The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-08-14

I
Almighty, If they will take heart and
keep il, and keep the fight e~erlast-
ingly up. What OF Valley Forge and
the first Bull Run? Remember
Yorktown and Appomattox and keep
on, Such spirit and such hope are
| invincible as they are unquenchable.
Without them the very fabric Of our
national civilization is endangered as
no other foe can harm.
No sin has a longer mortgage up
on the future than We care, under
the grace and improvement of the
| living God, 10 allow. We may not
see the breath leave sin as we have
! planned, but If we will struggle sin
will die. IL is for us 20 labor. IL
| is for God 10 direct. IL is for us TO
! follow. He shall lead. However
! insurmountable the obstacle or
time-honored the grievous sin. God
will enable us 10 overcome through
the might Of His power II we will
but serve with steadfastness and
fidelity. But God Himself cannot
| bring the victory TO an army that
will not follow, or success 10 a pious
host that is afraid of a long fight
and a hard one. No, my friends,
weakened and weak-hearted piety
is more subtle and dangerous foe
| 10 the nation than all the forces OF
wickedness combined.
Another danger is the danger OF
! Indifference. Men do not care about
! the public good, they are too busy
or too lazy or too self-consumed and
centered 10 think about the public
veal. When sin stalks the street
| they stay at home with an easy chair
and a COSY nook for comfort. saving
10 themselves. Il have enough. What
can | do? Let others battle; ] am
content" 1t is as though the hand
! said to the foot. as Paul declared.
| 81 have no need Of thee" Such
men are enemies, twofold enemies.
to the republic.
still more subtle danger is that
Of loose. careless. slovenly, dishon-
est thinking. The glory OF our
schools is that they fit men TO think.
But how few Of our citizenship take
the time or the trouble to think
deeply. thoroughly, conclusively,
with a real and painstaking effort
not TO Justify a theory or n precon-
| ception, but 10 ascertain the facts
1 and to comprehend the truth. In
the press and in the pulpit, at the
bar and in the business world, dis
honest and lazy intellectual effort is
as rife as II is appalling. Jesus said
"Ye shall know the truth and the
truth shall make you free" Jesus
never dignified thought as n means
10 force facts, to justify preconcep-
tions or as a means TO stultify the
truth. Jesus was a clear thinker. a
close thinker. an honest thinker. He
wanted the truth. He was not In
terested in supporting theories. >He
gave His life to the revelation and
the comprehension OF the eternal
truth of God. But to-day how other
wise il is, even after centuries of ex-
ample Of the unwisdom of dishonest
thought, among even the very fol-
lowers OF the Christ who was the en-
bodiment of the truth. The press
twists fact and truth to Justify the
lie, too often, for the public good.
The pulpit descants with scant wis
dom. too often, upon the errors and
Inconsistencies OF movements and
principles that bid fair TO challenge
or to overthrow, not religion, but
the ecclesiastical status quo. The
lawyer defeats justice by the maze
of unhealthy and obnoxious techni-
calities and perversions OF the spirit
Of the law. The business man CLOSES
sin for n consideration. And so
It goes. Close thinking is too hard,
clear thinking is uncomfortable. hon.
est thinking is improbable. There
fore. let us think loosely; let us
! think good is bad-for profit; let
us clothe the ancient lie and call II
truth, that the status quo may be
preserved. The danger Is evident.
! May the God Of truth protect US
from II.
Another danger Is the prevalent
inclination 10 forget and to dismiss
religion. No theory OF government.
no system of economies. no discip-
line Of philosophy, method OF life.
can endure wbolesomely and vigor-
Ously except there be foundations
laid in the religious consciousness
OF man. without the saving, con-
serving, Transforming and inspiring
presence and power OF the spirit or
the living God az a resident fact and
force I'm the individual and national
life we cannot maintain the integ-
rity Of our flag or the health OF the
people. No nation can realize It's
greatness, as can no individual, with
out COD. In Him we live and move
and have our being. He Is the
source OF all light and progress. Ec-
clesiasticism may misrepresent Him
as it has aforetime done. But let
us never forget Him. For He is
inescapable. He is greater and
grander and more beautiful than
all our theories about Him. He 10
our shield, our defense, our guide,
our love and our friend. We can
do nothing without Him. With Him
we may do anything. This is ele-
/ mental. II Is simple. IL Is Infinite
/ and everlasting truth. Let US never
/ confuse disaffections with churches
! and ministers and creeds with
atheism. However unsatisfactory
and falteringly Gods children may
| reveal Him 20 their fellows, let Ne
never forget Him. let us never cease
| 10 serve Him. The danger Ia that
! drifting from the church men may
| drift from religion. The danger
IS that leaving the Christ OF the
| uyff rafhor rnnch lpea