The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-15
BISHOP MORRISON
WRITES TO FLOCK
Head Of the Episcopal Diocese Of
Iowa Issues His Lenten Letter in
Which He Makes
Suggestions.
URGES EARTHQUAKES
Certain Social Obligations Should be
Given up in Order to Allow
Time for Church
Duties.
URGES FA1THFULNEss

copal diocese, has issued the follow
Ing letter to the members Of his
church throughout the state:
To the Reverend Clergy and Laity Of
the Diocese of Iowa:
Dear Brethren: What Is religion?
Religion Is fellowship with God, and
Fellowship means unity in thought, in
purpose and in feeling,
If man is entitled to the name of
christian he has accepted Christ as
his teacher and guide, his ideal, the
end for which he lives. He is learn
Ing to think with Jesus our Lord, to
feel with Him, to purpose with Him.
To be christian, means to make
Gods point OF view, as revealed in
Jesus Christ, our own.
But our Lord Jesus in His own con-
seriousness, His actions and in His
clear teachings has fellowship with
both God and man.
Il do not know whether your con-
science will accuse you of living sell
fishly, giving to man and the service
Of men only the crumbs Of time, OF
energy, of money which fall from the
table where you are trying to get all
you can for yourself out of life, but i
do know that many of us are not real
ly christians-that-is, men who are
learning to think and feel with Jesus
our Lord in his consciousness of God
an6, his delight in Him.
IF it is really so that you are in
deed as well as in fine works loving
your neighbor as yourself, Gods
blessing for time and eternity rests
upon you,-b such one. above all
other men, needs courage and hope,
belief that there is a God of love and
Righteousness ruling the world. The
problems are very perplexing, evil
strongly entrenched, progress very
slow. The worker for men needs God.
But whether you be really chris
tian Or not. as touching the love Of
your neighbor, one thing is certain,
life as 1t goes on Is very dark and
lonely without a consciousness that
life itself means something, has pur-
pose and a goal, and you need to
know God as Jesus knew Him.
Many people drift into indifference
and lack of faith, come at last into
darkness, are without God, simply be-
cause they fill their minds with every
thing else but the great and illumin-
ating and inspiring truth that back OF
all things is an Infinite intelligence,
an infinite love, an infinite energy, re-
vealed to men in terms we can under
stand in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Do you want light? Do you want to
live in the light? Do you want the
peace which passeth understanding?
Make this Lent new start in COM
munion with God. Learn to pray. Go
to as many of the services as you can
n ar1v y,orcicfQnt1v 90
If you feel disinclined, dull, dead
Make proof OF God See If the eter-
nal mind and the eternal love cannot
reach you and flood your conscious
ness with warmth and light. See II
the life which quickens and sustains !
all things will not quicken your beins
ship with itself.
Matthew'S over and over again during
good book for you to read carefully |
yond Life" study of Immortality, by !,
Charles Lewis Slattery. D. D.
Remember that the church bids US |
make more time during Lent for spe-
cial services, religious reading and
HeultdIioh, ny SANhS w Gal ooSiaA eH-
gagements.
The church bids US for these forty
days to cut out of our thoughts things
which would distract us.
"a faithful and consistent member
Of the church does not go to parties,
to the thssater. or indulge in ordinary
social festivities during Lent.
1.-THE question is not whether such
or ~ x ~ on,
wrong. The church leaves such mat
ters to the judgment ana conscience
of the individual, only teaching that
good is at all times to be sought and
evil avoided that there ought tn be
and moderation In all
things, and that amusement ought to I
be only the fringe on the robe Of life,
not its warp and wool.
The church bids you give up these
things during Lent in order that you
may free yourself from distractions,
have a more open mind, be more re-
ceptive to suggestion.
"You could not possibly keep the
whole year free from external engage
You could not concentrate for
all the days of the year, but you can
do it to your souls benefit for these
forty days.
Finally. make a testing of yourself:
Are you as personality strong. or
1oes the flesh-pulse. desire. appetite,
whim rule you? Like an animal do
you always try to do as you please?
Can you say MOI" Can you mortify i
he lower nature? Can you live by a
principle and take the consequences?
Well test and discipline yourself Il
or these forty days. Fast on Ash
Wednesday and Good Friday. Make
every other day in Lent day of alb
,tinence At some point come to the
elf CONSCIOUSNESS. that pnu can and