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

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space to any person who desires 70
make comment upon matters Of gen
eral interest to the public. Writers
will of course be responsible for their
ntterances. a guarantee Of good
faith the name and address OF tho
writer of any article submitted Tor
nnh,icotion will be required in each
instance. EDITOR Gazette:
Atlantic City, N. j., Sept. %, 1916.
Editor of the Gazette:
Your correspondent finds himself
comfortably esconced in the City by
the Sea enjoying the salt water
breezes sur-charged with ozone, as
sistipg nature in her work OF recupe-
ration from the effects Of hospital
exnerience of six weeks or more.
And If wa. with reluctance that ne
sbook the dust off his feet in the
citv of "Cobblestones and Anclentl-
citvn and turned his back on the IN
teresting services that are being held
in our city under the leadership OF
cvnsv Smith, Jr., which are stirring
onr old town as never before along
religious lines.
T have been thinking Of his many
enierams, taken from the Bible and
simply paraphrased. For instance, i
had rather build a fence around a
nrecipice than a hospital at the bot
TOM, "save the old man and you'll
save a soul, save the boy and you
have a multiplication table" In
other words, when you save the boy
Won not only save soul, but a life OF
usefulness and service for God.
Your correspondent has just read
with interest, the sermon of Rev.
Gypsy Smith, jr,. as reported IN the
Gazette "If Christ should come to
Alexandria" based upon the scrip
ture, "There was no room for them
in the inn" and "He came unto his
own, bat his own received him not
was a mastery arraignment OF the
Indifference and luke warmness OF
professors of religion. have enjoy
ed reading it so much, taking to my
self my measure of responsibility
along these lines, and whilst l am
being deprived of the pleasure OF
hearing him from the rostrum, owing
to circumstances over which have
no control, still I am thankful that ]
| can keep in touch with his sermons
! through the Alexandria Gazette, the
synopsis of which is so ably given in
| every issue, covering those services
"The Gypsy Smith Campaign" has
had the effect of convincing the mem
bers of the various churches in our
city that religion is not fad OR a
fancy. Nor is it thing of outward
show or a set of ceremonies or OBJ
/
servances, nor respectable cloak Tor
us to wear, to seem we'll CARRIED spirit
ually. Real religion is force
a mighty power, which changes the
Lives of those in whom it operates
and sets them to work to bring others
under the same influence. Relig-
ion is something to be grateful for,
so that in turn their lives may be
| changed for the better, and as a
community is but an aggregation OF
individuals and the force that changes
the lives of the individuals, also vi
| tally effects the community life.
In the story of the Galilian Teach
er, we have a revelation of Gods
love revealed in Jesus CHRIST. Take
living service OUT Vi the life OF the
blessed Master aai y"u take from
it the noblest life ever lived on earth
and take living service out Of our
lives, and nothing is left of Chris
tianity and the name Christian ought
not to be applied. Some of us arc
keeping and enjoying our property in
our wives names, and some of us
are trying to do the same with our
religion, but it won't work. Why?
Because religion is prominently the
individual concern of each person.
There has seemed to be much re-
ligion and religious activity in our
churches, Sunday schools, leagues,
religious and normal institutions and
associations which we thought to be
operated upon up-to-date principles,
thoroughly equipped to meet the de-
mands of the cause of the blessed
Master. Yet, with al these appliances
and modern methods, they seem to
fail to attract for there are, We must