Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-07-19
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The Mission of the Church Today

desire of the masses to listen to preach
ing II has to be a well-advertised min
lister, and a popular one, to draw a
crowd. Since automobiles have become
so common, Sunday is the day of all
days to take long drives in motor cars.
1t is presumable that a good many
church members have no other day to
make such trips, and they generally go
with those who are at leasure. the
church attendance has been dwindling
for a considerable time, and the craze
for automobiling has decreased it. In
this strenuous war time nobody is sur
prised that pulpit speakers talk mostly
of war. They sing THE Star Spangled
Banner" an innovation that is based
on war excitement. In years gone by
there would have been surprise and an
tagonism if anything but religious songs
were heard in Protestant churches. But
every Sundays exercises take in Amer
lea" Hail Columbia" and THE Star
Spangled Banner" Further north they
also sing Julia Ward Howes Battle
Hymn of the Republic" Years ago this
battle hymn was tabooed in the Confed-
crate states, but it will get here after
a while.
When we think Of the millions of
men who have gone from American
homes across the seas to France, 1t
would seem as if the times called for
constant gaspel services. When we think
of the carnage "over there" it would
also seem as if they would crave more
than ever a powerful ministry. In the
very nature of the case such an anX-
ious congregation will not accept weak
gospel. If the pulpit holds the pew III
this day and in the critical days yet to
come the message from the preacher in
the pulpit must come from a man, not
hn1 n
vigorous and life-giving thought.
If the preacher confines his sermons
to only war thoughts, then he should
follow the boys over seas, and do his
best preaching in or near the trenches.
The demand for a powerful ministry to
talk to men who are obliged to face the
enemy's guns should have a response
from the preachers lover here" l am
surprised that thousands do not go,
for the ministers are said to be few,
one in many thousands, for these soldier
boys do need preachers who can might
ly grasp gospel truths and present the
Word of Life to men. literally dying
men, and give them such gospel min
istrations as are manifestly needed every
minute in the day. These preachers
who are so anxious for the boys to go,
should certainly say, 'Tll go with you
Wearing Furs in Hot Summertime
IRev w f. Crafts Urges Women to
Standardize Dress During War;.
HERSHEY, Pa, June 8.-Rev. DR..
Wilbur f. Crafts, Of Washington, D. c.,
superintendent of the international re-
form bureau, at the meeting of the
Church of the Brethren last night, urg-
ed that the nation adopt a standardiza-
ton of dress as war measure. He
denounced the wearing of furs by wom-
Ell in the summer months and the ever
changing of fashions. He would have
a standard of dress for women in bust
ness, high school girls and other classes
just as policemen and soldiers.
The committee on dress reform will
not make recommends lions until next
week. Conference on missions and Sun
day school work will be held tomorrow.
Visitors to New York and Washing
ton will see that the fashionables,
dressed in strict costumes, are wearing
fur. capes and neckpieces when the
thermometer ranges in the 70s and sos.
| wondered how they could endure the
feel ,Of fur when one was obliged to
use an umbrella and sport fan. Such
is the case, nevertheless.
About every third woman and grown
girl that 1 noticed in those two cities
was wearing a fur piece over her very
thin chl1tOn ana geOTBeIle waists. II
looked very uncomfortable, to say the
least of it.
was not. therefore, surprised to
find the clipping taken from a Wash
ington City paper.
Perhaps this is a proper place to say
I think there is reform needed with
very thin waists, and nothing else on
the body of extremely fashionable
women and girls. 1t has been only a
few days ago that l saw a very expen-
sively dressed women wearing the very
thinnest sort of a waist and I could
see under her arms very plainly, the
corset cover being only sort of body
bandage a few inches wide.
The wearing of furs is not indecent.
The exposure of that womans body
to the public was simply not decent.
AS I overheard a big-mouthed man
say, These women know the men like
to see these low-necked bodies" and
felt like blushing for my own sex. DR..
Crafts certainly has a sure-enough text
to preach from, and I am sorry that
the need of reform on this line is so
painfully apparent.
The girl or woman who takes the FISK
of wearing her clothes in such a way
as to display her bust in a nude way
need not be surprised if she is criti-
cised