The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-04
What Church People
Are Saying and Doing

so entirely dependent on the good will
and kindly feeling of their people thai
Affection is invaluable. Such an eX'
preston as you have made. both by
what You have so generously given and
so gracefully said. is overwhelming
and oppressive-but delightfully."- so
We both thank you from the depths OF
our full hearts, and as we daily use
your car we shall think of ourselves as
riding not in a triumphal chariot. but
In an ecclesiastical equipage on err
rands of necessity. mercy. and health.
With great appreciation and graft
tude. CHARLES WOOD"
Jules Bots, novelist, dramatist, phil
osopher and patriot, has just arrived In
this country, whittier he is sent as the
representative of the French govern
ment ut the Panama-Paciic EXPOSE
ton. But Mr.. Bots forSets drama and
literature and politics when he talks
of the France that prays."
Il do not come to the United States
in the interest of any propaganda for
the French cause he said to an in
terviewer. Il respect too much the
neutrality of the United States. But
and here he leaned forward and his
eyes glistened with patriotism-"I, !
myself. am not neutral. No! When /
speak OF France. Of my France that
has suffered. that is still suffering SO
cruelty. 1 must speak with emotion.
All! then it is impossible for me to be
neutral!
The France that prays! 1t is the
whole nation. everybody. rich and poor.
high and low, united in a new re-
liglon. In the French revolution we
Frenchmen fought and died for the re-
ligion of liberty. Now we fight and
die for the liberty of religion. Out
there In the trenches men who never
thought of religion before are becom-
ing religious.
And 1t is war that has made them
SO. war that SO many think of only as
something barbarous and inhuman. A
war like that which France is now
fighting is something very different
TT is not a question of creed This
new religion is one in which all
Frenchmen can stand together-in
which 1 feel sure they will all stand
together after peace comes once more
to u.s."
Some further compensations for the
ravages of the conflict in Europe are
pointed out by both secular and re-
ligious press. The LONDON Morning
Post says:
The war opens out a vast field Of
usefulness for the Christian Church;
as it reminds people of death. SO it
reminds them of faith: as it destroys
their wealth. so it suggests TO them
spiritual consolation; as it teaches
them the folly of sloth and self-indul-
gence, SO it inStructs them in the
deeper purposes and meanings of life
war and faith 20 commonly
hand in hand; and war teaches man
kind what childbirth teaches women.
The spiritual field is plowed and har-
rowed by such terrible events, and the
seed which the Church sows should
fall upon prepared ground. And II
the Church uses the opportunity well,
and scorns all comfortable doctrine,
not confusing safety with virtue or
war with evil. it should reap a great
spiritual harvest"
The editor of the New York Chris
tan Advocate writes:
Gods movements are marvellous He
seizes an opportunity which mon would
not discern. and uses 1t for spiritual
strategy.
grief over a war which is marked by
devastation. Men speak
iismally of the collapse of civilization.
Divine Providence finds in the abyss
lnwonted hope of religion.
Driven to their knees by the very
nopelessness of their estate, millions
Of Europeans who had almost forgot
ZEN how to pray are now duplicating
The throne of Grace. Chapels,
and cathedrals are thronEed
with petitioners. Religion is expo
unique and unforeseen re-
givaL
On this side the globe. An unusual
has seized America. The
'eople of our land are deeply thought
'ul Their hearts have been opened
by pity and compassion for the suf-
.erfng. They stand in a solemn hush
before the Lord Of all the earth.
over various sections of our do
main evangelistic tides are sweeping
With amazing power. Thousands Of
'ouls are turning to God. They rep
esent all classes of society. Religion
s having such hearing as has not
'een given to 1t in many years"
Finding themselves unable to in
uce Rev. BILLY" Sunday to visit New
FORK City before 1917 and perhaps /!
ot then. Protestant ministers of that |
ity announce purpose to have a re-
igious revival anyhow. Their start !
S series of weekly prayer meetings, |
nd their purpose, as stated, is to |
AIRY their efforts right through the |
pring and summer. There have been |
umors that some New York ministers |
re opposed both to Sunday and to a |
evival of the Sunday pattern, but OPP
osition ministers, il they exist, have
OF appeared openly.
New York ministers claim that their |
lty has been aroused by the Sunday
fforts in Philadelphia and that the
me Is ripe for action. All Protestant
hristian bodies, Episcopal included.
re said to be acting together, and
alling upon Catholic and Jew to re-
i've their respective work. on their
wn lines, Of course, and SO move New
ork as they admit 1t cannot be moved
Mess all are united. 1t is the ex-
ectation that a nearer range Of Sun
~, who has begun at Paterson, N.
!, will still further influence New
ork in evangelistic ways.
As outlined, the New York plan
.ems to be not to have a professional
nor any strong center, but
} encourage as many churches as
ossible to hold extra meetings Into
lie plan seems to be going a strong
esire to put business system and to
AXE use of laymen. Emphatic opin-
ms to the effect that the time ia
ne for a revival wara mod. a..