were & bit leg weary before reaching the town, and the proffer of seats in his "Henry," by R. A. Lewis, who has and is operating a placer two miles beyond Galice, was gladly accepted. A hunting accident two years ago deprived him of his good right arm but not nerve or resource; operating the 77iomas j&artc-h, Where? Orange &n ' Z.esn on wheel with his strong left, and the the narrow, winding road at a speed "gas" supply with his foot, the latter which called for more than ordinary by means of a most ingenious lever of skill and Judgment. his own contriving, we spun along over Mr. Lewis' home was destroyed by fire recently. We lunched with hlr and his son, Dolph. In a cabin built years ago. his present temporary quarters. For many years a resident, his story of early days and the possi bilities of the section was most inter esting. Bidding them good-bye. we footed to Aimed, three miles beyond. Here ends the wagon road; here do the ' folks speak of "going in" and "coming out." The one hotel is presided over by Mrs. Entrekln. who combine the activities of a general store and postofflca with rearing a family and more for when we noted the fine baking which she was taking from the oven, she re marked slmpiy: "Yes. this Is for a neighbor who's troubled with rheuma tism, and I told her I'd look after the baking." Entrekln pere was In the mountains, for this is ':Jerked venison" time and hunting la a diversion which soaring beef and bacon have trans formed into a serious and necessary duty. Almeda's one bright Industrial Jewel is Its active copper mine across the river. There is much ore in sight and the smelter, we were told, would Short- y resume operations. Way Follow glrrp Cliff. Tuesday morning we "took up" our trail for Whisky Creek. 4ight miles along. Adjectives ar mere words and the English language, has many, but the unfolding beauties of this day can never be penned by an apothecary or his wife. Our Columbia gorge Is Im pressive: the view from Crown Point la surpassing, but here, mind you. is a narrow path hewn from rocky cliff or sloping mountainside, ascending hun dreds of feet, leaving the river far be low, winding by curves abrupt and star tling around impossible passes, giving thrill after thrill of wonder and delight. There was life about us. but no hu man being; below, on quiet pool, wild ducks were feeding; a fish hawk cir cled in blue sky above; silvery glint of leaping trout held our ce, and a!, about the mountains a riot of color, maple, madrona. myrtle and manzanita. live oak. white oak. red oak. tan oak and alder; the lowly huckleberry, proud of it burden of luscious fruit: pine, fir and cedar each lending its od glven share of beauty, with the glorious sun above in the making of a picture which will ever remain with us while mind and memory hold. At noon we crossed the river on a light suspension bridge erected by th Forest Service a swaying, lightsome shift and then round the sher moun tainside on a narrow ledce. down to the water's edge, where Whisky Creok. and on the other side Rum Creek, empty their clear, cold burden Into the Rogue. Here we tarried the afternoon and night. Si Whiteneok knew of our com ing; had been told over the Forest Service phone line from Almod.-i: hailed, fed and housed us; showed u ' his placer claim and the smell "giant" he had harnessed to Whisky Creek. His three boarders Messrs. Payne. Calvin and Johnson nnt in toward dusk from their working above, and we saw some of the real "stuff" an ounce or more. SI has. or had, a fine garden. Cono;ulil on Pass 11. DIVINE VISION AND WISDOM FACTORS IN HUMAN PROGRESS Religion Is World's Most Valuable Asset Ballots Count More Than Bullets When Rightly Used. s'a , i. ? THE NEXT STEP. "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight befor thee. Make level the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be tabllshed. Turn not to the right hajifl nor to the left. Remove thy foot from ovll." Proverbs lv:2S:3T7. BY LTJTHER R. FVOTT. D.D. Pastor First Congregational Church. THE price of real progress is not too high. It does, indeed, cost some thing, but It is within the reach of all who care to make the most of life. Providence has no grudge against any person. Problems are charming challenges when we become conscious of the power to solve them, and we can see what is beyond them. If, between ; our ingress into F N " 1 this world, and our i V. egress out of it. belongs to us, and ' A. then do our level i best in relation to the level of our J best, we need have no rear or the "Great Beyond." God's justice, mlnsrllncr with Ma Nx-'-'. love and munifi- '( - cence. entities us to oi us ciaim. tie- "titer . Dyott. cause we are his . offspring, and his ncnes are too great to be measured by material things, our rights regard urn material ana temporal as sub sidiary to the eternal, even when the material and temporal are at their bast. W have a, right to claim the best qualities of mind; ! we have a right to claim the noblest aspirations of the soul: we have a right to claim truth, wisdom, love and all things enabling us to make a real success of this divine busi ness of being alive In God's world. Moreover, we have a right to claim Jesus Christ, the holy spirit, and God, himself. God