Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-16
THE CHURCHES AND
TO-DAY'S SERVICES


the transferring OF righteousness from
one person to another. and the now
view states very plainly that riyhtc-
BUSINESS comes not in airy such mira GU
lous way. but as a gradual growth in
the individual soul. Through the cE-
ample and Inspiration OF Jesus and Of
all great followers of Jesus and those
OF His spirit. every one Of us, little
by little. is able to make more of our
lives and advance towards Il more per-
feet manhood and woInanhood.
TO proceed. the old views or saliva
ton emphasized escape from punish
ment. According To the old view. when
person Is saved. he believes he is
saved in the next life from punishment
According TO tho modern view. saliva
ton Is not conferred In the next life
! at all. but in this life: the escaping
from Sin here and now. That is the
tremendous difference. The whole
scheme Of salvation has been complete
| ~ upset. and We look now upon saliva
ton as life OF righteousness. a life
OF truth. life OF character. Not an
escape from punishment. We have to
meet our pun!shmcntS. They are ac-
cordinE to the eternal laws of God.
but We may escape sin and worthless
ness. and enter into the real strong
things which go to make character II
Is the strength OF the good life here
und now which has the heart Of saliva
ton i'll II.
HOPE DOES nor
CEASE WITH DEATH
The old-fa shiorcd view looked upon
this life in different way This life
was SIMPLY life OF probation where
1t should be finally decided where we
were to pass the rest Of cternity The
now view again is different Here we
may lay eternal foundations to be
cure but hop: does not cease with
death. Life IL u progressive thing. and
often II We have made bad mistakes
mere. 1t does not mean that eternal
hope IL shut out. In the progress of
life. wc have the daily problems and
| temptations. and each has to be met as
We go along. Life is not finished here
Opportunity is not finished here Ard
on the other hand. in the next v rid
theie may be many fallinEs and STUN
biinss as in this. but no stumbling
means eternal despair. because eternity
Is ever before us-cternity in which
We may ever make something Of our
selves. This does rot ill US with
iaziness. for every moment becomes
more precious in the light OF the
eternal and the greatness Of daily con
sccration flows into our souls with 4
new meaning
According to the old -fashioned idea
you could be saved once and for all.
You simply had to go through tho
{ - E
! ter that YOU need not worry. Accord
ing TO the new view. life is an entirely
, Ginerent matter. 1t is Il thing which
Is progressive-a matter of growth
progress. development a woman goes
out into her garden 10 tend her asters
Sh" loosens the earth and waters them.
But II the next week she ncEiects
/ them, they will not grow their best.
she cannot tend TO them just once and
Tor all. and expect she is going TO get
her full glow Of blossoms. Thus saliva
ton is Il daily mattcr-a question Of
daily progress and growth and develop
mcnt. SO you see. If. becomes a far
more vital and interesting thing than
This once -for-all scheme which
made oi this life - period Of probation
IN which was decided in a nomen,
where the soul was TO pass eternity
LIFE AND CHARACTER ARE
TIL: ESSENTIAL THING
Ana again according 10 the old be-
lief. the essential thing was not life.
mus, accept mentally the scheme OF
salvation. the blood Of the Christ.
That was the essential thing. And II
one aid not accept 1t. no matter how
good one might be- hell was sure Sow.
the new view Of salvation saws tina.
pcI!ci Is not tnc essential thing hut
mat iifc character. is the essential
thing. That. no matter what you may
believe. unless Your character is ever
IN the ma king. then YOU arc in a bad
way indeed: that the supreme. obiec,
OF life Is the making OF character.
Beliefs help us to make character 70
DC sure. for wc often make our ideaIs
through beliefs. but without the fol-
lowing out OF these ideals then all
turns to ashes. The placing Of belief
secondary TO character Is "A very vital
difference between the old and thu,
new Tn" old conception which used
to declare that righteousness is only
htthy raSs. meets with little sympa-
thy In this modern time when we
realize that what God is trying TO do
prc-cmincntly with us is the making
OF men and women. and join in thar
making-to the extent we cooperate
with Him, We are bringing about the
divine purpose of our lives
Thus. salvation is way OF saliva
ton. If We wish to keep the old word
which Is SO often used. Salvation ia
the life which progresses. which grows,
which meets the daily problems. The
way of salvation lies through tho
building OF the trucr character. Char
Eas,an ~ sI>~elE n