The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-05-03
Fast IDay Address.

churches was held, this year, In the
Congregational Church. The address
was delivered by Rev. Henry r. Huse,
the pastor of the First Baptist Church.
The subject presented was The old
faith applied to present conditions
based upon the text in Hebrew IL: 30
"By faith the walls of Jericho fell
down. In part the address was as
follows:
The Bible tells us about the Kingdom
of God and the divine way of bringing
IL about. A man who would become IA
successful general spends much time In
studying the campaigns and learning the
tactics of great generals like Napolean,
wellington, Grant and others, men who
have directed great armies upon the field
of battle. In the same way 1t Is neces.
sary for us In order to win battles for
God to study this old Book, TO learn the
divine tactics of Christian warfare and
to catch the inspiration needed from ac-
quaintance with these mighty men OF
old who were so strong and victorious
In the faith and work of God.
The fall of Jericho described In the
Bible Is an illustration of the great and
sweeping victory of faith applied to the
old conditions. By faith the walls of
old Jericho tumbled down fat while
Gods people VIGOROUSLY marched into
the city every man straight before him
and "they took the CITY," The old faith
applied to present conditions has the
same task set before It, to capture for
Christ the villages, the towns, the cities
of our country, creating a civilization
out of our American life which shall
proclaim to the ends of the earth the
power of the Christian religion and min
lister every where to the hopes and eveI-
lasting good of all mankind.
In noticing the present conditions we
are reminded of when the Governor OF
New Hampshire has expressed as his
opinion that religion Is losing its hold
upon the people Of our country because
we are not living out In our every day
life the faith of our forefathers. A re-
cent writer has told US that there are
1882 pastorless churches In our own
State and that not few of these once
sacred edifices now serve as cheese
factories, dance halls and road houses.
Other states show Somewhat analogous
conditions. Through large sections OF
the agricultural regions, regions former
ly renowned for their piety and godli-
ness, the common attitude toward re-
ligion Is one Of stOlid Indifference. The
people are lapsing toward heathenlsm."
The walls of our modern jericho are
certainly growing very high and thick
The letter which has been written re-
Gently by so conservative and helpful a
man as DR.. N. D. Hills Of New York is
worthy the consideration OF every Chris
tian and patriotic citizen In America.
The letter was written 10 answer to
charge which was made against him and
explains itself at the same time summing
up and setting forth the present condi-
tions of American life.
misunderstanding my real spirit,
(perhaps through my imperfect state
ments), some have said that | am drift.
ing away from the Christian faith and
becoming interested In philosophy and
literature. Nevertheless the exact OPP
posite is the truth. II, for moment, |
may open TO you my heart, will say
that two months ago | went to Chicago
and asked DR.. Gunsaulus to join me In
movement next autumn, that, with one
or two other pastors, we might spend y
month In going from town to town and
from city to city. to speak, morning,
afternoon and night, upon the need oil
the revival Of the sense OF justice and
law In American life; upon the peril oil
our materialism, mammonism. and the
destruction of our higher ideals; upon
the perils that threaten the Sabbath, the
only day dedicated to brooding, the
vision hour, and the higher spiritual life
upon the decline of moral Instruction In
our homes and the dangers TO the Amer
,can family upon the Importance OF the
revival of the noblest ideals OF our Puri-
tan fathers and the sweet reasonableness
Of Christian faith; upon the danger OF
an atrophy of conscience and the impor-
lance OF personal forsaking Of sin, and 9
personal acceptance OF Christ and Chris
rianity as the essentials Of the hight I
life. or late 1t has seemed to me thai
unless our churches put away all minor
issues and present a stOlid front, uui
Christian civilization Is to be overwhelm-
ed by the forces OF mammon and greed,
through the luxury OF the selfish rich
and the Indifference OF the disconnected
poor"
But let us turn from these present
conditions to the old faith and see what
1t can do for US, what 1t does do for US
1t brings ia to feel our weakness III the
presence of our adversaries but at the
same time to recognize our dependence
upon God.
mighty fortress is our God.
bulwark never failing.
The old faith brings to us the inspira.
ton, courage, strength, of divine conf
dence and hope. When a man feels hi
depent ence upon God he is ready to IN.
dertake what ought to be done. Christ
sent out his disciples In this way. H.
sent the seventy on their mission with.
out purse, wallet or shoes. Their.
wasn't time for them to gather thes.
things and again It was Christ's wa,
that his disciples should depend upon
him. Independence upon God leads to
self. sacrifice In action. Self sacrifice lie
the service OF love which Identifies III
with the heart and life Of God. The
Christian church Is soon to awaken to
these two principles Of divine triumph
10 promoting the Kingdom Of God and
with the advent of that day the world
will witness as 1t never has witnessed
before, the power of Christian faith to
transform and bless our human lie.
In times Of great emergency God has
never yet failed to raise up men Of faith
and of power to lead the people onward
through seas OF difficulties and upward
to some new land OF hope and promise.
He will not fail us in, these present times.
The old faith brings to US the inspiration
and vision OF all the great leaders Of
Gods people In the days gone by, that