conveys all these rights to us. It Is a moraj disgrace for any one of ns to be poor for the lack of anything that constitutes eternal wealth: Or to go backwai-d when we were built to go forward; or to remain at zero, when we are capable of everlasting progress throughout endless ages until we realize God's final thought for all mankind; or to rail to see what God lias to show ua when he says, "Look!" or to attempt to make a virtue of Ignorance when knowledge and wisdom are ready to serve in the interest of character and achievement. Real Progress Defined. The clear and plain words of our text Indicate vision, wisdom, character and achievement. To see and to know, to be and to do. are so essential to life, and the well-being of the human family, that we can never remedy Con ditions, and make the necessary' prog ress, without these corners to the four square life offering room to God. and making it possible for us to travel "the path of the righteous which is a the dawning light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." We need av sixth sense-vision Just a much, and In some respects mora, than the human body needs natural eyes. When the human race, or any part of It, is blind to the best things, or does not look In the right direction, or does not look ahead far enough, it is bound to perish. So, also, with insti tutions. o also, with individuals. A wise man said. "Where there Is no vision, the people case off restraint." ' That settles It. Then they go to doom, in spite of the frantic prayers of some among them who are more con cerned about having God on their side than they are about being on God's side. In such instances, even prayer Is an Impious mockery, or a vain super stition. Their belief is but the per petuation of the antiquated conception of a tribal God. They need to be thunder-struck of truth and to know that they cannot, with impunity, mock God. Neither can they break the rela tionship between sowing and reaping. Dying nations have their dreams while their very prayers fall with a dull thud upon doom and their record for history will dolefully demonstrate that might does not make right. Wherever men make history without the God-given vision, they make history without God In it and then It belongs to that type described by Carlyle who, in his time, looked back and said: "At th bottom there is no perfect history. All past centuries have rotted down and have gone out confusedly dull and quiet." This was due either to the absence of vision or the imperfections and limi tations of vision. New Era I to Come. They saw life from their Own selfish view-points and addressed themselves at cross purposes to their Common, problems. There was no dignity, there was no divineness in what they did. such as others know who ennn in God's world-business. They had no vision and blindly blufldered to ruin. All this, however, is but one side of me question. Look at the other side, or look beyond this. Think of the perpetuity or good In spite of the ravages of evil. Think of the con tinuity of good In spite of the interrup tions of evil. Remember that, as a rule. when the worst reaches the worst. tnmgs Degin to mend. Better still, let us dare to believe that when the old order perishes, the new will have a divine birth. Thinking In world-wide term and looking with a world-wide vision, we behold evidences of the travail of a world, amid the throe of a naw birth Its cries of anguish are not to end In the gurgle of death. A new era 1 about to be ushered In. We are standing In the twilight. It Is not the twilight of aarkenmg night, but of a new morn ing. Looking forth upon that which is coming, we are filled with the spirit oi a new- nope ana a sane optimism. God and man together, are about to make history with the, spirit of Christ ior its an-animating Breath: with the plan of the infinite. Sweeping through the oomlng ages, a Its chart: with the purposes of the eternal,-Incapable of defeat, as Its security; with the power Of .the almighty, .where the lives of nations float Ilka atoms In the light, as Its guaranty. Men- of " vision, men of hope. men of courage. men of earnestness, men of action, clear the way. We may not be here when the best comes, but come It will. This Is the main thing. thers shii't !n. th inn tr Others shall right the wron. And finish what T'vp beun. What matter. T or ttier. Mln. o- another dav. Sn that tho rleht word ssld. And 1!f tn iwfftw mad "Let thine eyes look right on arid let thine eyelids look straight "before the." More Real Thinking Urged. There is absolutely no reason for our God-given vision, viewing the move ments of God in his world. In which he wishes us to share, to suffer of a faulty Curvature of Its cornea, or for our ra tional faith to be given to astigma tism. But our vision must relate to wisdom, and be sustained by the same. By wisdom we mean the application of knowledge to Its proper aims and ends. Justifying itself in the doing of that which needs to be done. It is in do ing the next thing doing that which is immediately before us. "Make level the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established." Make level means weigh carefully, consider suffi ciently, remedy efficiently. Established means, as used