The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1910-01-30


force to bless people beyond itself. BY
more of this, principle our
churches can be of greater service TO
the community.
As 10 your last question, whether or
not I think the churches are losing Their
hold upon the American people. / must
say that / most assuredly 10 not. The
millions OF dollars spent annually upon
church property and expenses are suffi-
cient proof of this fact. The wave OF
materialism which has been passing
over our country is. after all, only a
wave. Deep in the hearts of the people
is their faith in God. The wiekedness
of some is black because it is in con
trast with the beauty of holiness IN
others. 1 believe that the prospects
for real. practical Christianity were
never brighter in America than at the
present time.
Rev. Philip Davidson.
The Rev. Philip G. Davidson, pastor
of the St James Episcopal Church, said:
ITO the various questions which you
PROFOUND there is really: bur one gen
eral answer. The degree of the con
seiousness of sin and the need of spir1
tual strength governs the attitude of
any person toward religion. The spri-
tual instinct is doubtless more highly
developed in women because through
out the ages they have come less III
contact with the commercial and ma
terial side Of life and in their sacred
office of motherhood have been vouch
safed a special nearness to God. 1t
will always be SO that the women Will
stand about the cross even when the
disciples have fled. mans religious
life is based chiefly upon his conscious
ness of sin. With so vast majority
of men this consciousness is dead Or
very feeble because they are in the
front rank of the terrible struggle for
life and material things weigh most
heavily with them. Possibly one thing
which win help greatly to improve con
airy Movement. which is rousing hun
drcds of thousands of men 90 the
thought of the need of others and thus
broadening their sympathies ana lessen
only be saved through sacrifice of self
on the part of God fearing men.
Rev 7. n Coin.
The Rev. j. IL. Coin. pastor of the
First Baptist Church, says:
Question No. L. For the same reason
that there are more men in the peni
tertiary than women.
M. ,. L do not think that there are
fewer taboring men in the churches
than men OF other classes Take the
church as whole. in the. cities, towns
and country. and Iaboring men are in
the ascendency.
No. g. Enlphstiealiv. Yes. This does
not mean that there are no noble spirit !.
outside of the churches, but it does
mean that the highest type of men ana
women in the churches cannot be
matched in equal numbers. choosing
from equal walks of life. In any civil
lied country on this earth, Christianity
mas been the prime factor in that civil
izstion. 1t is an historical fact that
no country on earth has ever been civit-
lied where Christianity did not go be.
fore that civilization. Note any COM
munity in cur own country whGrs there
is no church. Compare this community
to church going one. Note Meadville.
Miss. town in Missouri, known as
Liberal, Mo-, was incorporated with the
understanding that there should never
be church or Sunday school there. L:
died a natural deafh. You do not have
10 go to the Bible to prove that BAT
for Christianity this world could MOI
stand
No 4. Yes. 1 have known many men
who did both. I know men Of great
wealth whose lives are governed by
highest Christian ideals. There are
successful business men in this town
WHO are pure III tASiI lvSs dnu Ao.y III
10 Jesus Christ. and this is all that
can be meant by highest Christian
ideals -
No 5. Everything and every man on
this earth has been criticized, every
woman, too. Jesus Christ was criti-
eized, whipped and put to death, but
it was never proven that there was any
Justification for his puni shment. Yes.
think the churches could do more for
the community. They ere not perfect.
Some Of the naembere could live purer
lives. All the members of al the
churches shsald stand together for civic
ffkkteausness. sInsliv idual Christians
eosld show more persona1 Interest in
ths ssIvatisn sf their frisnis. But it
Il ) deis6Astased fsct that Chfistians
sre showing more interest II the lost
tks1 the lost show ii themselves
10. 8. ~. The naeznhcrship Of mv
own denominafion HIS enioyed i ~
greater per eent 81 inerease than the per.
sentase 81 Increase 4 ropslstien 81 the
United States III - S. q e S. IS.