South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-30
W A R SHOULD NOT
HURT FAITH IN COD
Rev. C. A. Decker Believes
Faith Not Deep if Lost Dur
ing Present Crisis.

That the present world condition
should not tend 10 destroy faith i'm
God but rather 10 increase il was the
conclusion drawn by Rev. c. A.
Decker, pastor OF the First Baptist
church in his sermon Sunday on do
Present World Conditions Tend to
Destroy Faith i'm God" When YOU
hear a man who has lost faith I'm
God because Of current world condi-
tons you may fairly conclude that
he did not have a vital faith TO start
with asserted the pastor.
Rev. Decker said in part:
IT is easier 20 give calm consider
alton 10 this subject than it was two
years ago. There has been a pro
cess going on by which the atmos-
phere has been clarified. We have a
better understanding of the causes
and motives that lie back of the
world war. 1t is pretty clear now
who started the trouble and the rea.
sons why.
Not All Faith Destroyed.
NO doubt the faith Of some has
been destroyed, but they are not
among those who have thought very
deeply on the subject What is the
situation I'm the countries most af-
fected by the war? In England and
France faith has been generated by
the experiences through which those
nations have passed. The great ca
lamities and disturbances in the
world have always tended TO bring
the hearts Of the people back to
God. The confidence OF the psalmist
has reechoed in the hearts Of the OPP
pressed i'm all ages. Though war
should rise against me in this will 1
be confident
There is an important question
that must be considered in this CON
nection. IL has 10 do with the vital
ity of the faith in the countries
where this war started. Has vital
faith been a controlling factor in the
life of Austria and Germany in re-
cent times? Neither the Roman nor
the state church in these countries
can be said to have succeeded very
conspicuoUsly in this regard. oS
that the conditions that prevail now
constitute a reputation Of mere for
malism and ritualism that have been
substituted for vital faith i'm God.
If God has been pleased with a for
NAL and worldly church then pres
ent conditions should destroy faith
i'm him But has He? If God is a
party TO the I und Gott' spirit OF the
kaiser, then faith i'm him must go.
But is He in partnership with such
an alliance If God places CONNER
cial supremacy and national ag-
grandizement above moral striving
and spiritual life, then faith in Him
is dead But is this the kind Of a
God we have been taught 10 love and
trust?
ION the other hand is not this a
situation that Will tend TO increase
faith in God His Reputation Of
such alliances as have just been sug-
gested should increase our respect
for Him as a God or righteousness.
He is a moral being and has a hat
red for sin and sham. both in church
ana state. God has laid down an in
eXOrable law which is here seen TO
be operative and in accordance with
which some very bitter fruits are be-
ing gathered. II is the law of SOW
ing and reaping. Whatsoever a
man soweth that shall he also reap
The nations are finding it ont.
strictly speaking faith in God
does not depend upon external
events.
Faith is an internal reality. a
concern Of the soul. so that il cannot
be greatly changed by adverse eX-
perience. II il could there would be
no faith i'm God at all. since all have
trying and distressing experiences.
Adversely tends 10 increase faith be-
cause it forces the spirit to lind COM
fort and peace elsewhere than in eN-
ternal circumstances"