The Alaska daily empire., 1915-10-30
JUNEAU PASTOR
 HOUSES INTEREST
 IN OLD RICHMOND

Rev. Guy D Christian rector of. Trinity Parish. of tho Episcopal church in this city recently preached @ ser. mon ol bis old boyhood home Rich. mond. Va. wh.an attracted wide at- tendon In thas city The following from the Richmond Virginian. of Sep. tomber 24th. gives an account or tho sermon and the impression that it created.
 "Rov. Guy Christian, 9 native of Richmond aad well remembered by large number of friends here on Sun day evening filled Che pulpit of old St Johns Episcopal Church. Ee bas for some years been engaged m the Episcopal mission field of Aaska, where success has followed his la- bors
 "His Sunday evenings diacCurso was Q strong contrasting Of the value of material and spiritual things In tho course of his disclosure he referred to the Impression the city made upon him after an absence of twelve years There has been wonderful conmercial and industrial progress, he declared - expanslon Of territory. once olo sields now occupied by handsome dwellings and stores, many fine school build ings added and every evidence pre- sented of wonderful material progress but impressively asktd Che preach er What of the cityg spiritual de- velopment and progressg He wished lt understood that he was no pess. mist. and that he did not overlook the bright side. but the dark spot is too large Look at your hurrying hustilng crowds Tn how many faces do you soc serious soul purpose? The young people are giving themselves over too largely to lrivolty and the quest of amusement leaves no time for the proper contemplation of the ser ious and vital things Of life. There is a serious neglect of filltag the mind with knowledge
 Few Think For Thenseive0
 Few people. comparatively speak lrg. think for themselves, and arc able to converse intelligently on great problems of the day. Why way out in the interior of Alaska people are better informed than many who have great advantages here. Raiment and the meat thpc perlshes seem to be ! the prevailing idols. Nor is the rai- ment worship confined Go the female sex exclusively Continuing he ask ed. How many of the women who speak on the street corners for suf- frage are willing to speak there on matters of spiritual concernT These criticisms, he ayers were not more applicable to Richmond than other communities. but were specially mo- tceable to @ visiting Richmonder af- ter an absence of many years The miasma of materialism Is sopping the spiritual force of the church too large iy and 1t is well for ms to look the situation squarely in the face and for the church to rally It's forces iu con formity with the Saviour's enuncia- ton of life's great truth that the body is more than raiment and the meat that perishes, and that the develop ment of the spiritual faculties is the vital concern of liie
 "The sermon was clothed in beauti- ! ful language. and delivered in a calm and impressive manner. commanding the undivided attention of the congre- gation
 Glad Hand Extended
 "At the conclusion of the service Q large number of tho minister's old friends fingered to give him the glad hand. including some who had come from the western part of the city All of the old Richmond boys chums and friends who cordially greeted him congratulated him upon his success ! ful career and even more promising future"
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