Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-04-25
SAYSNEW BISHOP
FACESHARD TASK
AS DIOCESE HEAD
Rt. Rev. Theodore Irving Reese ID. DE-
Of Columbus. Delivers sermon
at Conservation.
TOUCHES iron THE GREAT WAR
Declares America I'm Conflict Because
II Wishes to Be True 20 First
Principles.

That Bishop Granville Hudson sher-
wood. u. D., faces a. heroic task in
assuming his duties in the diocese OF
Springfield. is the statement made by
TT. Rev. Theodore Irving Reese, d. D.,
bishop coadjutor Of Southern OHIO, IN
the sermon at the conservation cere-
monies today
After reviewing the character Of the
Springfield diocese, no stated the
church is numerically weak and went
on to say:
1T is a diocese in the greet middle
west the most strategic Held or Cha
whole church. 1t is part OF the
country where the soil is not conBen-
/ IaI 10 the growth of the church ana
where the work must be done In the
( face of prejudice and misunderstanding
ling. Truly the man consecratea lead
or of the church IN such conditions
faces an heroic task and great OPP
rorfuritv. What does the church re-
quire for such a work What rs the
essential equipment which this bishop
shall possess and which his life shall
manifest? Take the sword or me
spirit which is the word OF God.
! The church Us most careful to make
this clear. When the retiring bishop
Of Springfield gave his final charge TO
his diocese, he said; The Holy Spirit
has been given to direct, inspire and
guide. He dwells in you to enable you
to choose the right man according to
the Will ~of God We believe that he
whom today we consecrat9 Tor this
+ great task, has been called and chosen
by Gods spirit
Every age has it's needs and turns
its eyes to the church to answer them
but today liza America, IL seems that
above all else the people are looking
to the church for this leadership OF the
Shirt. Where else shall they ind ttS
What ether institution under Heaven
lis SO equipped to give it, it is a lead
Iership the people have a right to claim
from us. IL is a challenge We must
meet with q glad response.
THE claim Of our generation ta
clear We face a broken social order
lin which the forces of greed selfish
ness and sin spread a poisonous lndu-
euce which thwarc the life giving
forces of Justice righteousness and
purity
This church. freed from political
alliances, freed. believe with ali my
heart. from the control Of either capi~
tai or labor, can give this leadership
which the age expects She IS free To-
Iserve. free to feed The church there
fore girds herself to respond to the
needs of our generation
4 Eew Era
uDoes not our nation. does not
America, claim from us this same
leadership We are standing on the
Threshold Of 81 new era The hertz
age og the past. the heritage OF liberty
Justice and Righteousness which tine
mast has given. we now give TO an
49, n q a
national isolation are over. From
ihenceforth whatever the past years
jhave given us in terms Of conviction
regarding the principles OF free gov
fernment, we now gladly bequeath
them as q permanent and abiding pos
session to the nations of the earth IL
we draw the sword, let US be sure that
a righteous arm holds it, that our eyes
and heart be cieansed from all hatred,
1 vengeance and malice and our feet
shot with the preparation OF the goa-
peI Of peace. But from what source
may our citizens receive the strength
for our righteous arm and the steady
ling power 10 keep heart and mind
+ cleaused from those base elements
which iH every such conflict are wait
ling To find permanent l0dgment I'm the
human heart and bring 10 the surface
low motives Is there amy other or
ganfzatlou but the church. able and
equipped TO furnish This powera
We are i'm this conflict because we
wish TO be true So the principles which
gave this nation birth When we re-
call that two-thirds OF the men who
signed their names 20 these principles
and formulated the constitution oE
this nation were chureHmeu, when q
recall that the constitution of church
and nation werc both signed tn the
& =+afa hf4sa in rbff4Hafunfa. is Dc not