The Detroit times., 1911-02-25
Strikes at Heresy That Money Is OF
More Worth Than Character and
Renews Interest in Personal Sal
walton, Says Rector.
Serious and United Observance of tn,
Season Bound To Accomplish
Much for Detroit.

mination OF the Christ-life on earth.
The simultaneous eyangelistic cam
paign" which opens next Tuesday
night In the Woodward-ave. Baptist
church and in 81, Johns Episcopal
church, Is a Lenten observance along
practical lines which scores OF De-
troit churches will join In in their
own way.
The Rev. w, B. Maxon. of Christ
Episcopal church, Jeffersonaye.. In
discussing the Lenten season, said:
What may Lent. in 1911. mean 10
Detroit? Much or very little. accord
ing to the spirit In which the Chris
tian people Of the city shall strive to-
gether TO observe 1t.
Have we reason TO think Lent this
year. II properly observed. will be
more useful to the city than the Lent
OF previous years?
We'll, II Is hard TO say, but Ger
tainly II Is encouraging to see that
representative ministers and laymen
OF many religious bodies are cooper
ating 10 make Lent this year OF more
extensive influence than ever.
Does this signify that the various
Christian bodies are coming closer
INTO unity through a more intensive
concentration upon the truth and
principles and spirit for which the
Lenten season stands?
There Is reason TO think this, Ger
tainly to hope SO.
But Lent, what is IL in our mod
ern day? Our Roman Catholic and
Episcopal friends seem to have spe-
cial interest in and regard for this
season, as still continuing observ-
ance handed down from the early
days Of Christianity: although ii may
be. they are less fervent in their Len
ten duties than in former years. But
the large number OF Protestant
bodies, IL they now see value In Lent,
may regard 1t simply as an apt and
convenient season for reviving OF
religious or spiritual interests which
experience has proven to be needful
for human nature. Anyhow. how
ever men today regard Lent, II must
be distinctly good for Christians OF
whatever name, to come together. II
only for little while during 40 days.
to pray together. to hear the truth OF
the Christian gospel emphasized. to
listen to the application OF the ethics
of the Great Galilean Teacher. to mod
ern individual. civic, and social prob
lens.
But why choose these 40 days Of
the traditional Lenten season for this
purpose?
Chiefly. because, so many Chris
tians by long established custom al
ready are in the habit OF paying more
or less serious attention to these 40
days, which commemorate the heroic
strife Of Jesus Christ with temptation
and His mighty victory over sin and
death Lent concentrates mems
thoughts upon the heart Of the gospel.
the cross; upon the central feature or
the conquering life of the Savior. IL
cannot be expected that those Chris
tians. who have 50 long found the
Lenten season of benefit. will willing
ly abandon II or exchange IL for some
less appropriate time, while they may
hope that q more earnest and devoted
regard for Lent by themselves may
well encourage other Christian people
to observe IL.
What Is the Christian essence Of
Lent? What Is permanently vital In II?
1T Is a special time for more than
ordinary spiritual discipline. wherein
by extraordinary regard to the teach
ing, spirit and example OF Christ, men
may renew their grip upon spiritual
realities, may exercise their spirit so
as to master the dangerous indulgence
of their flesh, and may devote
themselves to deeds of charity not
simply In the name. but In the spirit
Of Jesus Christ. We live today under
overpowering material pressure. and
the spiritual life of our people is too
greatly handicapped. The soul has
too little opportunity to adequately
express itself. The passion for mon
ey-making 10 crowding out the high
err passion for truth. for devotion to
ideals, for self-restraint, for effectual
sympathy with the deepest and essen
tial needs OF humanity Luxuries.
display, pleasureseeking are tending
to demoralize all classes. The un-
wholesome living OF too many rich
people il having a most vicious In
fiuence upon the poorer people. and
bad living among the unprivileged Is
easily justifying itself by pointing to
the conspicuously bad living of too
many OF the privileged classes. Our
boys and girls are soon caught in the
meshes OF prevailing materialism and
self.indulgence: and too many are
fast going to ruin. as the tale OF our
Juvenile court 50 sadly tells.
Now Lent, well observed, strikes
a direct blow at materialism and self
indulgence. especially at the heresies
that money Is OF more worth than
character, and that The flesh can be
freely INDUCED without mortal dam
age to the soul or spirit tent leads
us to the cross of Christ. In which we
may learn the true proportions of our
life from the standpoint OF eternal
verities. and from which. enfiamed
with the love Of God. and emboldened
TO self-denial and sacrifice, the individ-
ual man shall renew his interest In
his own personal salvation and In the
salvation Of his fellow men. II now.
more and more men and and women.
old and young, shall unite In a wide
spread serious observance OF the Len
ten season. who shall venture to limit
the good this Lent OF 1911 shall do
- TA.trott