The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-10
TiIE ViRGINIAN's wEEKi.y SERMON
A GOD OF THE HILLS
BY Rev. Ryland Knight, D. D.
Pastor Calvary Church, Richmond Va.

posscssoth Hts heart burned when
ne saw thu social uarToWntss and so
Ctal sGii4ShneSR. The. teachings oE the
gospel reveal the fact that Jesus, our
I great example, TOOK his great concep~
, ttons oi God ana righteousness iuto
{ QuupsTQns ct religion ana politics ana
commerce ana society, bcnevfng that
here COD had IA rigut ia SPEAK, and
/ that his rcnE1Dn had a message Tor
every department. OF lite.
IT is TINS conception upon which
we ned lay emphasis to-day our
cod Is not a Goo of the hiiis alcne,
/ uut God also of the plains lie
IL not God Of the church aud Sab
bath alone but IL God pf the would
+ ana the whole OF lite. We need as
Individuals ~ know that cur religion
means God jail all our NE, that our
rotation 10 Gpd means transturma-
tlou and DXai8Iiun Ia our relation to
Our fellow man an the nome. IN pust-
ness. in ptniiCS, ia every sphere m
which We deal with man
Not only must we emphasize this
truth as individuals, hut as a church,
I The Church Of jesus Christ cannot
have fixed lines and boundaries and
say Thus far shalt thou go and no
I farther, pecause the church has its
obligation 10 lie in every department.
1 he doctrine Of the separation OF
church and state Is supremacy true,
but the doctrinc Of the divorce OF re
! ligion and lifc is supremacy talse. II
I is tho duty OF the church to-day 10
/ stand as the old Testament prophets
stood and speak to their generation
! OF God and righteousness and morai-
I ty. ~ Is the duty Of the church to
. stand In the world, not as the up
( holder OF a certain creed or the guar
/ dian or certain ordinances or the
( tcac her Of certain dogmas, but as the
! monitor OF morality. the prociaimer
( IT rigllfcnu&neEs the herald nf the
Kingdom Of God. This truth is com
ing to be recognized not only by the
church, bat by the world. A promi-
hent laHman IN Chicago Is quoted as
saving that the business men OF
Chicago are everywhere discussing
the political corruption Of that great
city and asking. What are the
churches going to do about it? An
editorial IN the April Century Mag
( azina emphasizes the need To-day ot
life of religion by which II means
the fellowship and communion with
that power not OF ourselves, which
makes for righteousness" And our
religion is a living force which wllt
break all barriers and burst all bonds
I until IT touches life at its turtnerest
point.
Thu church has its message 10 the
political world not tp teach a, religion
Of dogma ana creed. not to ask
whether a candidate believes in n GER
tain doctrine, bat ;p s4ts rs The
churehs right and obligation requires
that no man and no business shall
3 hp allowed TO bc II torrHptinE fierce
and exercise dishonest power In the
political world. The recent bribery
scandals In Pttsburg. New York and
Illinois cry aloud that the church
shall fultl its obligation. The COM
! merCtal life OF our own land demands
voice that ahall speak in behalf OF
righteousness. and that folcc must
be the church of the living, God. The
: economic condition OF our land, with
It's strikes and factions. needs a meg
sage from the Almighty to teach men
that they are brothers. All our IA
to-day Is clanoring as never before
for n message from him who sits in
authority. AS God NOT only. of the
church aud the sabbath. but of life
IN Its cntiretY, Who shall speak
through HIS church to The world of
the eternal truths of Righteousness
aud justice ana love and Law.
our God rs a God OF the hills hut
let IA not forget that lie is also a
God OF the plains, Our God is a
God Of the church. but He Is also a
God Of the marts Of trade and all
other places in which man touches
man. our God is a God of the Sab
bath but He is also God of the
Workaday week. our God is God
og worship, hnt HE Is none the less
truly "a God Of work. And the need
3 OF to- day which II IL the obligation
Of the church To- meet is the recog
J milton Of Him ana OF His presence
III every department Of lilo.