Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-26
MUCH RELIGION
MERE CURIOSITY
BALTIMORE PASTOR SAYS
L00KERS-0N FILL PEWS
COLD ADMIRATION INSTEAD OF
LOVE OF SAVIOR
Rev. c. r.. Dodd at Temple Baptist
Church Condemns Prevalence of
Spectators in Church Con-
gregations


looking on, purposeless contemplation.
There are more worshipers III out
Protestant churches who are specta-
tors only than one would like to ac-
knowledge. Let somebody say Let us
pray and dozen heads to the hun
dred would be bowed. Curiosity has
the better of reason among our Amer
lean people. We are a race of sight
seers in church and out of it,"
These were expressions made by
Rev G. II. Dodd of Baltimore yester-
day morning at the Temple Baptist
church. His subject was What Jesus
Saw from His Cross" and in an elo-
quent strain, devoid of all sensation
alism, the clergyman proceeded to tell
his congregation some truths regard
ing present day conditions. Dr. Dodd
said in part:
I'VE are ever looking toward the
cross of Jesus. No picture is as famil-
lar as that of the crucifxion. Any
crowd can be awed into silence by
hanging up before it the scene of
Calvary.
But there is another look-that from
the cross and over the world. Little
thought is given to that. Tissot, the
French artist, has a picture which he
calls What Jesus Saw from His
Cross, in which the scene is from
some high point at the side of the
lines of vision sweeping downward by
the foot of the cross and out over the
dark landscape.
zone fairly leaps to the artist
thought: 1T is not what we see as we
look toward the cross, but what Jesus
sees as he looks from it, that matters
most Has the scene changed? No!
What Jesus saw then he sees today.
Profanity on Increase
"a great horizon of cruelty and vio-
lence still sweeps about the Savior S
cross. The cross has become almost
a natural emblem. But it is uplifted
in the world in the midst of the same
iniquities which surrounded Jesus so
long ago. America calls herself a
Christian country and yet there is
where else in the world. Most men
swear, using the name of Jesus in
shocking forms of blasphemy. Profan-
ity is on the increase among us. Even
the school children have learned the
loathsome speech of the barroom ana
brothel. There was blasphemy on CAL
vary, but not so heartless as that one
hears on any street in almost every
city of our land today.
II have mentioned cruelty. A very
distinguished historian declared in my
hearing recently that the Anglo-Saxon
race has exhibited and still shows
greater cruelty to subjugated peoples
than any other power which ever eX-
listed. The statement is too true TO De
doubted.
."There was gambling on Calvary be-
fore the eyes of Jesus. The soldiers
shook dice for his garments. Gambling
is one of our national evils. 1t is ram
pant in all our cities. No doubt your
own city is full of it, At Santa Cata-
lima island a card was placed IN my
box at the hotel Immediately after
had registered. extending the privi-
Ieges of a local club. 1 learned that
this club was a poker and roulette
den. Think of the menace to young
men in such open solicitation to evil
Churches exist among gambling dens'
Jesus saw from his cross many VINO
merely sat and watched MIN mere
They were not enemies-only mere on
lockers.
Patronize Nazarene
ga certain, sort of cold admiration
for Christ mingles with curiosity IN
present day religion, especially among
the cultivated and higher classes. That
centurion who admired Jesus and
called him a righteous man, but VINO
did not take the trouble to belleVe on
him, has a big following today, But
If is admiration rather than heroic
get it in Theosophy and Christian
Science and Unitarianism, gone to
seed. These people do not tolloW
Christ-they merely patronize him.,
Another thing Jesus saw from. his
cross was the mutual attachment ,,o OF
his friends. He saw his acqualntannce
afar off afraid of nearer relations. one
is impressed with the half-hearted-
ness of processing Christians dn;,+ t G%ris
There is little of the out-and-out Chr p,S,.
tianitv going around. We keep our
distance from crosses in our lives as
Christians. 49,. .,;,t,
"But there are other things winch
Jesus saw from his cross, winch put
hope in our hearts, ,o,o
Here the speaker dwelt on the herolS
devotion of women to religion ana pau pau
a tribute to the part which women are
taking in every form of Christian ser
vice today. He then pictured ion John +b at
the cross with Mary and SAID that inc E
nnion of woman's devotion with man );
love constituted the final idea OIL
Christianity.