Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-04
The Conservation
OF Social Life
sermon b..
KEN. FLOYD ". rONkINS.
TcAt: {. Cor. IL. 1913.

"hcn God said. 1T is no, good that
inc man should be alone" Genesis ill.,
~. lie established tn. great principle
or social life which has obtained
through all human history. Ana J"sG,
'hrlst made that principle broader and
"ccpcr whcn He declared that love for
on" nclghbor is as necessary as love
Tor God and that the two must 20 to
eether in human life. Yes. ana tn"
"'"r Lord eInpha sized the principlI
hrS', by leaving Heaven To save tho
thi!hren Of men. and. second. by dr-
cIhrins Gods lov. FOR all Ills CHI
dreh. and. third. BY gathering about
linn body OF friends who formed the
nucleus OF the Christian Church. Tho
family, the Church. the nation and tho
world are all OF divine origin and
prove the lov" ana the viii Of God
our Father.
rhis wonderfully cxai,s our social
iii" and makes our friendships. our
pleasures ana our mutual service holy.
When love my family and pray 70!
my dear ones. when meet my broth
"rs. when am III Tia. midst Of crowds
OF people, when think OF my Couu-
Try and when worI, fut missions /
am fulfilling Gods wili. We are every
one members one az nnothci C:ou.
Mi. - when work and when
am making my lie what Goa would
havc II TO bo
And this is a truth need - learn
to-day. Tn. sad things which ~" de
lorc-unhappiness and separation ~
families, personal dis!ik"s ana ami
'nositics. harmful auus.n"nt". Wars
and tumults -"ouiI all disappear II
could only rem. mb"r that we arc
all brothers and thai We must help
onc anot'cr IN love 1; i the lack Of
social strength that leads - suspi
cion. cnmity tnd bitterness. Trust
comes through Christian fellowship.
GOD WISHES All. OF u
no SEEK HAPPINESS
God wishes US To be happy. but He
would have us seek happiness with e
mind 10 the needs Of others II may
wcil he questioned whether happiness.
real happiness can hc gained wher"
sclfshncss enters. !or Sclf-CcDter"H
emotion IS always suDerfciai and hay
in:; depth il suffers reaction. That
is why So man: emotional people have
such gloomy hours. Thinlinp OF them
selves asd desiring th"ir own pleasure.
their vision of sunshine dark"ns int"
present misery before they arc aware
Of H. and th"y arc forced - seek som"
Now excitement until their faded emo
lions rchci. and mental moral and
j spiritual death ensures.
"a Cod wishes ~ 10 l." h.ppy. say.
hu; not with the h=ppiucsT az auimtiS.
Fic mas m'hC u. 'Hlt" ~" OF hlE 'h'NSS.
Tire rclir ,cus ~" l. not sadness but
Righteousness and p"a,c and JOY IN
;hc Holy Ghost, The Fatucr delights
III ,Ac laughter OF littlc children. Ills
messages are full OF cheer for ihcs"
who love Him When men gather To-
-cther He gives songs and friendship
To bind them N brotherhood. II" opens
thoir eyes 10 500 hig opportunities lie
make ih"m giroua to rcbuh" evil. No
ono can study tho NE % Christ and
TO-. 81 ttRt. hale
delight az Their COMPREHENSIVE, whi'h
silently. bu; surely forms The UNDER
tnnc Of their story. 80 should 4 hc
/:o-dsy when We meet 10 worship "r
whom in isolation ~" inGividualli talk
NEW SPIRIT APPARENT ~
REI.iGiOt GATHERINGS
tm impressed with tho rise Of q
nov socia! spirit pcrvadIng all our -.
!i-ious gatherings. When :rca,
church convention is held there is not
only OF chiefly discussion - I" laws
and doctrines, nor docs even missiom-
AIRY work among tho heather. imi.or-
tant though that -, occupy all the
time The questions OF mutual need.
of neglected folk. .. injustice. OF inn,
purity and wrong com" up FOR action.
AID ;hc common III. is considered. II
is a hopetu sign. For really. When
one stops 10 think. TN" nineteen CEN
turtles of christianity haN" not brought
such human progress toward pcrfeC>
zion as might have expected. ana
the reason lies largely in personal ana
national sclnshncss. Men have looked
TO their own Individual advancement
and not 10 the advancement OF the
race. Their grasp q: tile situation has
been narrow. Great principles hav.
not held the hand "f power. but only
little. and often unworthy. preferences.
In spite Of the some wha; chaotic stat.
Of society to-day, cannot but think
arc changing our course. and while
. the attack upon tremendous problems
is many-coicrcd ana sometimes wild.
there is coming to the birth AT last
social instinct which draws men to-
Gether. and which is leading them
nearer TO Cod.
Conditions which we're once taken
for granted are now refused count"-
nance. Just rs slavery was ignored
and then the world cried out that Il
must go. SO intcmperancc and impur!ty
and dishonesty and. injustice and ever.
poverty arc noted now hostile to
noble progress and men are seeking
how to Danish them. II is all hopefu
though In tho dust OF battle we cannot
see tho end clearly II is the social
life which is seeking conservation II
is the Christ message Of love which is
{ having hearing and which will not
] hc sienccd. We can even interpret
s this awful worlds war in terms or
social welfare. and find cause for
hope. though the tumult is so full OF
SHOULD LEAD STRONG
TO HELP TIIF. WEAK
Tho social life should always lead
tho strong "a help III" weak. and the
weak gladly to accept help froH the
StrouE. Those who OosScSs must not
think that what thy haN" is their
own to use as thcS' please. for all
have IL trust. for tho inst use Of
which tho Divine Givcr will ask re-
port. And those who weak aud
possess little must not think that they
arc losing any S"lf-rcspcct when thcv
accept from the strong and tho rich
We arc ali Ia share the good things
which God has given
This truth lies at INC root OF cGu-
cation and has given birth TO schools
ana colleges: but it is coming moro
slowly to tho front in the matter OF
morality and economy. The privileges
of men are not considered as wealth TO
he distributed. hut SLOW ~ We arc
learning that :hc Joy and so ;hc right