Page:Free Opinions, Freely Expressed on Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct.djvu/251

 antic gestures of animal delight. They never get any "forrader," as it were. They do nothing particularly useful. They are amused, annoyed, excited, or angry (according to their different qualities of kangaroo nature) when one jumps a little higher than the other, or waves its paws a little more attractively; but their sentiments are as temporary as their passions. There is nothing to be got out of them any way, but the jumping and the paw-waving. At the same time it is extremely doubtful as to whether taking them to church on Sundays would do them good, or bring them back to the human condition. Things are too far gone—the metamorphosis is too nearly accomplished. One day is the same as another to the Society kangaroo. All days are suitable to his or her "hop, skip, and a jump." But shall there be no "worship"? What should a kangaroo worship? No "rest"? Why should a kangaroo rest? "Listen to the Reverend Mr. Soulcure's sermon, and learn how to be good!" Ya-ah! One can hear the animal scream as he or she turns a somersault at the mere suggestion and scuttles away!

Society's neglect of Sunday observance in these early days of the new century is due to many things, chiefest among these being the incapacity of the clergy to inspire interest in their hearers or to fix the attention of the general public. It is unfortunate that this should be so, but so it is. The ministers of religion fail to seize the problems of the time. They forget, or wilfully ignore, the discoveries of the age. Yet in these could be found endless subject-matter for the divinest arguments.