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Show TAINTED MONEY QUESTION SETTLED. Highs of relief went up from all over the country whan it was announced through the newspapers that the Kev. Dr. Washington G'adden, moderator of the Congregational church of the United States, had officia-Hv declared the tainted money question a closed incident. Hut Dr. (Madden could not refrain from having the last vord, and from past events it is to be doubted If Dr. ttladden's announcement an-nouncement is to be taken literally. Dr. (Madden, in his sermon at Columbus Sunday, explained that the national board in convention at Seattle had not turned down his resolution on the question, but had simply failed to vote on it. Dr. Gladden then confidently stated that he believed the whole question had been tacitly settled in his favor, and that the board of foreign missions of the church would never again solicit money from men who had secured their coin by so-called so-called questionable methods. It is to be hoped that the Rev. Dr. Washington Gladden is correct cor-rect in his statement that the question has been settled. It has been a dreary and ridiculous discussion from the start. TTow such an absurd ab-surd proposition as Dr. Gladden advocated could have received seri- c.us consideration is a matter for wonderment. But it is to be hoped that the question has not been settled, as he declares, in Dr. Glad en8 favor. That would be a monstrous perversion of the spirit of charity. Suppose Dr. Gladden applied his theory to the present movement for the aid of the Jews in Russia. The fact that the Hebrews are acting act-ing as a race and not as a religious organization does not alter the conditions. con-ditions. The money raised will be used for the benefit of the physical needs of sufferers, just as contributions to the Congregational board of missions are used for Hie spiritual development of the mentally starved heathen. t Would any sane man ask whether the liberal Jews of this country coun-try who are subscribing for the relief of their brothers made their money in Wall street or by selling Bibles? Would a person of ordinary or-dinary reasoning power deprive a stricken people of one dollar because be-cause H was made in a business not approved by a one little circle in one little set in one little city a mere atom in the limitless extent of the universe? The settlement of the "tainted money" question, raised by Dr. Gladden, is to be found in the application of common nense. It's a problem that the primary principles of justice and char fty will easily solve. |