Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-02-02
Christian LIFE
CONVENTION ON
DR.. Harry Gage and DR.. Charles
Bradt Contribute to Fine
Program.

It was a new vision of missions
striking in it's clarity, majestic in
scope and rich in reward, which DR..
Harry Gage of Huron, South Dakota,
and DR.. Charles Bradt Of Chicago left
with those who attended the opening
sessions of the conference On Chris
tian Life and Service at the First
Presbyterian church in this city on
Sunday.
1.-THE American Harvest
Marshalling facts and figures, as
founding in their immensely, DR..
Gage, speaking at the morning ser
vice, drew a striking analogy between
the ripening fields Of the northwest
awaiting the reaper and the great
multitude of Americas unchurched
awaiting the gospel of Christ. DR..
Gage drew Il vivid picture of the mar
velous progress of the United States
as it had spread as a nation, from
Plymouth Rock to the Pacific Slope,
enlarging upon it's boundless and its
geographical beauty until, as he con-
cluded, there lay before his audience
a picture of this nation indescribably
beautiful teeming with opportunities
for Christian service. And, having
impressed his audience with the end
less opportunities, DR.. Gage dwelt at
considerable length upon the respon-
sibility of the individual Christian.
The Rural Problem 49,.
Unfortunately, DR.. Gage was unable
TO dwell upon all of the phases of the
Homo 1Iiccf0n nr0h1oro 1ln did low
emphasis, however. upon the particu-
lar need Of the rural community. To
DR.. Gage the problems of the city
are not nearly as serious as the prob
lens Of the country or the small coun.
try town. Attention was called to the
fact that while there we're unlimited
influences tending to direct the city's
young people astray there were, on
the ather hand, a countless number
Of helping hands reaching down to
lift the prodigal UP into the light of
Christian Influences. In the rural
communities, however, according to
DR.. Gage, the helpful influences are
negligible, practically all of the
stronger influences being In the
wrong direction. He pointed out that
the rural districts were a source Of
supply to the cities and that if the
problems of the rural community
were not solved. that this source
would be seriously tainted.
DR.. Gage c'osed his address with a
strong appeal for consecrated service
upon the part Of every individual
Christian. ..
"A Revival Of Religion"
At the afternoon service. DR.. 1Chas.
Bradt of Chicago, dwelt upon the need
fon a revival of religion. Supporting
his contention that we needed a re-
vival of religion, DR.. Bradt pointed
out that two-thirds of the members
of the various churches do not attend
church. The whereabouts of one
third of the membership is unknown,
according to DR.. Rradt, while still an
other third. fails to attend church.
Another reason why DR.. Bradt be-
lieves a revival of religion is sadly
needed is because two-thirds of the
nominal Christians of the world are
engaged in cutting each others
threats in the great European war.
Still another aso why such a re-
vival is needed, according to DR..
Bradt, is the fact that twenty centur-
les after Christ's presence on earth,
tWo.thirds Of the people Of the world
have not yet heard lis name. Four
hundred million people in China, said
DR.. Bradt. r .enquirers, seeking to
know something about Christ. the
Bible and the Christian religion.
Three Great Sins.
T. Sectarian bigotry, racialism and
commercia'ism are the three great
sins of the world today, according to
DR.. Bradt. Though not urging a co.
ordination of all the various denomi-
nations of. the world, DR.. Bradt did
urge a closer harmony between the
denominations. He pointed out that
while in many places in this country
various denominations found it agree.
able to work together, in many places
they could not agree. Hatred between
denominations actually exists among
some of the countries of Europe, &C.
cording to DR.. Bradt. Progress in the
evangelism of the world could not be
made, said DR.. Bradt, as long as such
a condition existed. :
Raciaiism, the hatred on the part
of the white man for the black man,
or the brown man for the Mongolion
was severely arraigned by DR.. Bradt.
Commercialism, too, came in for a Sc
we're drubbing.
The words of the Master in His
last great commission We're brought