The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-25
DRAWS LESSONS FROM
GREAT CONVENTION
Motive Power OF All Reforms Found
In the spirit Which Dwell In
Chries--Mr. Bickcrs Writes
! on Great Meeting.

Mr.. W. NJ Bickers. who was n dele
gate To the great temperance conven-
ton at Atlantic City. thus summa-
rizes its lessons:
The great gathering was an ex-
preston of a quickened American
Christian and patriotic conscience and
an earnest OF a consecrated purpose to
unite efforts for the promotion OF the
l righteousness that exalteth a nation
and relentless warfare on sin that Is
a reproach to any people The imme-
date object of the assembled hosts
was the complete overthrow of the
liquor trsffic, which nefarious business
is the source, origin and inspiration
Of our chief social ills.
No one witnessing the great demon
STATIONS of this representative All
American gathering could doubt for
a moment the doom of the liquor bus-
mess and no thoughtful person could
fall to realize the cause which had
led TO the effect OF such a national
spectacle as this mammoth mass
meeting of federated kindred spirits
representing all Christian creeds and
lea ding business interests II was n
scene never 10 be forgotten, when a;
the climax of a beautiful peroration
of DR. Landreth's closing address, In
the words in the name of Jesus Of
Nazareth the saloon must 60 ten
thousan people sprang to their feet
and Joined heartily IN singing Amer
lea and old Glory IN electric lights
was unfurled across one end of the
large hall the Bird of Liberty In
electrical effect also posing In the
beauty of his might, while thousands
of handkerchiefs and hats were waved
aloft. But even a more Impressive
event was this--Dr. Stansfeld, of In
diana, had made n mastery address
on Christ and the New Day in which
ne ascribed the aroused and wide
spread spirit of reform to new
vision of our Lord and declared this
10 be the brightest and best day In
the worlds history AS the reverend
doctor uttered his final sentence the
great concourse arose and sang with
spirit
IAN hail the power of Jesus name,
Let angels PROSTATE fall:
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord OF all.
Christ and the New Vision.
And 40 the keynote Of the conven-
ton was Christ and the new vision
Back of the long toiling efforts Of
the seed sewers; back OF the splen-
did organized machinery of the Anti
Saloon League. the w. c. r. Y.
and other temperance associations.
churches social and civic reform
clubs and what not. Is the motive
power of Chrst's love and spiritual
guidance. He who made the start
ling declaration to His disciples that
greater works than His should he
done by them because | go to My
Father has breathed His divine in
fiuencs upon humanity's heart, and
this spirit of power liz diffnsed
throughout the world as the inspra-
ton OF all great reforms for the bet
terment Of mankind and the ultimate
ushering in of that bright kingdom
of eternal peace and righteousness.
II this vision is lost Z righteous eff
forts in behalf of social reforms de-
generate into mere ,humanitarianism
/ or utilitarlan purposas and the Christ
view be lost. then woe be us!
t"The light is spreading; the vision
becomes clearer: Jesus is on the
shore, and the world now knows 1t
is Jesus.'
Victor Hugo beautifully says;
Whoever has the vision of truth;
whoever has felt the enchantment OF
the beautiful; whoever listens to a
flower, wilderness, candor brightness,
a woman: whoever admires a genius.
whoever feels emotion at star; who
ever says within himself, This is good
this is evii": whoever will not crush
a fly uselessly; whoever loves and
feels the INFINITE in his love, whoever
recognizes there Is crooked path
and a straight line: whoever acts
from conscience: whoever has an ideal
to which he consecrates himself-such
a one, whoever he may be. whether
he knows It or not, believes in God
Motive Power In Christ.
And thus when we contemplate
the great temperance tidal wave, the
aroused interest in righteous reforms
generally the ever increasing mani
fassatton Of a desire to make our land
a sweeter and better and, safer place
in which to live, can we doubt that
the motive power is In Christ and
that the old world is surely heading
for the glad time coming when His
kingdom shall come. His will be done
on earth even as II Is In heaven