The Washington herald., 1909-05-03
Must a religious man be a fool?-

/ Must a religious man be a fool?
/ This question was asked last night by
I Rev A Il Thompson. the new pastor
of Waugh n z Church. and answered
so that He who runs might resd''-an-
swered emphaticaIIy In the negative
Mr. Thompson came 10 the Waugh
/ Church three weeks ago. the previous
/ pastor. Rev. DIT. G. Z MaydwelI. taking
/ the place he vacated II charge OF the
/ First Methodist Episcopal Church in
7 FrOstburg. Nd Mr. Thompson was pas
I tor of the Wilson Memorial n z Church.
+ in Eleventh street. between G and I
streets southeast, I've years ago.
/ He got down 20 earth" last night IN
I replying 20 his question which he pro-
! pounded n a sermon on Sense and
sanctity" He admitted frankly that
much that vas frivolous. irrsvelant and
/ ridiculous vas perpetrated under the
/ guise OF religion, but invited the atten-
/ tion of his congregation 70 the fact that
much thai was ridiculous. irrelevant. and
I frivolous was perpetraIed under the
guise OF science, the arts. militarism.
diplomacy. charity. literature. political
reform, and all the other pursuits 10
which men and women address them
selves.
Advantages of Religion
Having gotten the pious man on the
level. al least with his contemDoraries in
other branches OF endeavor. Mr. Thomp-
son spoke Of the advantages OF a re-
Hgious attitude toward life. and gave
cogent reasons why q person with such
an attitude had q start IN matters OF in
tellect on his brother OF an Indifferent or
CanJing turn Of mind
One Of the features OF church work
said AIr. Thompson. which IS most dis
coursging TO the earnest worker IS the
fact that II seems 10 be the proper thing
To look eskance at the man who is pious.
even though his piety is OF the most
manly and sincere sort. There IS a popu-
lar idea that the man whose mind runs
70 religion is a dilute person IN al other
matters. and perhaps dilute at religion
itself Young girls and boys. al the age
OF fourteen OF fifteen years. Just when
they are most apt to be made OF IN
made. are drawn away from their Sunday
school classes and their church afHlia-
tons by an intangible but powerful infu-
eace, not evil IN itself, but presenting an
impalpable opposition TO the welcome Of
the church. They haven't strayed away.
religion has TO offer has convinced them
there IS no good to be had from further
association. They leave because they
have heard some one say. Why a per-
sons q fool who is religious
The adOlescent boy thinks he is too
much OF man 70 keep hold Of the old
apron strings The girl begins 20 think
It is more exciting 10 daily with a light
fingered touch on the keyboard OF the IN
conventional There may be no harm IN
it in that stage, but the record shows
there IS a lurking danger in the attitude.
whose limit Is not measured BY the IN
whiting frivolity OF youth
Contention Is Established.
At this point Mr.. Thompson established
his contention that fooHshness is not ali
essential feature or religious Ieanings
any more than Of any other tendency Of
the mind. lie chen took Up the intel
iectual benefits Of a religious habit Of
mind. He referred 10 Moses, Paul, Au- |
gustine, Luther. Wesley. Gladstone, Lin
coin, ard Mckinley. as men whose men |
tai sirth was largely or wholly due to |
their devout beliefs.
ReligiCn. he continued. presents !
problems and truths too vast 10 be stunt |
ing 70 the mind that grapples with them. /
Creation. providence. redemption. re-
spOHsibiiity. the future state. are all /
matters which the greatest intellects OF
the world, since the world was made. /
have analyzed, and scTutinized. and pom
dered over They are real questions. too
Questions We have got 70 think about /
The demand made by religion 70 pro-
vide for the future. TO think OF the ef-
feet Of ones deeds-the entire experience
and development Of mind produced by re-
ljgion, make for inward peace sense OF |
safetv. and q feelIng OF content