Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-28
cooks TO AMERICA FOR
LEADERSHIP AFTER WAR
BURDEN OF Reconstruction Will Fall
- on This Country, Says
DR.. Mott.
LATE ENTRY IN IT'S FAVOR
Respite OF Two Years and Nine
Months Enjoyed by United States
- Will Leave II Strongest After
Conf1ict-EndS Series of Lectures.

Confiict-Ends Series of Lectures.
America will have its greatest on
portunitS for leading and moldins the
world when the war comes to close.
declared Dr John L. Mott yesterday
afternoon occurring in tho auditorium
OF Richmond College on Facts and
Considerations i'll Connection With the
wsr That Are Favorable 10 tho Chris
tian Religion" Tho lecture was the
third and concluding ono Of tho series
delivered this week at tho college by
Or. Mott on the James Thomas Ir.
Foundation.
when this war is over. the other
nations will he so exhausted physical
IL and economically. and so weak In
hope and courage and faith. that the
United States, with its energies com
paratively unspent, may take such a
part in reconstructins the world as
vas undreamed of by the forefathers
Even II the United States has to go
to the extremes OF sacrifice on ac-
count OF the war as Great Britain and
France have gone. she has entered two
years and nine months later than they
and cannot possibly he so weakened
when peace comes. AS we have been
unusually favored. therefore. will
be, held accountable for greater
achievement.
EUROPE IN MELTING Tot.
- SAYS COLLEGE LECTURER
Europe Is In the melting pot to-day.
OLD ideas and old customs have been
torn down all over the continent from
England TO Turkey. and all things
may become new. Whatever good Is
to result will come to pass not be-
cause OF tho war, but because of lead
ers who see the vision and take ad-
vantage OF their opportunity. say
unto tho American people. AS your
faith, 40 be II unto YOU
There are three notes which 7 pray
America may sound to the world at
rho end OF this war. May she keen
free from bitterness and hatred such
rs ,poisons many hearts in Europe.
and retain her spirit on the high plane
ret IN tho war message OF the Presi
dent. May she lift UP lgh, OF hope
In the darkness enveloping the world.
to which the saddened nations may look
for encouragement And may every
ono place himself unselhshly at the
disposal Of his country and OF the
Lord Jeaus Christ to answer every call
without reservation or hesitation"
One Of the best things the war has
done, said DR.. Mott. was to reveal TO
organized Christianity its own short
comings. 1t showed that the old foun-
dations were slipping.
TRUE CHRISTIANITY MIGHT
HAVE AVERTED WAR
at often ask myself what might
Christianity have done that It did not
do which would have prevented the
war. Suppose all the forces Of Chris
tianity had been earnestly at work
trying to promote friendly relations
between the different nations. Sup
pose they had striven to find good and
lovable qualities in other nations. In
stead OF disagrceable qualities. Sup
,pbse the Christians OF each nation had
thrown out strands OF helpfulncss to-
ward the others particularly toward
their rivals. and had tried to find means
of serving one another. suppose. final
ly, that Christians the world over had
united in prayer for Il continuance OF
peace and good Will Can any one
doubt that the awful struggle would
have been averted
We have seen the error OF the old
method OF international dealing and
are trying to ind a better way. In
spite OF the miljtaristic forces Al work
in Germany. have reviewed hun
dreds OF books and pamphlets written
in that nation sine. the beginning Of
the war which say THAI there must he
some other means Of settling differences
between nations In all lands the pe"-
end war"
WAR RENEA kS STRENGTH OF
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN BONDS
Despite the failure Of Christianity
to stop the war Providence had Il hand
in knitting together the bonds OF
Christianity between the nations he
fore the outbreak of the struggle. Be
cause of the leaven Of brotheriY love
al work in each OF the beiiiserent ma
49,, II
continue for forty years and more as
they did after The Franco -Prussian
War. ] nave seen the greatest miracle
since the time Of Christ in the fact
that some believers in the pure Chris
tian religion in AL! lands have kept
free from bitterness There men
in England France and Germany who
offer daily prayers for their enemies
and do acts OF Kindness to them.
III ] had no other evidence for my
belief besides what have seen among
the Christians in All the conteniinE
parties. should he obliged in intellec-
tual honesty TO say with Thomas My
Lord and my God
THE war has revealed, as possibly
nothing else could have done. the
strength of the international Chris
tan bonds. While social, commercial
and academic ties hay. been severed
the ties OF religion still maintain some
ihtegrity. In spite Of the sad disscn-
sions that have arisen. The leaders
of the international missionary move
ment in each country are planning to
perpctuate tho unity of their orGaniaa-
ton and continue their work after the
war.
STUDENT CHnIsTI\N MOVEMENT
ACTIVE ~ ALI. COZ \rHIES
"'rhc world student christian move
ment and the Young Mems Christian
Association are active in al! countries
and have no intention Of breaking up
after the struggle The British and
Foreign Bible Society sin carries on
IT'S work in Berlin. Vienna. Warsaw.
Belgrade and Constantinorlc
DIR. nctt made IL clear that the lead
cTs of the various movements mention
ed were intensely patriotic and We're
!aboring under no delusion tina, there