New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-10-06

RALLY DAY AT
CHURCHES SUNDAY
Pastors Issue Appeal for Large
Congregations Sunday

1ClAOlAu", W.. 't1l', iI0o OSSih
decided upon as fall Rally Day in
the cooperating protestant churches
of the city. Appropriate sermons,
addresses and music have been ar
ranged, and the members and friends
of the church are urgently requested
to make this a day of general church
attendance.
Last year the churches were crowd
ed on the Fall Rally Day, and the
pastors have reason to feel that the
response will be even greater in
this critical time when all are being
called upon as never before to keep
alive those finer instincts OF the
moral and spiritual life of man, which
are always endangered by war, and
which have been especially disregard
ed in the brutalities committed by our
enemies. A statement issued by the
churches follows:
The world is CRYING for bread
and that need must be met, and 1t
must be met very largely by America,
but we must never forget that there
is a fundamental basis of life which
Is deeper than the physical, deeper
even than the mental, that is, the
soul life of men. The life from which
spring all the splendid humanitarian
works of mercy, and kindness; the
life upon which is founded the
principles of justice and right for
which we live and are ready to sacr1-
flee and die if need be; the life which
makes us brothers and calls us to
those high and noble purposes which
make the human fraternity; the life
which even reaches out it's hand in
kindness and mercy to the enemy
and wishes him good, not i'll, though
:,
no gratitude; the life which springs
from the great Life which came into
the world to minister not to be
ministered unto-this life, which is
the basis Of all that is worth while
among civilized men, is fed and
nurtured by the principles of God
upon which the church is founded.
THE mission Of the church in these
days, therefore. is but greater than
ever. Your boys and her boys are
marching forth in defence Of those
civilizing and Christianizing forces
for which our fathers bled and died,
The church is back of these boys with
it's prayers, but more than this, 1T Is
back of them with it's moral influence
and practical deeds, In the camp and
upon the field of battle. M&ny Of
it's ministers are at the front, the
church often supporting them there;
back of every Y. M. c. A. camp is
the influence of the church through
Christian men: Christian teaching
share of all the splendid humanitarian
work of the Red Cross, and other
kindred agencies: in face Christion
principles are the life blood which
permeates every fibre of civilized
eXistance. The heart Of the civilized
world is Christian whether men con-
TESS it or not. This bar is a defence
Of Christian civilization, not in any
narrow sense, but in that broad
sense which unites Catholic and
Protestant, and in fact all religious
races, in the struggle for that democ-
racy of God called the brotherhood
Of man, against which there can be
no final triumph.
eff the church does not stand for
this she must now OR fail, and God
helping her she will not fail. Her
honor roll is crowded with names of
illustrious men in all ages and ma
tons who have heard the voice Of
God for his people and loved that
voice more than selfish ambition or
the acclaim of men: who loved life
but who loved honor and liberty
more; who loved the joys Of the fell
lowship of men. but who dared to
stand alone in the consciousness that
truth and righteousness were their
allies.
I'm the inevitable condition which
follows war-the destruction, the dis
ease, the brutality, the bitterness. the
sorrow, the hate, the unfaith among
men and nations, the selfish greed
that springs from the rot of souls,
the black night of men. gone mad
through passions of lust in body mind
and soul-shall we in such an hour,
forget the one great cure. the foun-
tain that shall, through the years,
cleans the soul of the world? We
must not, we cannot neglect the
power which God has made possible
for every man to keep himself steady
and calm and pure in these serious
days.
Come forward then while the boys
are marching off to defend the land,
| and the liberties OF the world, and
offer your time and labor to keep
sure the moral and spiritual founda-
| tions of life and civilization. The
| church must stand strong today if
ever. It can do it only by your
faithfulness There can be no con-
| scription here Are we going to be
able to depend upon your volunteer
response gladly given?"