The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-27
|EHT INNS BLOW
III MlIEallllsM
md INDULGENCE
REV. w. d. MAxON.
otzikes 1t Heresy That Money Il Of
More Worth Than Character and
Rsnsws Interest in Personal Sal
walton, Says Rector.
Serious and United Observance Of the
Season Bound To Accomplish
Much for Detroit.

. 49, 1VN8y Rcftou WHICH wa ZIG Cur
uination OF the Christ-life on earth.
The simultaneous eysngelistic cam
paigp" which opens next Tuesday
night In the Woodward-aye. Baptist
church and In st. Johns Episcopal
church, II q Lenten observance along
practical lines which scores Of De-
troit churches will join in in their
oWnsway.
The Rev. w. b. Maxon. of Christ
Episcopal church, Jefferson-Rve., in
dtscusatng the Lenten season. said:
What may Lent. In 1911. mean to
Detroit7 Much or very little. accord
Ing to the spirit In which the Chris
tian people OF the city shall strive to-
Gether TO observe IL.
Have we reason to think Lent this
year. II properly observed. will be
more useful 70 the city than the Lent
of previous years?
Wen. II 10 hard to say, but GER
tainly Il 10 encouraging to see that
representative ministers and laymen
o. many religious bodies are cooper
otinG to make Lent this year Of more
extensiye influence than ever.
Does this signify that the various
Christian bodies are coming closer
Into unity through more intensive
concentration upon the truth and
principles and spirit for which the
Lenten season stands?
There II reason to think this. GER
tainly to hope 80.
). But Lent. what il II In our mod
orn day? Our Roman Catholic and
Episcopal friends seem to have spe-
cisl interest In and regard for this
season, az q still continuing observ-
<ance handed down from the early
days Of Christianity; although Il may
10. they are less fervent In their Len
ten duties than In former years. But
the large number of Protestant
bodies. n they now see value In Lent.
4 nay regard II simply AZ an apt and
conyenient season for q reyiying or
religious or spiritual interests which
experience has proves. to be -needful
Tor human nature Amyhow.- how
ever men today regard Lent. It must
" distinctly good for Christians OF
whatever name 70 Come together, II
only for little whilep during 40 days,
g pray togesl1er u near the truth OF
he Christin6 6d16Sl- emphasized, !. to
1891 ~ ~ ~YuCae.Yn Va tno oshAcs
Qf the Crest GalffSAn Teaches. to mod
prn individual. civies-and social-prob-
1But why~ chooss. fbese 40 days Of
the traditional Lente1 season for this
"Chiedy,. because, 90 many Chris
fiens by long established custom al
ready are n the hahH OF paying more
o. less serious attention to these 80
1ayA which commemorate. the heroic.
strife OF Jeans chr1st-vith temptation
and His mighty victory over sin and
death Lent concSntfates mems
fhoughts upon the heart Of the gospel,
The cross: upon the central feature OF
The conquering life OF the Savior. It
cannot be expected that those Chris
tians. who have 50 long found the
Leuten season OF benefit. viii willing
" abandon 1t or exchange ft FOR som1
1ooB appropriate time, while they may
hops that more earnest and devoted
regnyd kor Lent by themselves may
well encourage other Christian people
% observe n. s--------------..
What - the Christian essence OF
LentY What 10 permanently vital In It?
1T n q special time for more than
ordinary spiritual discipline. wherein
~ extraordinary regard to the teach
Inc. spirit and example OF Christ, men
may renew their grip upon spiritual
realities, may exercise their spirit 80
&c 70 master the dangerous indulgence
lpf their flesh, and may devote
thsmselves to deeds OF charity not
simply In the name. but In the spirit
- ~ f~A y<AlG.~ L.
overpowering material pressure, and
The spiritual life OF our people Is too
greatly handicapped. The soul has
10 little opportunity to adequately
oxprese itself The passion for mon
1y-making u crowding out the high
IS passion for truth, for devotion to
ideals. for selfrestraint, for effectual
Oyupathy with the deepest and essen
al needs OF humanity. Luxuries.
6leplay. misunderstanding are. tending