here, ordered aright. See' the marginal reading in the re vised version of the text. In our mechanical and materialistic age we are not putting enough thought into llie. we are Intensely active, but are not sufficiently thoughtful. Some persons, here and there, are beginning to have a vast vision of God's enter prise In behalf of the vhole human race, but the danger is thru the vkUon Itself may slip away from us, unless we are willing to put Into practice that which we really know. Most of us really know so much better than we actually do. We are wise only to the extent, or degree, of our good prac tices, and not merely In our mental garniture, or Intellectual orientation, our problem is to be wise to the ex tent of our best vieion, and when we try to solve this problem God will help us. It Is God who worketh in us to will and to work for his good pleasure In making us what we ought to be. Divine Character Greatest Asset. Vision and wisdom, with the co-operation of God, enter Into a great con structive principle of life, and men and women of excellent worth become the product of this constructive principle. Character, built by Almighty God, Is his own most valuable asset in human life. It affords centrality for his spir itual investments. It offers the means for the progrees of God. He is always ready to do greater things for us when he finds persons upon whom he can depend. Character is not for orna mental purposes. Its stable and dis tinctive qualities give firmness and dependablenees to all who are willing to be what they ought to be. It re quires a great deal of courage moral courage will, and intellectual intre pidity to do some things very neces sary in modern life; but one man. pos sessed of such a spirit of real heroism, is worth more than a whole mob of these dexterou stdesteppers. "Turn not to the right hand and not to the left." When God can depend upon his man. because of his firmness of character and his moral courage, he can then relate that life to his own eternal progress. Something quite worth while is bound to come to pass 'hen we are altogether available to God. Every epoch in the history of humanity began in this way. That which will mark the greatest achieve ment in the coming days will be the de liverance of mankind from evil all manner of evil when sin itself shall become an episode In the history we are to make through Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Jesus shall deliver a re deemed ,and subdued world to God. "Remove thy foot from evil." ThfcS step will not be an Incidental thing. It will be neither backward nor to thl side, nor to that, but forward through the process of spiritual evolution. Vision. wisdom. character and. acnlevement fit us .for the next step In that progress toward which all the good Of the foregoing ages has been but preparatory. The centuries have been excavating for the foundation work. Science, educatio'n and real re ligion have been busy here and there, doing greater things than most per sons have supposed. They have been gathering material for a new order of life now about to be ushered in. Cer tain forms of government are yet to fall, the broken relationships among nations may -never be mended, but the coming generations, after old hate, and war, and Jealousy, and strife, and moral Ignorance have forever passed away, will know the better way of doing things here. In our day and generation we cannot realize the highest ideal for the con ditions of life. It Is best for us not to try to show how far we can Jump in our efforts to progress; or to run to madness in our abnormal moods; or to propose schemes and measures born of impulse and folly; or to hand our most Important affairs over to those who do not think. Just here Is one of our dilemmas. Chimerical schemes are obstructing the way of real progress. All sorts of person are advocating all sorts of things. The dust and smoke made by our modern agitators are so thick that real thought can but barely breathe. Yet. nevertheless, we shall find our way and take the next step on the progress of a world getting ready to move forward with God. who has al ready summoned the nations of the earth before his awful Judgment throne. We cannot yet fully see the end. and it would be Impossible for us to reach it. even though we could perfectly see It. We have some Idea, as has already been Intimated, as to what It will be. Tomorrow Better T3ian Today." It Is quite sufficient for us Just now that we be ready to take the next step, and that we do take that step. It mean progress In behalf of the whole world. Warring nations have taken the backward step and are spelling the de scent of man in letters of blood and punctuating their ghastly sentence with dead bodies; but after all this work of hell Is dead there will be enough persons left on earth to help in bringing In the new era. and the oneness of humanity will offer God a new opportunity here. The living, breathing tear offazareth is arching a -rainbow from the world's new Beth lehem to its new Calvary. Tomorrow will be better than today. Every night Is led a a prisoner between the light of two day. Real religion 1 yet to have its best chance, if It will only take the next step. It la now being put to a very severe test. A