The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1901-03-01


u- c.soaud our churches and Chris.il
associations. II it be reality. the
I great populations are on the way
iAe bar Of God unified for the ordea
Comparatively little effort as We
ias been made TO save that larg
ca,s of persons in our midst calie
sNeItics, and he who goes TO WOE
here will not be building upon an
other mans foundation. There is
large number Of them. They ar
afraid of MS and our churches fo
ihe reason we do not know how {,
treat them. One of this class me
Christ And hear with what tender
ness and pathos and beauty and sue
cess Christ Dealt with him: Thor
shalt love the Lord Thy God with all
Thy heart and with all thy soul and
with all thy mind and with all thy
strength. This is the first and great
commandment, and the second is
like unto it, namely. thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. There is
none other commandment greater
than these" And the scribe said 10
lin: We'll, master, thou hast said
the truth, for there is one God. and
" love Him with all the heart and all
The understanding and all the soul
and all the strength is more than
whole burnt offerings and sacrifices" ="
F And when Jesus saw that he an
swered discreetly He said unto him:
thou art not far from the kingdom
Of Cod So a skeptic was saved in
one Interview. But few Christian
people treat the skeptic in that way.
Instead of taking hold of him with
the gentle hand OF love. we are apt
to take him with the pinchers of ec-
clesiasticism.
You would not be so rough on that
man " YOU knew how he lost his
faith in Christianity. l have known
men sSepticai from the fact that
they grew up in houses where reli-
eion was overdone. Sunday was the
most awful day in the week. They
had religion driven into them with
a trip hammer. They were surfeited
with prayer meetings. They were
stuffed and choked with catechisms.
They We're often told that they were
the worst boys the parents ever knew.
because they liked TO ride down hin
better than TO read Bunyan's "Pi-
grim's Progress" Whenever father
and mother talked Of religion. they
drew down the corners of their
mouth and rolled up their eyes. II
amy one thing will send a boy or
girl 90 ruin sooner than another. I
that Us 10. n had such father and f
mother fear should have been an
iHffeL
Others were tripped mp TO skepti-
c'sm from being grieyously wronged
0r some man who professed TO be a
Christian. They had a partner in
business who turned ont to be first
,a-s scoundrcl though a professed
Christian Many years ago they lost
ll faith 10y what Happened in an oil
company which was formed amid the
petroleum excitement. The com
ianv owned no land. or if they did
here was no sign Of oil produced;
,ui the president of the company was
Presbyterian elder. and the treas
ircr was an Episcopalian vestryman,
md one director was a Methodist
lass leader and the other directors
1rminent members Of Baptist and
congregational churches. Circulars
we're gotten out telling what fabulous
respects opened before this company.
innocent men and women who had
tile money TO invest. and that little
leir all, said: 81 do not know any
hing about this company, but so
amy good men are at the head Of il
hat IL must be excellent. and TAX
g stock in il must be almost as ,
ood as joining the church" So {
iey bought the stock and perhaps ,
.ceiyed one dividend so as to keep ]
iem still, but after awhile they p
.und that the company had reor- +
iuized, and had different presi- 4
'ut ard different treasurer and diff
rent directors. Other engagements =
IN health had caused the former q
Hcers of the company. with many re- "
cts TO resign. And all that the y
bscribers Of that stock had TO show \
r their investment was a beautifully
certificate. Sometimes q
at man. looking over his old papers. >.
mes across that certificate. and il >,
50 suggestive that he vows he II
lnts none Of the religion that the ~
esident and trustees and directors .,
that oil company proiessed n
)f course. their rejection of religion 7,
such grounds was unphlosophical nj
d unwise. ] am told that many Of -
e United States army desert every fc
Or, and. there are many court-mar- W
is every year. Is that ANYTHING II
ainst the United States government 1r
10 swore them in? And if a soldier 10
Christ deserts. is that anything yy
airst the Christianity which he ri
ore 10 support and defend? How do oy
% judge Of the currency Of coun- 81
? Iy a counterfeit bill? Now. you G.,
st have patience with those who nj
.e been swiudled by religious pre- ",
ders. Live in the presence Of others 70
rank. honest, earnest Christian life. 70
; they may be attracted to the same r.,
.iour upon whom your hopes de- an
3D.. II,
.emember skepticism Always has tol
ie reason. good or bad for existing. FIJI
hes irreligion started when the SUI
.s came TO Germany Of the earth be-