The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-08-19
UNIVERSAL UNREST
IS THE CHURCH'S
OPPORTUNITY
Former Detroit Pastor Says Public
Conscience Is Awake, and Religion
Has Greatest Chance in. History
TO Assert Itself.
Praises Men and Religion Move
ment, and Has. Kind Words for
Woodrow Wilson. -. -
-aEy. JOHN MCDOWELL.

left Detroit over five years ago, his
name and vigorous passionate OF nVe
years In the Second-ave. Presbyterian
church are not forgotten, and his pres
ence In this city the past fortnight.
supplying the pulpit OF the Fort-st.
Presbyterian church, In the absence
OF the Rev z. II. Pence, has rallied
TO his side many old friends. DR.. Nc
Dowell, since he left Detroit, has been
pastor Of the Park Presbyterian
church. In Newark, ~. j., one OF the
largest and most influential churches
In that city.
The expansion, and growth OF De-
troit. In the past five years, 10 phe-
nomenal. and | am amazed over Its
metropolitanism," said DR.. Mcdowell,
TO The Times, during a chat in the
Hotel fuller, where he Is, staying. j
miss many OF the old faces and men
who were the backbone OF the COM
mercial, political, social and religious
life OF the years l spent here. | ind
new charge daffaires everywhere.
admire the spirit and feeling which
always pervades Detroiters-that OF
believing and yoicing the cry In De-
troit life is worth living"
While In Detroit, DR.. Mcdowell was
known as q fearless advocate OF the
open discussion OF all industrial prob
lens and of new religious movements
and his Interest in these matters has
grown until they have become part OF
as chairman Of the committee OF ten,
10 state the mind and purpose OF the
Presbyterian church on social prob
- n t. In NJ a
public speaker, as we'll as preacher.
and on leaving Detroit, Monday, will
60 to Northfield. Mass, TO give the
second series Of lectures this sum-
mer. His subject will be Christian
ity and the Social Problem" DR.. Nc
Dowell Is intensely interested In the
Men and Religion Forward Move
ment.
church's Opportunity.
sThe present universal state OF un-
rest throughout the world II the
charch's opportunity" he said. mo
amount 81 material progress will sat
isfy the people.--All the signs Of the
times point to the fact that the peo-
pie have awakened TO their political
opportunities and responsibilities. The
public conscience Is awake and the
largest opportunity the Christian
church has ever had, IL here and now.
The church should welcome every
movement for the regeneration OF the
Individual and Improvement In soci-
ETY. he continued earnestly. such as
the Men and Religion Forward Move
ment the peace arbitration treaties
now pending between this country and
European nations, child labor laws, the
campaign and the
world wide missionary movement In
the present situation the church must
meet q five-fold challenge.
'-First--To iaffirm that religion n
the fundamental necessity OF life. Men
are not asking, What sort OF religion
II neededg but Is any religion need
edr Materialstic philosophy and
atheistic socialism are answering this
vital question In the negative, and
teaching through printed page and lee
lures that religion IL an invention Of
the churches and the priests and Is
an unnecessary burden. Let such
teachings take hold Of the people and
1t will not be long before the founda-
tons OF our government and our reli-
gion will be endangered The church
GdllN upOu db SuTlDtIdu iucu wiz
believe that man IL made In the image
OF God TO affirm that man cannot
be q normal man. and not be. religious;
that to deny religion a supreme place
In life is to admit a. fatai defect IN
ones nature. -
To Maintain Scriptures RELIABILITY.
''Second-To, maintain the RELIABLE
ity OF the scriptures as a revelation
Of Gods will for man and for all OF
his obligations. This Is a call TO men
TO stand for the supremacy Of the
Bible, not a. q book OF science. OF
philosophy, of literature. Of ethics. but
as q character builder. History shows
that the organizations that grow and
thrive are those grounded on the word
Of God. Some movements have failed.
Why? Because they have been built
around the dinner. table, not the Bible.
around a social and not q religious
idea.
"Third--To assert unqualifedly the
suffioiency OF the gospel OF Jesus
Christ 10 meet the needs of the TWEEN.
tieth century. Certain critics tell us
that Christ and His gospel are not
equal to the problems OF the twenti-
eth century and say that the gospel
10 played out. ! notice, however, that
most OF the critics fan TO remember
that the Christ Of the gospel is a Iiv.
ing Christ, with all power In heaven
and on earth. They write and talk as
II Jesus were still IN Josephs tomb
AS friends OF Christ we need to AFFIRM
that Christ is here and living today
In twentieth century conditions. There
Is no III about this proposition. We
need not stop TO ask what Christ
would do II He were here, for He Is
here and His gospel is not played out.
II " Just having It's first inning in
some places and II the succeeding in
ntnGs are as -successfuI as the aFst,
things will be cleared up in every
sphere OF life.
Fourth--To maintain the adapta.
bility OF the church as an agency for
applying the gospel of Christ to the
needs OF the world When men hiss
the word church and applaud the
name OF Christ, Il is surely evident
that they do not know the usefulness
of the church as an agency for apply.
ing the gospel Undoubtedly the
church has her faults. but In spite OF
this ne heed 90 assert that she Is
NE only orEaniEation today. Qualined