The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-09
Comnsnds Christianity TO the
American People
BI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
MIR. Roosevelt Emphasized the Neees-
sty of Every Man Being Self
Supporting as a Basis
for Spiritual Life.

Oyster Bay, September SIN half
hours address at the bi-centennary cele-
bration Of the Christ Episcopal church
here today President Roosevelt talked of
the necessity of religion and clean liv-
ing for the welfare of the nation.
It cannot understand any American
Citizen" he said, who has the faintest
feeling of patriotism and devotion to his
country failing to appreciate the absolute
essential need of religion in its broad
est sense to the welfare of this country
IF 1t were not for the fact that in our
villages and towns as they have grown
up. the church has grown up in them
and In the church men whose work is
not for the things of the body but the
welfare of the soul, it would not be
nation today, because this nation would
not be a fit abode for civilized man."
He said that our material foundation
of wealth was but base for the spiritual
growth of the nation and while the ma
terial outgrowth not to be disregarded its
real object ought not to be lost sight of.
The mission of the church was not to
work in the interests of one sect, but
for humanity as whole. In this connec-
tion he said he had been struck by the
production Of Bishop Burgess of Long
Island, who had just said that in two or
three generations there would be but one
church in this country.
Il wish to emphasize" said the Pres
ident that vital Importance to this nation
of our people being taught to real
ize that Christianity manifests itself in
the conduct of its most humble pro-
fessor.
He spoke of the necessity of the MEM
bers of Christian churches condemning
vigorously those who take religion as
cloak for their evil deedss On the sub
ject of riches. the President said: There
is nothing / abhor more than the telling
of an untruth, whether a conventional
untruth or not; and | would on no ac-
count be understood as affecting to de-
preeate material well being. To tell men
to disregard riches entirely is to preach
to them not only doctrine which 1t is
impossible for them to live up to, but
which the preacher knows perfectly we'll
they will not try to live up to. But put
riches below the things of the soul. Give
TO the body what the body Is entitled to.
The multi-millionaire is not harm, but
a good to the community If he appreciates
that he is only trustee for that wealth
that he is a trustee for the cause Oh
goodness.
SeIf-Supporting.
The President emphasized the necessity
of every man being thoroughly self sup
porting as a basis for spiritual life. lie
concluded with the statement that only
life really worth livtlg was one that
made others better because it had been
lived.
In the course of his speech the Presi-
dent said:
1T is true that in many things the TEN
denotes at work among us today are evil;
but it Is true also that there are plenty
of other tendencies at work among us
that are good. l do not know that am
prepared to assent to the statement that
we are so much worse than we used to
be- but it is not of Importance whether
as a matter of academic belief we hold
that things have grown better or have
grown worse. What is of vital Importance
is that we should be resolved to do all
in our power now-at this present moment
as well as in the future-to make them
better; and If we are unit in that be-
lief, 1t is open to us to difIer as regards
the other matter. | feel that there has
been real growth In broad Christian
charity. l believe that the different
creeds are the essentials In really vital
things coming closer and closer together
all the time because ! think they are
grasping the fact that the best way they
can serve the Lord Is not by warning
against each other, but by joining hand
In hand, standing shoulder to shoulder In
the great struggle against unrighteous-
ness, in the great war for decency. for
honesty, for clean living in the home, no
less than in the nation.
Worth of Any Greed.
..The worth of any creed must in the
long run be judged largely by the con-
duct of those who profess it. The most
effectiye service for Christianity that can
possibly be given is to show in actual lie
that those who profess o do, give in their
conduct an approximate expression to the
faith that is in them. 1t is the conduct
of the average Christian. not on Sunday
hut on week days, not in the church alone
but in his family and in his relations to
his neighbor, and to the state that will
more than anything else determine in the
eyes of the general public the worth of
the creed that man processes.
.'The man is not a good Christian who
in his business dealings fails to remem-
Der that II is incumbent upon him to
hold a higher standard than his fellows:
that ii is incumbent upon him II he is a
very rich man, to make 1t evident alike
in the way he earns, and in the way
he spends his fortune. that the word of the
Lord is to him is living truth and not a
dead doctrine. And, of course, what ! say
applies even more strongly to the man in
public life than the man in business or
in private life.
"arhe nominal character, the man who
has attended to all the outward obser-
vances of Christianity with no matter
what scrupulous care, who nerevertheess
embezzles trust funds, will pay disgrace
in business. and in politics or in home
life, is more not less to blame or worthy
than II he had never made profession or
belief.
Brave Type of Life.
I'VE cannot continue as a republic; we
cannot rise to any true level of great
ness unless that greatness is based upon
and conditioned by high and brave type
of spiritual life.
"There is nothing we should abhor more
than the telling of an untruth. whether a
conventional untruth or not, and / would
on no occasion be understood as affecting
to depreciate matrial well-being To let
men disregard riches entirely. is to preach
to them doctrine which it is impossible
for them to live up to. Regard the things
of the body, but put them belowe the
things of the soul. The multi-millionaire
the man of wealth generally, is not a
harm but good. to the community II