to prog ress, a to religion, a to the outlook upon the future, some poor old pessi mists end cowardly deserters are hav ing nightmares. But pessimism Is only the afflicted offspring of a diseased Imagination and a superficial observation. God's prophet is never made of putty, and there Is no mud on the inside bottom of his eye. If we are asked, "Is there such a thing as real religion in this world V our reply Is: "Yes." , If we are asked. "Can It take the next step?" our reply is: "Yes." Many thing which men do not usually regard as being of religion, or In any way related to It. are, or may be, none the less factors in it prog res. Religion ha always been ill this world. It has fought many hard bat tles. It has already com a long dis tance. It is yet able to make a "home run." It was born of God. It was de livered from the womb of eternity by bis omnipotent hand. It was placed upon earth for growth and service. Ignorance, bigotry and superstition tried to grab it by the throat. Jesus Christ rescued it and personalized It and gave It a new meaning. Prophets and kings hushed their notes before the music floating over the Judean hills, but soon discord entered, and men put the life of the new expression ot religion on a cross. Death came, but triumph followed. The spirit of Jesus Is yet to triumph even more abun dantly. Religion Waking Vv the World. Religion is alive in a better appre ciation and training of the young. It Uvea in brave men and noble women, who are fighting hard battles In every day life: it lives In the altruistic spirit of our missionaries; It lives through those who are willing to practice self denial for the good of others; it lives in the increasing spirit of generosity; It live in spite of those who would smother It in man-made creeds , and ignorant Controversies, and forms, and ceremonies; it lives and pours out too much of itself upon making more or ganizations, where men seem to for get that, while life may produce or ganizations, organizations cannot, in turn. Increase life; still it lives in that portion of prevalent discontent which is wholesome, and much of the unrest of this age la due. primarily, to real religion. It is religion, not sin. that la waking up the world, and Is saying to the church itself, all too long asleep: "Awake, awake, put on thy strength. O arm of Jehovah; awake, a In day of old, the generations of ancient times." An awakened world calls for a wide awake church, which may yet be a very different thing from that which men have made it. The common soul of humanity I haying a great awaken ing, and the hope of truth, 1 growing stronger. The hop of truth trow stronger day by dav. I har the soul of man around me waking, t.tk a srent aa. Ha froaen fetters break ins. And flinstn no to heaven Its sunlit spray, Toftaina nuK continents In scornful plav. And crushing tnem. with din of grinding thunder. That rnakfs old emptiness star and wonder. - In view of world-wide conditions re ligion must take the next step and demonstrate that it I the world's most valuable asset. In some respects It is Just now in the same position that the children of Israel were when, having left their bondage In Egypt, they, had reached the aea which had to be crossed. Thsy could turn in neither direction, to the right, nor left, because of ob stacles there; they could not go back, their enemies were in hot pursuit. For ward, forward was the only safe di rection, and. although the . sea said. "No." God said, "Yes." and forward they marched. So God. himself. I giv ing u our marching orders, and God, helping tis. we cannot do otherwise. Evil Moil Be Attacked. The religion of today, not of today in Its origin, but In its existence and expression, must become more aggres sive in its attack upon all form of evil. It has been too mild and con servative. It has vainly tried to be so respectable that It has failed In Its culpable arialocr&cy. It has bought too many kid gloves, and not felt the nails in its hands and feet, the spear In its side' and rtie thorn on Its brow, as It should. Hence it has not shown I puissance in It greatest achieve ments possible. We are bound by all the ties of God and hu manity to say to anything and every thing that hurts, or harms, or ruins human life. "I have serious business with you. and It means moral war to the bitter end." In this connection, religious men and women must be known at the ballot ox. Ballot count far more than bul lets when rightly used. The emascu lated patriot must return to his man hood and our women can help save the day. and win In a cause where the moral Issue la greater than air others. Our religion must take the next step In becoming more practical. In taking souls alive from evils that kill we are under obligations to furnish the oppo site, positive good. We must show men and women the better way. Our first business 1 not to get persons Into heaven, but to help them so that they may find heaven In themselves, here and now. Many of the old thread-bare theo logical theories, which made sects, quarrel In other days, we can well af ford now to lg. ore. Religion and the ology are not one and the same thing. Theology, a the science of God and divine things, may still be studied quite profitably; but when