The Pensacola journal., 1913-01-20
SPIRITUAL VALUE OF
SOCIAL EMPHASIS" THE
TOPICOF MR.. SHERRILL
Awakening of Social Con-
sciousness is Urged by Y. NJ.
c. A. General Secretary.
THE SOCIAL DISCUSSION OF
"WHAT CAN THE CHURCHES
Do7" AT THE FIRST BAPTIST
CHURCH LARGELY ATTENDED
AND VERY INTERESTING, MANY
JOINING IN THE DISCUSSION.

The social discussion of What Can
the Churches Dor at the First Bap-
tist church last night proved most In
teresting. and one of the largest con-
gregations this year gathered and lis
tened to the discussion. The prinoi-
pal address was by ]. II. Sheriff., gen
eral secretary of the Y. NJ. c. A, who
had as his subject Spiritual Value OF
Social Emphasts''
The speaking was opened by the pss-
tor, in q few remarks. in which he
said that a practical morality and
Righteousness could not he separated
from religion. but that the cll-se Of
all religions in tho past had been tha
divorce Of the two. However, true
religion must take effect like vacct-
nation in daily life.
MR.. SHERRILL's ADDRESS.
Mr.. Pendleton then introduced Mr.
Sheriff.. who spoke in Part as follows:
In the assignment Of this topic
presume the speaker is asked to gfva
the reasons why social service should
be considered spiritual activity. It In
no more than right that we should
enquire il this new emphasis upon
work is intended to take the place OF
communion with God or if the nero
correcting of surface evils is to be
counted of more value than the puri-
flying Of hearts.
The question is fundamental that
many of the ills of life come from So
cial conditions which need mending IS
clear to all; that the church has a
large share of responsibility in this
direction is Increasingly recognized by
the churches themselves; notably as
expressed in the social program adopt
ed by the federal council of churches.
More than thirty eading Protestant
denominations. Still there remains a.
|. fear there may be too much social
service.
'If the term be taken to mean
simply program OF social reform
which may be wholly without relig-
ious motive, there surely is danger In
the situation. If, however, social SER
vice be understood as the reaction TO
the prayer. THY will be done on earth"
then we can hardly have too much
Of it
IF all things pertain to mans un-
derStandinG of and use of natdreaS
laws show progress and point to q
larger future, is 1t credible that the
creator of nature shall not also be
leading His children into a deeper un-
derstanding OF and greater ability to
apply spiritual laws? When our faces
are turned eagerly forward in all else
are we condemned to look always be-
hind for the most universal revelation
of unity with the Father?
when Jesus was about to leave HIS
followers he called them together and
said, Z have many things to tell YOU
but you can not understand them now
How often they had not understood
but when the spirit of truth is come
he shall guide You into all the truth,
and true to his word His spirit has
been taking Of the things of Jesus
and revealing them as successive gem
erations were able to understand, and
the particular revelation to our age
seems to be the growing ability to
comprehend the essential truth that
We are members one of another.
SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS
More wonderful than all modern in
Ventions and discoveries Is the growth,
the development, of social conscious
ness Living in such intimate contact
we have learned that 10 man liveth
to himself or dieth to himself that
when one member suffers all the mem
bers suffer with it,
nter-relations have compelled a. rec
ognition of inter obligation and social
service is simply a conscious accept
auce Of world brotherhood energized by
a conscious determination to look upon
all the complicated interests Of mod
ern life simply as methods of doing the
work of the family. Il is necessary
that the worlds work shall go on
evenly and with the regard for the
Continued on Page Three)