The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-18


he not know about France at the
close of the revolution. over 100
years ago? They trieN the expert
uent OF getting along without the
Sabbath day. They burnt the Bible
Ihey said there was no God. no
heaven. no hell. Does the editor not
know the result? All kinds of wick
cdness prevailed, The prisons and
dungeons were crowded. These pris-
onsrs had been the best people in
the land. They were taken in cart
loads every day and heheaded. Blood
was shed like water. That time was
called. THE Reign of Terror" It was
the most terrible time ever known in
the life of any nation. They had
broken down the Sabbath-~God' i
protecting wa!l--and wickedness roll
ed over the" land in a food.
And does not the Times ispa tch
know that 1t is loading movement
to reduce America to the same con-
dition? All the armies and navfes of
the world combined could not do
America any more harm than the de-
struction of the Saba tn day by these
forces within. Wherever the Sab
bath in it's purity has been disregard
ed, there marriage has been de9rad-
ca, and there vice and drunkenness
and gambling have taken the place
of honest toll. There avarice and
greed and tyranny have oppressed the
poor. There immortality and vice
and polythefsn and pantheism and
deism and fatalism and rnateriaIisnn
and atheism and kaiserism have
erected their standa rds
Yes. IL is true In logical and final
outcome; no Sabbath. no God. II
htw- nR rTNf.
is followed out on all fours and this
Sabbath dissertation continued mis-
doctrine will throw this country into
inndelity and anarchy. 1t would
crumble our government and put all
slsw to sleep. II the Sabbath wreck
ing propaganda of the Times-Dis-
patch succeeds. he'll Will be painted
on cur skies by incendiary fires and
our rivers will be made crimson with
oioou. The tea ching of this editorial
Is calculated to efface from mans
thought all responsibility to Deity. 1t
Is therefore moral az we'll as q
physical necessity.
Now. says the Times-Dispatch:
Protest by the Ministerial Union OF
Richmond against training camp ac-
tNiIes In their relation to Sunday
observance Is an unwarranted inter
W1InAD
whose province the regulation of
such activities rests"
The ministers of Richmond are
the leaders of the churches of Rich
ntond, and hence reflect the senti-
mcnt OF the Christians OF this city.
The pa per therefore il making a
flag at the Christians of this city.
And II may be we'll to remiTsI the
editor that his sentiment is absolute
~ Tepulsed and resented by the
Christian people of America, as we'll
as especially OF Richmond.
The preachers leo the reform that
discontinued the liquor business that
kept the Times-Dispatch fabricated
with voluminous sds.
And ! want 20 say if the Times
Dispatch destroys the Sabbath day il
viii have to trample over my dead
noay TO do it. 1 value II as / do my
life.
And has this paper forgotten the
part that the church played in all
the work OF the Red Gross and lib
erty loans? But for the churches,
success would have been impossible.
II the editor does not know that the
highest pa triotism in America is to
be found In bosoms of Christians, let
him spend a few days counting the
stars upon the service flags in front
Of the churches. Our churches are
In s. large measure fighting this war.
Then we have a right to some say.
with reference to the conduct of our
boys in the army. We have the
greatest army on earth. and when
our boys start for the enemy nothing
can stop them. anc they will never
stop till they get the kaiser's hide
for the Smithsonian institute But
we do not want our heroes to some
home moral dwarfs. And besides ali
this, IL the facts were known. our
boys do not want a Sabbath or desc
Grafton.
Then. without further ado. ! here
with openly challenge the Times
Dispatch TO cite a single case in
sage of anti-liluor legislation; for
for the passa ge OF anti gambling leg
islation. Where was the Times-Dis-
patch on the question of the segre-
gated district? Where did it stand
on the bill for the censorship of the
mcSies7 This is enough. Let II
clean its skirts or cease to pose as
authority on the Sabbath question.
let every Christian in this great
throng OF city Christians raise his
voice to the throne of God against
Sabbath dissertation. and may the
Times Dispatch know forever that
the ministers and Christian people of
America are going 10 do their ut
most TO have our boys Remember
the Sabbath day. to keep it holy"