Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-24


and every day hereafter open its doors
from 10 until o'clock in order that
people who feel so inclined may seek
| the seclusion OF it's Snncity for prayer.
y service OF intercesSion" will be held
every day ut noon In tho church, con-
Quoted by one of the Episcopal minis
| terS in the city.
! In explanation of this action on tho
part of ST. Paurs. Rev. w. Russell
Bowie. ID. D.. in his sermon yesterday
said: Men and women are inclined to
pray in these present days with real
| ity which they have previously seldom
or never known. This war. and all it's
crowding Implications, its partings, it's
apprehensions, it's forcshadowings of
sorrow. wake us out OF our selfish COM
placency. Love and longing arc stirred
to their very depths. From every side
| there press upon us human nced, which
we would fain try t, satisfy. Yet. when
we look within the house Of our souls.
we realize that as concerns the great
est gifts, 1t may be empty. We want
to pray, or rather, first we want to
learn to pray. We feel the naturalness
OF such service of intercession as
that which will be held every day in
this church. ] am sure that to count
less hearts within this city the service
Will appear at once not as mere for
mality, which happens to have been de-
vised, and to which loyal church people
may feel 1t their duty to make an occa-
| sional effort TO come On the contrary,
II Will be recognized as the expression
of that which they have already known
they needed or desired"
SOLEMN RESPONSIBILITY RESTS
ON OFFICERS OF NEW ARMY
which he brought TO the congregation
OF st. Paurs yesterday morning was
taken from St Luke lies: "a friend OF
mine in his journey has come to me-
and have nothing to set before him"
Confidence in tho results of prayer was
the theme upon which the minister
played. and the fact that in the face
Of the great needs which confront us
at the present time. we cannot be other
than unSelfish.
Here are men," said DR.. Bowie, who
have gone out to the solemn new re-
sponsibilitics of officers in the army.
The army which they arc to help COM
mand is unique in the life of America
IT Is not part OF the old regular SER
vice. 1T Is created absolutely anew, out
OF the vast general body OF the people
1t has no traditions, as yet, either fut
good or evil 1t has still to find and
shape It's own spirit. to fashion for it
self its own soul.
what that army will be will depend
more than upon any other one thing.
on the measure Of spiritual vision and
devotion which inspire the men who
command its units. Officers of technical
SIKH may make an army efficient In n
mechanical military sense, but only 4
body of officers who themselves are
men. In the fullest. finest sense, can
make an army that is worthy of the
pest possibilities Of American man
hood Officers who are foul in speech
III
vail as inevitably as physical conta-
Eion in the men, who instinctivcly tako
their cue from them.
CAN HAVE GREAT
EFFECT on MEMS LIVES
Officers who, because Of their own
uhdisciplined living. are cynical Of the
possibility of high standards of moral
conduct will disintegrate whatever
high idealssm there may have been
among their men. And, on the other
hand. men who take their lieu;enancics
and their captaincies, or their still
hisher ranks. with the solemn, holy
sense or their own responsibility, can
help the hundreds and thousands who
come under their leadership to be tho
better for that association. 1t is the
men who realize what their leadership
ought to be who will feel now most
Acutely the sense of their own lac,,
coincidence that they can instruct tbcir
commands in the obvious military ac.
'Nit1es-that they can whip the raw
recruits into unit which knows how
10 drill to handle their arms. to do
trenches. and to manage artillery. But
BACK or All these things lies the greater
Nueslioh: Can they help these men
whom they discipline in ranks 10 Lam
seif-disciDline when they ar. outside
the ranks? Can they give their COM
p"hies not only knowledge, but moralso
Ian they inspire In them such an adj
niiration for sobriety, for purity and
lot honor that they will be saved fro,,
the collapse OF character. which Is tha
..a.est OF all failures. fashioned into
'he 1horai sturd!ness which is essential
70 the true successo
MEN ARE MOVING TO
CASTOSMEcNTS ny PIJOrSAyns
Surely it is no far-off question
which is here. BY cvcry ROAD wh;oh
ieaos 10 the environments, they are mov-
me now by the thousands and tons op
'houSands-thesc boys from their scat
eu MONIES. We see them go in the
troop trains In the daytime. We c,n
near the rumble OF the wheels in tho
ihey are going. many OF them.
~ Sp'e or their laughter and their
brave playfulness, with concnnIaa
"'sanict as to the strange new Iifs into
"hich they are entering. InouirinrI,
ana "ohderingly they go. They are
going on what is for many of ,hem -
very Tar Journey divorce from hon.
ana al the sanctions and loves OF home
rom all the sweet and stcadyine
tr,. ale OF the Intimate opinion Of
| friends they have known. Thaw Ill ~
n se., !ost' at first. among strangers. ana
n,'u themselves heset by the temptation
W. noral recklessness which n man
| ~ escape. "' SCARCE
", am sure" continued DR.. Bowie.
~ mere are officers who are looking
,o.oay nj these men coming one Inv On o
! snto ,nclr care and seeing in them
n n,,o,, rar more impressive than so
nv W.. inlli'ary material. They are see
ing them as their brothers from ~.
1000 Tiood and bone of this great nation,
iheir hearts arc saying within them !.
selves. a friend has come to me I'm ht.
Journey. And then they will ,oni,
WITHIN the stores OF their own moral
! ana spiritual resources and saw wiz
] M