Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-24
SERVICE OF INTERCESSION
HELD DAILY AT ST. PAUL'S
Dr. Bowie breaches Necessity of Prayer in Time of
War and Stress-Duties of Officers and of Com
munities to New Soldiers

Sucn sociai and moral Influences as
shall make our cities places of help.
and not OF shameful hurt. to the multi
tudcs of young men in uniform. The
international Young Mems Christian
Association. with superbly efficient
Swiftness. has modified its forces for
work In the can themselves 1t has
provided places where the men may
meet, where they may write letters.
where they may have recreation that
is clean. Other Observation-Disclosures are
doing their utmost 20 safeguard the
moral conditions which the men will
meet when they come outside the camps
on leave. They are seeking to make
certain that laws against deliberate
voice shall be enforced. They are try
ing to inspire our communities with
sense of responsibility which belongs
TO all good men and women to multiply
encouragcmcnts TO clean living. All
such Efforts will be needed. The ut
most wisdom and energy of every or
ganization now in the field will he
taxed. But back of all these lies the
need of n miGhtier resource. The prob
lem and the opportunity alike are In
their last analysis pcrsonaH~SIt Is a
question OF touching the hearts OF men
and women with ideals of righteous
ness--riGhteousness in personal con-
duct righteousness in social RESPONSE
hility Ultimately nothing can touch
and change human hearts except the
gift of that holy spirit which comes
from God.
The churches arc challenged now
to make their religion vital We must
show that it Is possible to strengthen
with the divine gifts lives that other
wise would be weak. and which, be-
cause of their weakness. would fall
into disaster. Therefore. we must pray
AS a community. we must come into
the presence OF God and beseech that
enrichment Of our poor abilities which
He alone can give. In their journeys
the friends OF ours have come to us.
In the presence of that need. and OF
our own personal emptiness. we dare
not fail TO 30 and knock at the door
of Him who must furnish what we
lack"
EXIGENCES SPUR US
TO UNSELFISI PRAYER
DR.. Bowie laid particular stress on
the ways in which the eNisencies OF
these times may spur US to unselfsh
prayer.
For fathers and mothers, without
number" he declared. 1T is time
when their own SONS are setting forth
upon journey. They go out upon
ways which lead we know not whittier
far ways and hard ones. upon which
there will be needed all the strength
which they may he given to possess.
are there not those i'll this time who |
have felt with Il sudden stab OF shame
and bitter emptiness their own inabl-
ity to give to those sons OF theirs that
which most they want to bestow? In |
tho realities of to-day, the father sees
that II is his sons soul which may
be required. 1t is the son who sets |
forth into moral and physical peril |
Have there not been those whose |
hearts have anguishcd with their aw-
full desire to give to that lad Of theirs
the sustenance which alone can stay
him on that journey? Have there not
been fathers and mothers. too, who
have felt the poverty Of their own
souls. their incapacity for strength, for
assurance and for Inspirations"
Closely linked toe ether with the mo-
tives which should make 1t natural for
citizens to come together in prayer In
these strenuous times. DIR. Bowie went
on TO speak Of the real meaning of
prayer. what IL should be. and what
1t was possible to accomplish by prayer,
particularly in relation to the war.
closing with an earnest appeal to his
congregation to pray for intcrcession
most of all because there are friends
IF ours who in their Journeys have
come to us. and we have nothing to
set before them"