Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-05-18
Sermon ou Food Production.

Sermon GU Food Production.
In every national crisis of the
past, the church has borne her
part. Today we are facinga great
spiritual crisis, combined with a
greater material crisis than the
world has known before.
The safety of our country in the
great war is directly in the hands
of the farmers. This is true be
cause unless we can feed ourselves
and feed the men who are fighting
for us across the water the great
cause which we have Joined will
will be lost. The President him
self has appealed to the farmers,
but the co operation ofthc preach
ers will add greatly to the strength
of this appeal.
Our food crops last year wcr,
relatively small. Consequently
the food reserves of the Who'll,
world are low. This year The
promise is no better. Our winter
wheat crop is likely to be fifty
million bushels below the las.
Que, while our reserve Of meats ii
storage is one hundred miIliol
pounds short Of the normal.
At this great time the most i'm
portant thing to be done in the
service of our country and on hu
mainly is to raise more food.
The South does not support
herself with food. The food sh,
imports from the North and West
and which she herself could easily
raise, amounts each year to Tire
vast sum Of seven hundred million
dollars.
In this hour of the Nations ncc(
the South should feed herself
1t is the patriotic duty of tn,
Southern farmer to increase his pro
duction ofstaplc food crops, such u.
corn, pigs, cattle, velvet beans ant
peas. 1t is also to his advantage tt
do so. The farmer who plantsmor,
food serves his country and help,
himself. The Southern farmer will
either get his price or he can us,
the food he raises himself instead
of importing it from the North
Even though the war should stop
the huge demand for food will con
tinue and increase, for in tia
event Germany and Austria ais,
would have to come to us. Tn
whole world is short, and dc al
we can, there is no chance tina
the supply will equal what i
needed.
Wonderful is the chance 70 use
tulness you have Just now to he'll
the members of your flock, to hcl
your country, to help the world
and at the same time to help tn
church or churches to which vo.
minister.
If the churches will lend a hand
the great campaign for more foo,
will be won. Here is your chanc
to serve now. If YOU will talk
this task in hand, there will /
more food for the starving wome
and children of Belgium, for tn
orphans of France, and for tn
men in the trenches, who are fght
ing our battles,
The call is to the church. !
will be a national misfortune an
a calamity to the church if hC
chosen ministers neglect or fail
exercise their natural leaderShi
in the great cause of feeding
world in need.
The planting season is alread
far advanced. If we are not to b
found wanting, the earliest poSSi
BILE action will be none too Soor
See your friends, enlist their SUI
port in this modern crusade an
lend the power of your own pei
sonal influence.
On Sundays you have been i
the habit of speaking the word c
Eternal Life to your people; in thi
solemn time another "word is mig
thee, even in thy mouth Thi
word shonld be spoken in ever
church, in every preachers grouI
of churches. 1t is a word base,
on our country's need that tn
farmers should come to the he'll
of a world menaced by hunger
We earnestly requestthat you max.
this plea to your people next Sun
day.