The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-08
the Common People

commander. her eyes flashing and her
whole face aglow with enthusiasm She
seemed TO he obsessed with the thought.
Miss Booth said religion was never
more popular in the United States than
at the present time. She declared that
the masses are hungering FOR religion in
its pure. undiluted, uncorroded state,
dissociated with extraneous matters
that have tended to confuse and con
found the popular mind concerning it.
If the church has the intelligence
the devotion and the selfdenial neccs-
sary to great accomplishment this
revival is as sure To come as the sun is
Ia rise in the eastern sky" she said.
Miss Booth intimates that the revival
will come from below, that it will be-
gin with the common people and that
the church may be literally forced out
Of its apathy and galvanized into I'M
precedented activity by the masses who
ARE clamoring for the sincere milk Of
the Word"
This IL the supreme moment in the
history Of the Christian Church. II it
fails to recognize and embrace its OPP
portunity it can blame nobody but it.
self said Miss Booth.
Joseph Cook of Boston once said"
''iltluutu MlSS ttldt tnt Illnt-
teenth century had witnessed a great
neighborhood but the twentieth century
would witness the creation Of "A great
and worldwide brotherhood. The Church
tand ! mean by the Church that
great body OF organized Christian men
and women which claims to be trying
to do the Masters Wild has il in its
power To realize the dream Of the emf
| nent divine.
"The Church never had IA greater OPP
portunity than it has to-day. The
| masses are hungry for the Gospel. they
are pining for the sincere milk of the
Word they are waiting for some benef-
! icent power to bring them something
that will take the place of the froth
| the tinscl, the unreal and the mislead-
ing. The soul of man is an actually
II Is the living, eternal. ineXtinguishable
being, fearful, but at the same time
glorious, fact. 1t Graves for the higher
things of life. It's cries have long been
stiiled 10y the smoke and froth of the
world, but its insistcnt voice, ! am quite
sure, is about to be regarded by hun
dreds of thousands of people in the
United States. In other words. a mighty
revival is due. A wonderful gathering
In OF the fruits of Gospel preaching is
at hand, The only obstacle to the f,ii
realization Of this glorious desideratun
Is possibly the Church itself
| "Again ! want to emphasize the state
ment that the Church is Gods people
organized. This takes in all Christian
people. and know | will not be under.
stood as attempting to make invidou'
comparisons. The Salvation Army Is
"A part of this church and our RESPONSE
bility Is as great as that imposed or
any other branch OF the church of God
The Church may fail in visiOO II
may not he able To see its opportunity
1t may mistake the grain that is ripe
and yellow for the grain that Is greer
and unready for harvesting. II it can
not recognize the rlpened grain wher
II sees 1t there IL little hope that 1t vii
bring the harvest in. The door Is open
the gates to the harvest field are swing
Ing wide upon their hinges, and II thu
LChurch has the vision. the intelligence
the energy, the faith and the Necessary
devotion II will undoubtedly gather "
the golden grain and the harvest viii