Norwich bulletin., 1913-08-11
SAVER CARE OF THE CHILDREN
This Is One of the Crying Needs of the Modern Church Rev. James Marshall of Washington at Park Church Union Service Show Present-day Problems

The third of the union services was held at Park church on Sunday morn ing and a fine address was given by Rev. James T. Marshall of Washing ton. D. c. His text was from Ezekiel S:16: About five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east" This was written by the rivers of Babylon. The weak king of Israel had surrendered in three weeks to the Assyridans.
 A Young Man of Visions.
 Among the captives was 8 young man whose name meant Then God Will Strengthen. He sat in this land of exile and saw visions-visions which burn like words of fire. In one of these visions he goes back to the temple at Jerusalem and sees these five and twenty men with their backs turned toward the Lords house and their faces toward the east. worshipping the sun They are a picture of the apos- tasy of Judah and prophecy of her resulting destruction. It is picture of recurring history-one that is not unknown today.
 Backs Turned to God
 Tn this United States of America there are today 25,000,000 men with their backs turned to God. Is the church succeeding in her task of turn ing these men around? Is the Chris tian church declining? is a question that is discussed on every side. If so what is the matter? Right or wrong the Expression has gone abroad that the church is declining. Maga- zines are discussing the subject freely in articles like those in Golfers and the Atlantic The great popularity of Winston Churchins book is on account of his treatment of this idea.
 The necIipe of fha Church
 Statistics show that there has been a loss of thousan nds in the church membership in Germany and that in ten years the church attendance fell off 1S,000 in Liverpool. although the population gained. There are 91000,- 900 people in the United States. Of these 36, 100000 belong to the Chris tian church That leaves 55,o80 900 who are outside of any church. Of course this includes the children, the infirm and the idiots, who cannot very well be in a church But even then the proportion is not as it should be. 3.700 churches last year reported no additions to their membership by ad- mission of faith. There are thousands of churches that are not doing their work The country churches are go- ing down or going out of existence everywhere.
 City Churches Short Lived.
 City churches as rule are short lived Why is all this? It is a com plex question and we are not wise enough to answer. But one chief req son for it Is today's unbounded ma terial prosperity. There are so many things in so many years to change the whole mode of living. The railway and the steamboat. the telegraph and tele- phone the aeroplane and the wireless have made communication swift and easy
 These are ali very spectacular, and the world sees all this and. overiooks the invisible things. They can readily see an immense bridge across a wide river. but the bridge between sin and holiness is not se clear to them, A fine automobile road is more tangible than the broad highway to heaven.
 s A satiatsd Age.
 This is "a satiated age. These worldly people are having tos good a time. They are toe busy enjoying themselves find time for higher and