Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-13
WORLD MUST RETURN TO
CHURCH IN HOUR Of NEED
Rev. j. Lewis Gibbs breaches War
Sermon at Church OF the
Good Shepherd.
TEMPTATIONS OF NATIONS
Offered "All the Kingdoms of the
Earth" II They Will Bow Down
and Worship Greed and Selfish
ness and Oppression.

Taking for his text the ninth verse
or the fourth chapter OF Matthew,
"All those things will 1 give Thee II
Thou wilt fall down and worship me-"
Rev. j. Lewis Gibbs, rector Of the
Church Of the Good Shepherd, Forest
HILL brought out many new lines OF
thought in the presentation of his sub
ject Sunday morning. subject OF pc
culiarly vital interest ut this time
when the Kingdoms of the earth are
at war with each other.
In Imagination, Mr.. Gibbs carried
his audience with him up to the sum
NIT of that peak from whence could
be seen the Kingdoms of the world
spread out. panorama like. on every
side.
"Here before Him lay a vast field
OF human effort" declared the speak
er. Men were busy with the many
concerns of their life. On every side
could be seen the effect Of their in
gSiuity and wisdom. Rome had grown
powerful by her strength of arms. Her
ships piled the seas from port to port.
Her legions had carried the standard
of Caesar far and wide. In Greece
the love of the beautiful filled the
hearts OF men. and the subtle phil
osophy OF her great thinkers was
spreading even among those who had
conquered her. The world seemed
busy hive of activity. showing the
wonderful effects OF mans wisdom and
mans greatness.
Yet to the discerning eye Of the
Master all was not we'll Something
was lacking. some underlying force
was absent. What seemed to those
down in the midst OF the worlds ar
fairs to be the busy hum Of industry
reached lis cars as the discordant
note OF greedy self-seelsing. The cry
of the afflicted and oppressed, Of men
and women bound by the slavery Of
injustice. a cry smothered out by the
joyous shouts OF those on whom for
tune smiled. came up to Him standing
above 1t all. and touched His heart
with compassion"
CHRIST PUT BEHIND HIM
THE EASIER WAY
1t was at this psychological moment
Mr.. Gibbs went on to state that the
suggestion of evil intruded itself on
the thoughts of the Master-the feasi-
bility of adopting Satan's methods for
His own personal advancement In a
world which had shown the obvious
results of such methods, power and
might and personal ambition realized
and He. Himself. the head OF the en-
pires Of the world at last able to es-
tablish reign Of justice and right
eousness.
With sympathetic understanding
of the power of this suggestion. the
speaker followed out what must have
been the trend of thought of the Mas
ter, human as He was. as He considered
the attractive possibilities opened up be-
fore Him by the suggestions OF the
Prince Of Darkness, realizing ineVita-
bly,. however, that to yield to the temp
tation meant the admission that Satan
had rights and privileges Of sovereign
~ on earth, and incontrovertiole
claims on the souls of the sons of men.
And So" continued the speaker. the
Great Teacher of men turned His steps
down toward the wilderness Of mans
sin and ignorance again-put behind
Him the least thought of an easier and
quicker way and resolutely set Him
self to walk the road of suffering and
sorrow, to mingle with the lowly and
the humble of earth, to face human
WEAKNESS and defeat. to meet the an
cry denunciations of those He had
como to seek and to save. and finally
to toll up the rugged and painful steep
OF Calvary"
At this point, Mr.. Gibbs introduced a
thrilling comparison between condi-
tions existing at the time Of the Mas
ter's temptation and at the present
time when the world is in the throes
OF the greatest struggle known to his
tory.
once again" said MT. Gibbs. "in
these latter days we have been called
upon to ascend the mount Of tempta-
ton. To-day the church stands and
looks down upon the kingdoms of the
world The rising sun is
blotted out by the thick clouds of
smoke which roll across the eastern
horizon from the far-hung battle lines
of Europe. The song of those that la
Dor cannot drown the shrieks of the
dying or the waiing of the bereaved.
The fair fields Of earth are torn by
shot and she'll the green grass stained
with human blood. There is no peace.
But even this. awful as 1t is. is
not the only sign that confusion and
discord still reign. In every land the
hideous head of greed and covetousness
is raised. Not only on the battle fields
OF France and Flanders. but in every
city and hamlet, mans humanity to
man still makes countless thousands
mourn. Injustice and oppression.
hatred and selfshness-these things
still rend asunder the life Of man
kind-stili fill the world with the hope
less cries of the dying and the sorely
afflicted
EYE NUT TURN TO CHURCH
FOR HELP IN DAY OF TRIAL
ITO the church of God. standing as
she does in the place OF the Christ,
sent to carry on to completion the
great work which He began, commits
stoned to wrest victory out Of the ap-
parent defeat of the kingdom of God
on Calvary. our eyes must turn for
%S1sH7--