some small men. here and there, use It for divisive pur poses, to say the least, they might be engaged In better business. For modes of faith, let graceleaa sealots fluht. Hla can't be wrong, whose life Is right. Fraternal Cooperation r.eedrd. Our greater business In to make re ligion so practical that those who now feel that they have little or no use for our churches, may yet be brought to see that they cannot live as they should without religion, which ameliorates conditions about us and moves forward with the majesty of those who would carry out God' programme for the whole world. The next step In religion needs to be characterised by a greater solidar ity on th part of Its adherent. De nominational competition is a disgrace. We are already beginning to pay th penalty of It her in Oregon, as rs be ing done in some other places. Compe tition. In the name of religion, must give place to fraternal co-operation. Then God can and will bless us. He will bless our common work as never before.- . Jews and Christians. Roman Catholics and Protestant can find many humanitarian, philanthropic, and clvio movement In which they may share In common. The things which divide us are not as great as those whirh can unit ua in one great serv ice to human being. The view through a sectarian keyhole is not a good and rewarding a that which w have, or may have, in the great open field of some common toll for the betterment of th human race. We ran never feed the hungry soul of men merely by displaying our ecclesiastical tableware. Let us have liberty in non-essential, but unity In essential. The great, unfinished task of religion demand solidarity on the part of all religious forces, including the enlistment of many for service who are not now in any of the churches. It Is time for religion to mean busi ness hlg business for God and man. and this calls for solidarity. Let us make the following conclu sions, ajid emphasize th following facts: The human family is capable of being saved from all that spoils or ruins life. Despair can never beoomo universal. Neither can it touch the bottom of hope. All the providences of God are ready to contribute to the progress of man. while God is waiting to take the next step with us. All the. foregoing axes have prepared the way for the new era about to come to pass. Humanity cannot, however, make the necessary progress and match new oc casions with adequate duties without tho best expression of religion. The entire human fumily. as far as possible, needs to see things as they are, and then know- enough, b wise enough, to do that which needs to be done. Character, the character of In dividuals, the character of nations, must furnish the equivalent for the un finished task of n-ligion. Beyond all catastrophes, beyond all destruction of human life, beyond greed and selfish ness, beyond ail that ovight not to be. there will yet be found men and women enough to fit into their places that they may make their lives contribute to a new order and a new epoch in the progress of God and man. Finally, this Is a very personal mat ter, where every one of us should know and have that preparedness of life which will make us ready to do our part toward this divine progress. Many Of us are not now ready. We know, better than anyone else can tell us. how small we have been, and how lit tle we have done, and how helpless we have often felt In these great try ing hours that have come upon ua. iod .Nver I.oea a hlp." At time it has seemed almost Im possible for us to see enough to make ....... . . l T 1 .. nn, eA VAt God. Do not fail to depend upon him. and to allow him to depend upon you. He 1 in his world, and upon his life he feel the burden of the whole world. He know when we cannot sec lie cares even when you do not think of him a being near. Not long ago a Portland clergyman was among ev eral hundred passengers on a splendid ship, whleh had a trustworthy captain. A dense fog arose. The night came on. All night the f whistle kept scream ing. It wa awful. The next day was quite a bad. The next night a little worse. The next morning the clergy man wa standing alon on one of the upper decks. After a while the fog began to lift. Sunlight smiled. All became somewhat clear, and the clergy man looked abroad, felt the ship mov ing, and then he looked up to the pilot house. There stood the old captain with two other men. "Why. captain, ar you ther-?" asked the relieved Clergyman. "es." tho good captain re plied, "I have been here all niftht, was here all day yesterday, and all night last night." Then the thought of safety and the destination became so much more re assuring. That captain had never lost a ship. You see th application. God I here. He has never lost a ship. He never will. In spite of all the fog and distress about us. the way will soon be better and the haven toward which we have been progressing is sure. But. O. let everyone of us be right toward God and our brother man. And ehlefly Thou. O. Spirit! that do'est prefer " Before l tenp'es the wprifflit heart and pure, Itiirurt m. for Tho" fcnw-esf Wrtnt In me I. dark Illumine: Wnat Is l'iw rate ami Support: fliat to lite height uf ttv r.iat argument rear aert F.t.rin' TVovMeiu-e.. . JtMti juauly th i ot Cod. to men.