The Springfield herald., 1912-08-30

ruthless and infidelic manner? II our
nation does not rectify this fatal mis-
take within the short space Of another
generation she will reap the most woe
full harvest Of rationalism, infidelity,
and atheism that has ever yet cursed q
civilization.
A sixth peril is found in our lack of
vital Christianity. This nation Is os-
tensibly Christian. We say we are
Christian nation. But 1t is nearly an
empty boast. The facts are that not
over 20 per cent of our population are
even members of Protestant churches.
This reveals a condition that Ia truly
alarming This nation should be
mighty power for Christianity. But
how can 1t be when such conditions
prevail? There Ia far too little Of VI
tai Christian religion In America to-
day. Skepticism and false doctrine are
rife in the land. Sin of every kind
abounds and is bold and rampant. We
are fearfully irreligious. One of the
grave questions facing the church to-
day is how to save America for Christ.
Churchanity is not Christianity. And
when we find that not more than one
in five are even members OF Protest.
ant churches. we are compelled to ad-
NIT the gravity OF the problem facing
us.
Our spirit OF democracy, coupled
with our wealth and prosperity, has
made us so Independent as to cause us
to ignore our dependence on God.
Christ Is as truly the only hope OF
America as He is Of Africa or China.
But Christ is being fearfully rejected
by America to-day. Rich. self-reliant.
and proud. she does not feel her need
Of the lowly Nazarene. There Is ir-
reverence for the faith and religion
Iof- fathers. The rising generation
is largely sitting in the seat of the
scornful. What religion We have Is
largely without power to influence or
convert the unsaved world about us.
Nor Is this all. II God ever designed
a nation to take the gospel to the
heather, 1t Is surely the United States
Of America. But how little she is do
ing of the much she could and ought
to do along this line. Rich and power
full, she could do marvels In the work
of foreign missions. But our mission
boards plead in vain for adequate
funds to carry on the work, and hang
their heads in shame because OF de-
ficits in our treasures. More Is spent
every year for tobacco. seventeen
times over, than is being given to the
cause of foreign missions. Here we
find another answer to the question as
to how we are spending our money.
The heather of this generation will
have right to rise up In the judgment
and condemn tobacco-stenched, whis-
key-soaked America for not giving
them the gospel.
There Is another grave factor enter
ing into this religious problem of
America. 1t is that Of the foreign
immigrant. There are thousands OF
foreigners coming to our shores every
year. The vast majority of these are
more or less ignorant, are unfamiliar
with our institutions and form OF gov
eminent, and know nothing about true
Christianity. They are not only I'M
saved, but are hard to save. But they
must be saved. or they will become
dangerous and corrupting factor in
our national life. This foreign ele-
ment must be met by strong. ag-
gressive, vital Christian evangelism,
Christ and desirable citizens Of our
Republic. But we are compelled to
admit that American Christianity
finds itself unable to deal with this
foreign element In any adequate way.
In view of all these facts. there is no
civilized nation on the face of the
globe to-day that needs Jesus Christ
in all His saving and redeeming power
as America does.
have named six things that are
perils to the progress and perpetuity
of our nation. There are other evils
and other problems facing America to
be righted and solved. cannot men
ton them to-day. l will be called
pessimist of the deepest dye for hav-
ing said what have said. But all the
battles incident to the existence Of
great commonwealth like ours, were
not fought in the Revolutionary war,
nor in the great Civil war. We who
have inherited from our fathers the
rich legacy of free and independent
government, must accept its responsi-
bilities, and meet our problems and
fight our battles as courageously and
successfully as they met and fought
theirs II we are not called upon to
seal our devotion to our country with
our LIES blood as were they, yet we
have duties to perform and problems
to solve and battles to fight which re.
quire as much courage and manhood
and righteous principle as theirs ever
required. And 1t would be folly of the
blindest kind to shut our eyes to the
great evils tldL 10 eNlSt, anu ely, All
is WE'LL" We need a patriotism these
days that will do more than exhaust
itself once a year in firecrackers and
lemonade-one that will get alive to
the perils and dangers that are threat
ening our country. and get in the fight
for their abolition.
REWRITING for moment to the
words of the text, righteousness eX
alteth nation; but sin is a reproach
to any people," The glory of this
nation must consist in Righteousness
Not in wealth. nor In navies and
armies and the splendor of military
array, but in righteousness. Only thus
have we any right to hope for Gods
blessings to continue upon us. II our
Independence does not achieve this for
us, then 1t is a stupendous failure. II
we cannot come to the anniversary OF
our national independence with clear
conscience, a clean record with the
other nations of the earth, and feel
ing of loyalty to and dependence upon
Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour
then our independence Is but shallow
mockery. If we do not, in some meas
ure pleasing to God, fulfill the scrip
ture, Eye are an elect race, a royal
priesthood, holy nation" then we