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THE ATLANTIAN
March, 1915
because we don’t want to be bothered with anything out
side of our own immediate work.
We shirk the responsibilities which attach to citizen
ship without a qualm of conscience. This trait runs
through all our political, social and religious life. Ev
ery man of average intelligence knows that if our church
es put into their regular work sustained effort, suffi
cient money and intelligent action there would never be
any need of “Big Meetings.”
But that is just what the churches will not do, pre
ferring to drift along in an easy going rut until a period
of rest accumulates so much latent energy or steam that
a “Big Meeting” becomes inevitable.
This being true, it is apparent that the great evan
gelistic meetings are the logical results of an existing
condition.
It is important, therefore, that these, meetings should
be not the mere blowing off of surplus steam, but that
the steam should be so utilized as to make the train
move and move effectively towards its destined goal.
The Chapman-Alexander meeting now being held in At
lanta measures up to the most exacting requirements.
Both the preaching and music are of the best quality,
not only from the intellectual and artistic standpoint,
but also, and which is vastly more important, from the
spiritual standpoint.
The immense congregations are not merely entertain
ed; they are profoundly moved to acknowledge that
they have not lived up to their opportunities, and this
results in a multitude of cases in the turning over of a
new leaf.
Christian ethics ought to dominate life in every re
spect and will ultimately so do. That meetings of this
character by converting the individual sinner from the
error of his ways, and by stimulating the spiritual forces
of the community to greater activity, a stronger couiv
age, and an unfaltering determination, in pressing the
battle against the forces of evil, are of priceless value
cannot be questioned—only—we must not forget that the
forces of evil are constantly “on the job,” and if they are
to be overcome the forces of good must be equally* vigi
lant and steadfast—all.the time.
The Great Lakewood Fair
In all the years of Atlanta’s existence no plan has
even been formulated richer in potential good to the
city and the state, than the proposed permanent fair
at Lakewood.
At the last Council meeting, Alderman Armistead by
dilatory motions, succeeded in postponing for two weeks,
action on the initial appropriation of $75,000 to begin
this work.
One cannot but help sympathizing with Alderman
Armistead to some extent, for he is sore over the treat
ment accorded the schools, which is the interest nearest
his heart.
Nevertheless, in this matter he is wrong. Messrs.
James. Akers and Carroll Payne, two prominent citizens,
at once rushed into print endorsing Alderman Armi
stead.
Secretary Walter Cooper, of the Chamber of Com
merce, came back at these gentlemen in a reply which
was overwhelming in its facts and deductions. There is
every reason why this work should be carried out, and
not one erood reason why it should be side-tracked.
Secretary Cooper’s letter showing how Toronto and
Dallas have prospered under the impulse given by their
permanent fairs ought to be conclusive.
Let us go a step further than he went. Toronto is
in far eastern Canada, which is as big as the United
States. Geographically considered, Toronto is to Can
ada about as New York is to the United States. This
means that Toronto has no more than five millions of
people, thinly scattered over an immense territory, to
draw from. Consider Dallas a moment. It has a com
pact territory of 435,000 square miles with about ten
millions of people from which to draw support. Now
take Atlanta. South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ala
bama, Mississippi and Tennessee or 290,000 square miles
of territory with a population of eleven missions from
which to draw support. In other words, we have a
smaller and more compact territory, with a larger pop
ulation, than either of the two cities which have made
such a success of the fairs.
If we will make agriculture the central feature, and
make, as can be done, this the great central point of
these Southeastern States in the matter of farm exhibits,
we can duplicate the success of Dallas and Toronto.
Emphasis needs to be laid on the farming features of
the exposition, for in the near future there is going to
come an awakening on the part of the American people
to the fact, that we have allowed the greatest agricul
tural country on the globe to be diverted from its mani
fest destinv in order to build up a one-sided develop
ment based on partly artificial foundations.
Let us build at once. Then let us make it the great
est agricultural exhibit the southeast has ever known,
and our success is assured.
Shall Our Civilization Fail?
Above is the title of a little pamphlet written by Ber
nard Suttler, of Atlanta. It will take twenty to thirty
minutes to read it, according as one is a rapid or slow
reader.
It is written in the simplest style, the facts stated
are authentic, and the logic of its reasoning is unassail
able. The Atlantian would like to see it in the hands of
every citizen. Especially should the town dwellers read
it and grasp its meaning. It is for sale on news stands
at ten cents and it would be a good investment on the
part of every one of our readers of the ten cents in
money and the half hour in time.
Grand Opera in Atlanta
The committee having in charge the matter of having
an annual Grand Opera Season in Atlanta has refused to
be dismayed by the cry of “hard times,” and is proceed
ing with its arrangements for the usual season backed by
a guarantee of $65,000.
Aside from the pleasure to be enjoyed by those who
love Grand Opera, there is a great psychological fact in
this action of the committee.
A refusal to be dismayed by depressed conditions, a
refusal to be discouraged by untoward events, a deter
mination to move forward in accustomed channnels de
spite formidable obstacles has a value in creating “mor
ale” in a community which cannot be estimated.
It is the same sort of spirit that rebuilt San Francisco
and Valaparaiso after the great earthquakes and fires,
that caused Baltimore and Boston to rise in greater