The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-10-27
Present Day Thoughts.

Present Day Thoughts
HY "Nrno."
Froma Lay Strange changes
ia Tire religious world have been tax
en- place of late years; Presbyterians
of note have become Episcopalians,
some Episcopaliaus have become Meth
odisis, many a new name has been
added to Catholic ranks and some
men, from "a religious standpoint,
have become nothing all. Men seem
TO be running TO and fro seeking solid
ground for their spiritual feet and no
denomination has been free from this
restlessness. But is this all of evil?
Certainly not, if it brings into mems
hearts "a truer sense Of the fact that
/ denominations are not different armies
bat merely different regiments in one
army. The churches have often re-
sembled the robber barons of the
Rhine, who We're afraid of each other
and so shut out their neghbors and
shut up themselves. The modern ten
dency has much more of neighborli-
ness and much less of suspicion than
formerly. Iii "a hopeful evidence of
mutual helpfulness and mutual trust
that may certainly be taken as one Of
the signs of the times.
Here and there, however, are men
like Dr. De Costa, who see in the
liberaliiy Of thought that took DR..
Briggs into the Episcopal Church, a
dread portent of danger to come,
wherein they foar that the light Of /
faith will cease, that the ray Of inspira-
ton will become faint and that mems
lives will become grossly material in
stead of highly spiritual, as they had
hoped But these timorous souls, it
seems TO me, are blind as to what is
really spiritual and forget that spiritual
iiy can manifest itself in ma y more
ways than one.
There certainly have been changes
and great ones since the unhappy Sab
bath days that many Of as spent as
recently as twenty-five years ago. We
feel yexed at the memory Of the sane
timonious air that some people used 10
assume; for the world is rapidly adj
vancing beyond the point where loud
and long prayers, or the Bonded knee
or the sharp corners Of thin-lipped
mouth are regarded as proofs of either
special friendship with God or special
power among men. The world is too
spiritual any longer TO accept the brass
of outer appearances in lieu of The real
gold of inner character lived out. This
is a day of testing and Of trying. The
religious metal that relies ON appear
lnce only is being cast out and i'm its
place there is growing into strength a
better understanding on the part Of
Inc world and with 10 a demand that
lac possession of religion shall result
n q life Of Goodness rather than look
# Godlincss.
Hence Jeremiah preachers who fore
ell evil 20 the world because the pews
before them are empty might well
ook within first for AN explanation,
md ask whether even prodigal sons
10 not loathe empty husks when the
hands Of the Father are filed with
lieuty. Men who know the world and
IS burdens, sim and It's sorrows, life
md iis manifestations, will no longer
ave patience with the thoughts that
how the preacher as one ignorant of
DE depths, The heights and ;he aspira-
ions of the human hearts before him.
70 this extent the world is more
eligious than it ever has been before
asks for bread and is not content
with a stone.
As am example of the present relig- I
BUS energy of the world, it is only nee
-sary to mention the young peoples
movement that has had So much 20 do
with frttnarffttr rau.,.-.I .fr..,t,fI O., 3