The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-11-11
Less Than One-fourth of
Persons in United States
Are Members of Church,
Says Rev. Howard.
UNION SERVICE TO
BE HELD TONIGHT
Obligation of Country to Ne
groes and Indians and Peo-
piles of Our Islands Is
Pointed Out.

The first sermons on the Home Mis-
sion topics. a consideration of which
| is to occupy the attention of the
churches of the city this week. were
preached yesterday to large congrega-
tions in the denominational churches
Of Richmond.
"Our Country's Debt to Christ" and
Units in Making Our Country Gods
Country" were the general themes
that served as vehicles for the dis
courses. A resume of Christian life in
the United States. the problems be-
fore the church, and the means with
which the church is solving present
problems were some of the topics on
which the pastors dwelt.
The first of the union meetings OF
the week will be held this evening at
the First NJ. E. church, Fourteenth
and Main streets, the Rev. E. G. How
ard. pastor of the First English Lu-
theran church delivering the address.
| Tonight's subject will be The Ameri-
can Indians, Africans and Asiatics."
Members of all the city churches and
the general public are invited to hear
this address.
Great results are expected from the
united efforts OF church workers dur
ing the Home Mission week. The ad-
dresses, as outlined in the program
for the week, deal with the methods
of better humanity and of strengthen
ing the missions which are assisted
by local churches.
Indebted to Christianity"
In speaking on the country's debt
to Christ, yesterday morning at the
First English Lutheran church, the
Rev Mr. Howard asserted that this
country is indebted to Christianity for
the character of the first settlers
those who laid the foundation of the
government
I'VE are also indebted to Christ for
the Christian spirit of our national
institutions" said the Rev. Mr.. How
ard. I'VE are indebted to Christ. fur
thermore, for the present ideals. for
the principles which we're held up be-
fore us in the recent political cam
paign. Our attention has been called
to the demand for justice and In the
recent campaign the endeavor to car
ry out the golden rule politically, was
visible"
That the country is under obliga-
ton to the negro and the Indian was
the statement upon which the Rev.
Mr.. Howard laid emphasis and stress
in his evening address. The minister
also mentioned the inhabitants of the
United States, insular possessions in
connection with this matter
The great masses of non-Christians
must be reached. We are under obliga-
tions to the negro, because we brought
owe a great debt. We came here and
secured the possession of his terri
tory. We owe him a Christian civili-
zation. Home mission work must be
advanced in our island possessions.
The Unehurched Masses.
| Less than one-fourth of the people
of this country are members of chur-
ches. Consequently our country could
not be called Gods country. However,
sixty per cent of the people of the
country are favorable to Christianity
I
number of Christians a century ago.
In 1900 the proportion of members of
churches to non-Christians was one to
fourteen and one-hah In 1900 the pro-
portion was one to four and one
fourth.
"The units used to make the coun-
try Gods country probably are includ-
ed in the church. The various organi-
cations inside the church are the Sun
ship of 1880. 900 in the country; the
woman's mission movement; the
mems movement; young peoples
movement; the Y. NJ. C. A; Y w C.
A: the Salvation Army; w. C. T.. u:
education; Christian colleges; the
home, which is probably the most i'm
portant factor; and the individual,
who must do large part of the work
that is to be accomplished"
Danger Of Pasanism.
Agreeably to the general topic, the
Rev 8. w Traum, pastor of the First
lChristian church, placed in contrast
the nations where Christ is unherald-
ed with our own country, and affirm
ed that the institutions of ours which
are of greatest pride to US are those
in which we have politically express
ed the spirit of Christ
The highest tribunal before which
the wrongs of men and Of nations may
be tried IL that Of Christ There is no
higher justification that men seek for
their public utterances than the sane
ton of the man Of Galilee
4 OF the dangers that were pointed
out there was the impact of pagan
Continued On Pags Eighty