Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-07
REV. FRANK sEwALL,
Pastor of New Church,

Judgments of the Importance of religious
events so close at hand as within a year
are likely to be fallacious. It has taken
TWO thousand years to know how important
was the, at the time. wholly insignificant
and ignored event of the birth of Christ.
Hesitating to prophesy. we may presume
that possibly the break in the relations of
the vatican with the French government
may have the most far-reaching result of
the religious movements of the past year:
although there looms UP behind this the
possiDle vast influence on future religious
ueVelopment of the conflicts between the
TWO religions represented by Russia and
Japan ana OF the possible advancement of
the semitic nation into a world nower Of
G cue ntst RANK. or the ultimate triumph of
Christ and His Word there can he mo doI,ht
put an erete and profaned Christianity NAV
nave 10 give way to a fresh racial element
Vastated of its old pagan beliefs and ready
mn new tt neart ana zeal to take in and to
t,hpart the true Word Of God and to accent
the spiritual sovereignty of that word in
carnate in Jesus Christ ~
AS TO the one thing best worth striving
~ ,o' uulins l9oo by Washington Christians
as a BODY, L cannot conceive of anvtbing
uilerent from that one thing needful, for
an a. years in our religious life-the faithful
Dn,saIihg ana doing of the Word of our
ciso In noiu ana savior. 1 know that spe-
s.ilc mes or cooperative work might he
mentioned. and something of this kind u,os
doqotiess in mind in presenting this toni
n no. even behind and above all specific
WIN AeS ever predominant the one great
need and duty of preaching the w. ga
uoo as the divine basis on which to buiId
up d puDllc and private conscience a,d -
s nos me pest foundation for all kinds Of
speclnc reforma tory work If ministars 90 =,
moe the word of God in the hearts of ~
people there will be much less need of ra
form legislation and pQlice-made mora,it,, :,
REV. JOHN VAN scHA1cK. JR.
fastor Church of Our Father
Enthusiastically the religious nove,,ant
OF largest significance I'm 1904 Is that calfed
Inc Return to Christ Christians and
cAufches are leaving the creeds of the
niiooie ages, forsaking harsh dogmas Of
ehe past, forgetting the controversies that
nave raseo Tor centuries, and are studviue,
asaih Tor authority the life of the Gresr
foohuer OF Christianity. What He said
what He did. what He was, were In 1904
regarded as of supreme Importance If ia
movement constantly gaining In breadth
and force. 1t is calling us to sion snec,,-
iatlng about the trinities and to follow
i tie Example or Inn who went about do
ins soou. II Is teaching us that the heart
o. OK. al religion is in the two Commands.
ihou shalt love the Lord thy God with ali
Dor as myself Ny iieish
may pc found in the new spirit of union for
practical service. Catholics and Protestan ts
IosetheT are graphing with social nroh.
lens We hear little of the A. p We
see nothing of the old intolerance of fiftv
years ago. Priest, rabbi, rector and min
ister SIT ABOUT the same table and plan to
teach the ignorant, heal the sick, redeem
the criminal and to change social condi-
tons that are unjust The Associates
Cnarltles, the Y. M. c. A. the Prisoners'
Ala Society and similar organizations are
clearing out the path that leads back tn
the spring of Christianity
In 1910 the one thing best striving for nv
the CHRISTIANS of Washington is this old
spirit OF Jesus Christ. Every problem be-
lore the people of the District of Columbia
is problem of human brotherhood. Shall
the shiftless be given self-respect? Shall
the idle be made to work? Shall the slum
be abolished? Shall consumption be blotted
out? Shall the criminal have a fair
chance! Shall little children be kept In
school! Shall summer outings be multi
pied? Shall God be loved and the Christ
OF purity, courage and sacrifice be followed?
can II the new spirit of philanthropy
old spirit of the Master. Respecting ali
honest convictions, honoring men who wor-
snip Saturday or Sunday shall NOT the
greatest emphasis of Washington Christians
in 1903 be put upon the kind of Christianity
that was abroad in Palestine 1890 wears
ago, and which is stirring anew in the
hearts of men today?"
REV. LEWIS G. SHEAFE.
Evangelist
I'm my opinion the most important re-
ligious movement during the year 1904 is
the great conflict in the east between Japan