Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-10-02

concede, very large percentage of
people who never go to church or at
tend any of these institutions. When
the mountain would not come to Nah
omet, he went to the mountain, and
the churches should realize they are
performing their whole duty, if they
do no more than simply maintain plac-
es to which those who have never felt
the power and force OF religion, may
come, if so inclined?
Christ went out in the highways
and by-ways after them, and COM
manded those who received him to
do likewise. Are we doing this! Let
us ask ourselves the question IN all
seriousness and candor. Are we
making even an effort to reach this
class of people, 1he non-church-gc'Tg
element, and the outcast VINO have
been socially ostracised, living IN
immoral Environments, and breathing
an immoral atmosphere. say what
are the churches doing in our CEN
tiers of population to bring this class
of people under the influence and
saving power of the Gospel of the
Son of God? Religious life in the in
dividual or church, must either go
forward or retrograde, and realizing
this fact, isn't it time We were max
ing ourselves more effective powers
for community as well as individual
uplift?
Whilst there is much being ac-
complished in simple, transformations
way as result of this force in the
lives of those engaged therein, will
not a united Christian effort and ac-
tivity along these lines pave the way
for greater results by doing the
work upon the plane of the "funda-
mentals of christianity" upon which
We are working unhampered by any
intrusion of pure UNCONVENTIONAL diff
ferences? In union there is strength,
ind there is n1thing more ennobling
than loving service. "God is love" "
Love begets love, and the proof of
love is service. If the churches, both
clergy and laity, would do their whole
duty along these lines, dominated
bv love of God and humanity, and
prove that love by service, what Won
derful results would follow! What a
wonderful work would be accomplish
ed. for the uplift of individual lives
and also for the uplift of COM
munity life. We need such a spirit,
spirit of love and interest for our
fellowmen.
It does seem sometimes that we
forget our privileges, lose our in
tcrest and convictions. We have Of
ten looked out upon the world some
mornings when the leaves and grass
es were wet with heavy dew-just
wet and heavy. nothing more. but
presently as We watched, the sun
arose, and shone about us, and To-!
the leaves, roses and grasses were
hung with rubies and diamonds, sap
phircs and cmcralds-jcwcls that a
king might envy, scattered every
where, flashing and sparkling and
twinkling and shining. 1t does seem
sometimes that the things we do
are like that, heavy, dull and cheer
less, until the Divine truth in and
about US shines in, but they are
what God wants done. How they shine
then, for unless we help, how shall
God save the sinner, feed the hungry,
clothe the naked, and comfort the
distressed and sorrowful? Is there
any other way? The ministry of
angels is most times, methinks, the
touch of some ready human hand;
We must believe in humanity; we
don't know, at least some of US, how
many worlds and systems of worlds
stretched away in the mighty space
of the sky, nor how many perfect
beings honor and adore the Creator
of all.
But We know that God loves hu-
manity, and that He loves us as in
dividuals, and that individual effort
counts for something 1t was the re-
Spouse of many dew drops that made
the morning radiant; the sun need
ed the dew drops, and the dew drops
need the sun; we are needed. God
loves US and needs plain and simple
folks as well as the educated, refined
and cultured. He needs the very best
We can do. He needs our real, true
selves. No "personating" will do.