The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-10
NEED DEEP THINIlke
MEN TO HEAD uAI|l
SoutIislde Pastor Also Tells Of uUs
Such Men Arc Essential 20
Churches. ID

The Ministry OF Science" Tho
fourth Of a series on the Ministry IN
Doctrine" was the theme from whtcMz
Rev. +. Wayne Long, pastor OF Co.
wardin Avenue Christian ChurcH{%
talked last night before congre9xn
ton that packed the South Ricnns0id
editice Mr.. Long said in part:
There are certain voices We newer
hear until We are alone. and NsteU2
III silence, for God works most poW$F
erfully through the silent forces. The
man wis denies himself silent houf4
is cutting off his greatest ayenHc or
strength. business men, ministerS,
I all alike. need often To draw neaEa
the great heart on nature and near
God az He speaks throuSh the flow
ers, the babbling brook, the whispers
ing, alone with his sheep and GiOdsl
men were reared in the country.H
! Moses had forty years Of silent Trains
ing, alone with his ship and God.
In the city we commune with men. II
the mountain top we stand face ~
face with our Creator
the mightiest forces of nature Arr
silent The snowflake is mightter
than the raindrop, the lightning niore
powerful than the thunderholt. The
sunshine is more effective than this
cyclone. Real growth. whether ply
steal. mental or moral 10 silent.
silence is often a signal mark 0ks
greatness Whoever talks nuchs
learns little. When one makes great
I noise he cannot hear. In Theses dAy95
, of industrial upheaval. social unrestss
/ the intouation of war and the danger
! of being hurled into this vortex or
/ destruction, we need deep thinkfnxeN
! strong minded men to guide our nA~s
+ ton, We need men who study COM
! ditions and weigh conclusions. who
| are slow to anger and just to ali.s
! How fortunate to have such a man IT.
! the head OF our nation.
Church Needs Such Men.
NO less than the nation--yea. even
/ more urgently-does the church need
men who know the blessedness OF
m Inward Stiffness men who can shut
/ out the world and in perfect silenceS
! learn Gods will and renew fhSlkS
wasted energies from His strength.
I'm these modern days we are tauKAts
! to be active-to emphasize work ratheRs
/ than PRAYER. How different our strenA
nous life from that of our fathersss
/ True. they were not perfect. They
often risinterpreted the signs OF the
! times, hut when they spoke their word4l
were freighted with wisdom. Theirs
Sa bba this were those Of quiet aud rev..
erence, and their sacred family altar
was silent force for good.
I The thunder of the cartwheels fO-s
/
Of the electric dynamo, the mad ruehs
OF humanity, threaten to drown tnas
/ silent voices Of the past. We have not
| exactly lost this legacy of the pAns.s
| but we do not use n as we sbCuld-
! We too often forget that 70 he st1c-
| cessfu In this busy age, as veil ~
in the past, a still and secret life with
! God must energize all holy laborB-
| There are other songsters az sseefs
| us the nightingale. but Its music
means more. because all the world ~
! hushed, y
Shut Door 80 World.
| Said a business man to his partnes
/ At the other end of the phone. wh0a
/ could not hear: Shut The door ana
keep out the noise We need to shut
the door 10 The world aud listen only
10 God To hear the spirinal we need
to listen
God Is not in the storn1--fTis II the
/ still and small voice. He is not eastIy.
found in the crowd, but in the auietudAs
! of the home. It may be He is waiting
] TO speak to us He did to SamudNs
An the auietness OF the night.
1T is difficult to persuade childIeny
/ to be quiet: they are restless, carer
alert and as the mother says. Hushss
I be still. go to sleep, $50 does God speak
/ to MS. His children. How silent II this
house of mourning. How lightly 49,
tread How low we whisper,
! ITO be boisterous would he rudess
We don't like those hours. but even
death has blessings In disguise. He
saws: BE still and know ] am Cod
! And what is death but the whisper O.
! God saying; BE still and thou shAle.
/ know And when we awaken from%
! such slumbers we shall be satisfied ana
know that He is God, and that VIII
! be heaven"