The Glenwood post., 1914-12-19
Al oP1 LRffE1 10 m Dou.
C9UDH 00110 DUoWD
NIN OF 0IxrW0oD
entenlen

eHtlemen:-
Courtesy leads me to conclude that
you viii read this letter and hear NE
taPsagh. II one uakind word 10 stated,
ten Ne -. sosa after taking sp ny
ressAs.es here, l Was invited thFeAgh
Editss Rekssas csurtesy 70 stteAd
yoSs fan ssa&uet. I hsesAe much in
Prsassd With the PessOansl Of your
tsk. A fss Aays thsssaftss lad oe-
ea6sa = write ny sos-ia-lsv, vAo is
b.sinsss aAa in Gfs.A Js.ctioa,. '. in
c;dsstaliy oestisaing the ka.sast. 7
said, "Lincsla. you eaat beat this
ba,eh sf GIeavOsd 6pri.ss Dea in
GraaA Jasctiea." He has kept very
quiet shout it, but my challenge to
hin. Aovsver, has bsoasht back to ny
nsaosy an Old ditty, "Pretty is that
pretty dss.," asd asw I find nyself
qnerying how to apply this to lot Of
men that 10 not possess the church
going habit.
Nethinks I can hear you say, "Yss
vs have fallen TITO ~ haAt4-'' II 10
this very habit Of yours that grips me
with q mighty concern. Acts repeated
form habit habit forms character;
out of character destinies unchangeable
are forged Porter, . skilled writer on
the "Human Intellect," has said that
Wrong habits, when once confirmed.
become demouology entrenched in mind
and heart and life." Good habits
lave to be hammered into us, while bad
habits form Themselves into our lives
along the line Of little or NO resistsnce.
This is also true, that no man can tell
the ultimate finality Of bad habit.
And certain it is that no man Of saae
intellect will say that the habit Of non
church going j. . good habit, and he
fosters it because he knows and b..
leves it to be right. Nay verify.
Now my further conviction IL: That
vbe. once this non.chureh- going habit
has become a community habit; the
evils that spring therefrom become mul-
titudinous ana pronounced for evil.
These wrong influences may begin
where least looked for. Suppose this
preacher, called of God into the high
9 nd holy ministry, set aside for this
purpose, ordained and sent by the
church of our Common Lord, to minis
ter to men in the highest sense Of life.
But suppose further that early in his
ministry he is confronted with the
fact that the representative men of the
community do not wait on his ministry.
The emotion, aud feelings that are
weakened thereby can be known only
to any true minister. Not for the sake
Of personslity at all, but for the bet
iering of local conditions may / be
permitted to say: That during the
three mouths l have been in Glenwood
Springs ! have preached to less men
than at any place that ! have eyer
cen as stationed minister. in the
=ame period nf time. 1t is therefore
concerning this peculiar and unfortn-
rate condition that ! want to have
learing with you.
The other day the ministers of Glen
.vood had been called together for The
purpose Of counsel, concerning a com
uunity interest. This writer suggested
the feasibility of having public meet
ing on .ome week day evening most
oonyenient. when in an instant he was
net with the statement that "perhaps
| had not vet learned to know the men
of Glenwooi, when like flash the
very notable absence of the men of onr
city from the late union Thanksgiving
service in the opera house passed he
fore me. I therefore beg of you, gen
tlemen, hear me as I make an appeal
to the high court Of human and divine
reason, concerning your most nnfortr.
cate habit of n-church-going.
For the sake of most candid effect
i..cnese Is me state some propositions
in concrete, and then discuss them.
And where begin! Right here. Bust
ress men as rule, unless they arc
living out and out for God, do not
stop to consider their weight Of influ-
ence against the very best, the highest
and divinest influences that operate in
the life of every community. Where
begins this Influence for wrong!
answer. in the home. Where will It
endg With the last man you meet
The children : lives begin under rule
of suggested family precept, more or
less enfsTced. during the adolescent
period But little later they begin
to run Efe's course most largely under
a mighty law of parental and commu-