Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-03

Prepare ~ a NOrIU IS ltC cry tp-VdN.
Nations arc urged 10 prepare for the
evil day OF war. OF want. of financial
depression. The strongest ship must 10"
prepared for the widest weather. The
bank must be prepared for the run OF
fear or suspicion. The man must be
prepared in mind and body for every
strain Of duty. The machine must be
prepared for it's function. The Chris
tian must b" prepared tor every de-
mand Of his Master. But. II may be
said. Christ has come. He has done
Ills work. He sits at the right hand
Of tho Father TO make interccssion for
us. This Is true. But for millions OF
men lie has never come. He has never
spoken. They live as IL there wer" no
God 10 Christ. no church. For other
millions ". has come. indeed. but they
have not felt Ills presence. Either they
have not heard Ills words. or. II they
have heard them. they have not an
dcrstood them. or they have not needed
them Is ii not pathetic that the vast
majority Of those who call themselves
Christians Christians in name
only? That after 1000 years the
church should fnd IT necessary 10 rc-
peat what st Paul wrote TO the no
mans. Nov II IL tho hour for Ms 10
rise from sleep? Tina, she should
have to urge us TO put off the works OF
darkness and put on tho armor of
light" The answer is. times change
aud men change with therl. but human
nature Docs not change. Tho men ana
women OF this century have tho same
weaknesses and the same vices as the
men and women 81 tho first century.
and. II the world should last. in the
hundrcdth century there Viii still be
few saints and many sinners as there
arc in the world Ne know.
PEOPLE not PREPARED
FOR COMING OF SAVIOR
Though tho people of old had been
they were not prepared when lie did
come, and John tho Baptist chidcd
thtnh because. lin your midst there
hath stood one whom YOU know rot
And ST. Paul accused the Romans Of
being asleep when they should have
beer awake TO their opportunities and
their duties
The world is made up Of a few be
levers and many uubenevcrs. Many
ar, called. but few are chosen" But
all men the church cries out
Arise" She bids tho unbcl.yer open
his eyes and see tho abundant evidence
that appeals to him on every side for
the existence of "a personal God. She
iuN ties him to use his reason to rise
from the visible things TO the invisible
cause which has produced them. which
t;stains them and which guides and
dir Gets them all according TO An c;cr-
nal plan. She offers TO him her ere
den;ials and bids him search her his
tory. She offers him her hand ana
promises ,ha, She viii lead him into
the blessed light OF truth.
To the believer She cries. Arise
There Is some excuse for the UubelicVcr
who sleeps. but there Is none for thee
Many Kings and prophets have &c
sired TO see III" thiuIs ."u see but
they HAY. not seen them, and 4" hear
the things NoI near. but they have not
heard rh.m.'
We 10 thee, choraziu' woe y thee.
EcthAaida, Tor n in r!r. and Sidon
had been wrought the miracles that
have been wrought ia you. thcy had
LONG ago done pen.rcc in stclcloin
aud ashcs El,t SIT: unto sou. II
shall be more toIerahIc for Tyre and
Sidon in the day OF Judgment than for
you"
MANY ~ DARKNESS TIIHoiGI
No Thl;r or THEIR Own
Many unbcuevcrs are iu The dark
ness through no faUit o: their own.
Many more arc theCc through failure
To realize their duty 10 seek the light.
But woe 10 'hc man who ACTS against
his conscience. lie SINS against the
light, lie has enlisted in the army OF
God. and he has either turned traitor
or he is asleep at his post. Watching
is fundamental duty for the Chris
tian. Our Lord always insisted upon
II. Watch" lie said for YOU know
not the DAY nor the hour" Blessed
is that servant whom. when MIS- mas
ter cometh. Nc shall lind watching.
Watch aud pray said lie To the
apostles lest You enter into tempta-
ton" 81. Peter tells us to be sober
and watching lest our great adversary
should attack and overcome us, and
81. Paul cries out. Arise" That is.
awake be on your guard. he ready for
the word OF command Watching and
working are the Two great duties Of
life. One compliments the other. The
man who watches will see his duty.
lie will hear the voice OF conscience.
He will respond quickly and do we'll
what God demands.
But most OF us asleep. We may
be wide awake with our body and
our mind. but our soul is sleeping.
We do not think about spiritual things.
We arc not interested i'm the claims
Of God. We are like the paSans.
anxious about our own food and our
clothes. our business and our pleas
urcs. but We do not think Of the pur-
pose for which God has sent us into the
world and we never ask ourselves what
does God want us to do. Many of US
do not pray. Many more pray with
their lips but not with their hearts.
For thousands the ten commandments
arc dead letter. the great duty of
charity is ignored and the only law
they know is inclination. Go us you
please may be vulgar, but il is the
guiding principle of thousands who
profess to be Christians.
"HE THAT IS NOT
WITH sire Is AGAINST ME-"
a life like this is hateful. Men de-
spSc il and God detestS il. Read what
our Lord thinks of il as we find il in
the Apocalypse: y would thou were
hot or cold. but because thou are luke
warm viii begin to vomit thee out
of My mouth Or AS He tells us in
another place: "Hc that is not with
Me is against Me: he that Sathcrcth
MT 18th Nc scattcreth."
17ut why are we sleeping" There
seems to be but ono answer or eX-
PLANTATION. VIC lack conviction We
believe, hut our faith is weak. puny.
undcvclopcd. Faith without works is
dead. lf life is--real." If life is
earnest" the life of the Christian