The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1909-10-22
Layman'S Reply.

close during the days Of our Fair, al
the same time stating that was enjoy
ing the sermons and the singing, and
may now add only one of which did
| miss and that one only in obedience
to the call to the discharge of another
duty just as binding as that Of attend
ance upon religious services In the
next issue OF your paper there ap-
peared another communication in
which my suggestion is denounced as
shock to a Christian community,
as startling and as a grave error. -
In reply to each and every charge
plead not guilty. and in making
my defense lind it hard indeed to re-
train from righteous Indignation -
For five Fairs the Christian pastors
and the Christian people Of Farmville
united in emitting during Fair week
mid-week prayer services, in my opin-
ion the most important and most help
ful of all church services. and In doing
so did not say that things temporal
he'd the right of way" as against
things spiritual nor was such acton
on their part followed by shocks"
90 a Christian community, nor was
there any startling effects produced,
nor was grave error" charged
And then before a great congrega-
ton assembled in the armory during
the recent revival services. a beloved
and consecrated pastor of one of our
churches. arose and announced that
the committee in charge of the meet
ings agreed that owing to the fact
that our Fair would open on Wednes-
day it was thought best to close the
meeting on Tuesday evening preceding.
And still no shock" ran through the
audience, no one seemed to be
startled and no one was bold
enough, or with zeal enough unmiXed
with calm judgment to arise and de-
nounce the action of the committee
as a grave error. And yet al
these things are grayey charged
against an human layman, church
member he is not ashamed 90 confess.
for simply suggesting a line of con-
duct which had been pursued by
Christians of the pulpit and pew and
which had been recommended by a
committee composed, presume, of
Christian men. Notwithstanding the
shock and the startling" / feel
rather comfortable in such company.
Listen, o, heaven and earth be
silent that YOU may hear, From the
same platform 10 presence OF another
large audience, it was announced that
the religious services would be closed
at 9:l5 70 give the right of way to a
political meeting to be held just across
the street. And still no shock
seized the auditors. none were
startled" from their seats and no
one cried out, treason treason
nor yet that grave error had
been committed The politicians first
yielded the right of way to the
preachers, and then the preachers
yielded to the politicians Splendid
lct Of Christian courtesy Christ was
a gentleman, and he taught the world
md all ages to render unto Caesar
he things which are Caesars and to
iod the things winch are Gods.
stone layman" but let the preachers
20 free.
An yet in affairs religious do not
ook to man for guidance, but to the
maker Of man who speaks to the chill
iren of men through his Word and
hat word is truth. In that word
read: To everything there is a sea-
on, and a time for every purpose
inder the heavens 4 time to weep
nd a time to laugh a time to
MOURN and a time to dance. And
With reverence | add time for con- p
ucting revival services and a time for
folding agricultural Fairs.
But not only read the bible, but .
tudy the life of the Christ as there
ecorded, and find that bowling at the
rave of a friend he wept, then in the
ynagogue he preached as no other /
nan ever preached, but that as guest r
t a wedding feast, it is not said that
e offered a prayer, sang hymn or G
reached a sermon, but on the contrary }
ntered full and well into the spirit of p
he happy OCCASION relieved the en- +
arrassment of the host and contribu- f
I'd to the good cheer of others A q
me for all things. Nor do | forget h
lat the DETERMINATION of that day
allied him a man gluttonous and a +
inc bibber. A friend Of publcans and Fl