The Washington herald., 1915-10-03

year. The work started thirty years
ago In Hartford. Conn. and has grown
TO national scope. with some 5000
army officers devotinE some part al
their time to it. Prison meetings held
by army officers now. reach a total
annual attendance of prisoners Of
more than 100000. and the claim is
made by the army that during the las,
six months almost 1000 men and wom-
en- in prisons promised to enter upon
new lives. God helping them. Com
mander Booth says, in her statement,
that the army has no quarrel with any
reformative measures. but that it puts
forward the neglected religious rem.
edy.
Dean Shailer Mathews, Of Chicago
University. president OF the Fedora,
Council Of Churches Of Christ in
America. in a recent address to sew.
eral hundred ministers Of different de-
nominations. referred to the plan to
pension retired ministers in tho fol-
lowing words:
be interpreted as something more than
an appeal Of the ministers to the
| churches for pensions, or larger SAL
aries. / believe that while in the ma
ture of the case the clergymea must
be the leaders in the undertaking, yet
| two things are clear and must be OBJ
served. First, in the interest which
the country at large is taking IN the
matter of providing for the noneco-
nomic servants Of the world, such as
ministers and teachers, is an indica-
ton OF the growing respect for the
spiritual, or vicarious life, which these
represent. We used to pension only
those who killed. now we are pro-
vidirts pensions for those who save
other people. Second. when We min-
listers and teachers talk about these
great advances, let US do SO with
sense of our own dignity. and we must
lieve in the finality of the vicarious
life, or are you simply talking hct
air when you express your admiration
for these things? II you honestly do.
then make your sacrifice a part of
their sacrifices. and contribute in ma
terial things to these who are doing
So much for you in spiritual things.
and thereby make the whole situation
one of dignity
but my interest in it is not half so
large because l am going to get q
pension, but rather because of the
evidence it gives of the larger recog-
milton of the dignity Of the Christ life
and the appreciation of self-sacrihce
in the social order. I see in this
whole movement something even
greater than a noble attempt to prop
erly care for the ministry. I see in
it the rising tide of the kingdom of
God. and We have much to be en-
couraged about in that.
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
tions of North America now number
over $500 organizations, with $4,000
members. and hold property exceeding
s103. 100000. The general secretaryship
of the international committee. the
controlling body. has been held for
sixty-six years by. Richard c. Morse,
a quiet. self-effacing but tireless serv-
ant of Jesus Christ and his brother
men. After several years of Intellectual
endeavor to retire. Mr.. Morse's resig
nation has been accepted and in his
seventy-fourth year he has been re-
lieved of responsibility and given the
title of consulting secretary. At the
same time his fondest dream has been
realized in the appointment of his
successor. The executive committee. |
after repeated attempts. has secured
the acceptance of DR.. John r. Mott.
a man who. joining the association
forces twenty-seven years ago. has
worked under and alongside Mr.
Morse and has won the esteem and
confidence of the Christian world in
an unexampled measure.
The Christian Advocate says Of the J
new general secretary:
DIR. Mott is fifty years Of age. He
was born at Livingston Manor, n. Y. |
and grew up in Iowa. He was edu-
Gated in Upper Iowa and Cornell Uni |
versities. The ingrained religious
training of his Methodist boyhood was
the background of a profound religi- |
Gus experience in his college days. and |
being conscious of a clear call to |
Christian service. he came by deliber- |
ate and conscientious judgment to the |
decision to invest his life in the or
ganized work for young men. In much |
of its activity. especially as it re-
lates to the student world at home and |
simply John Motifs dreams come true.
amazing capacity for detail.
he has the rare faculty Of surround
ing himself with men who share his
spirit and emulate his zeal and indus
try--He is known in every land among |
university students whom he has
banded in a World Christian Fedora
tion, which even the war has not dis
solved The courts and chancelleries
Of the world have consulted and trust
ed him in weighty matters of interna-
ago that President Wilson recognized
his statesman like qualities and talent
for diplomacy by urging upon him the
post of Minister to the Chinese repub-
lie. He was easily the leading figure
in the World Missionary Conference
at Edinburgh in 1910. and as the
chairman of its continuation commit
tee he is directing the concentrated
currents Of influence and activity
which there found a channel Of power.
The response Of DR.. Mott to the call
Of the international committee is
sufficient revelation Of the man of
faith and optimism who now becomes
the titular leader Of the Christian men
If North America. In accepting the
post he says:
with a vivid sense of the RESPONSE
oility involved and Of my own need
II a new and richer experience Of
Christ that I may meet the new de-
nands, I accept the call of the COM
nittee.
In discharging this new RESPONSE
oility 1 shall have as a guiding prin-
,iple to discover how the association
nay render throughout the world the
maximum service to the Kingdom Of
God. especially as expressed in the
Christian church. It will be my con-
slant effort to serve with impartial
ty all departments and phases of the
work and to promote the solidarity of
his complex and ever-expandins
I shall be true to my
strongest conviction concerning this
md all other Christian enterprises.