The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-06-05
UNION SERVICE AT
PRESBITERIAN CHURCH

Last Thursday, in accordance with
the Presidents proclamation, was OBJ
served in Manning as day of prayer
and fasting. All stores and business
houses were closed. The news of the
capture of Scissors by the Germans
of seriousness to the day, and there
gathered in the Presbyterian church
IA splendid audience. There was very
evident q sense Of the deep need of di-
vine help.
Rev McCord made a splendid ad-
dress, urging the people not to let
spirit of hatred be engcndered in their
hearts, pointing out that the real
cause of the war, whatever the start
ing point, was really sin. He i'm
pressed upon his hearers the need of
an individual art-searching and of
getting themselves truly clear before
God.
Taking for his text lst Cor. Kills,
In recent days we have witnessed
much Of the spirit Of hate in public
discourses in connection with this war,
and such a spirit is far too palatable
to those Of us who claim to be fol-
lowers of Jesus Christ? Hate is of
the Devil; love is OF God. Hate will
fail with those who hate. God is al
mighty; God is love. Love is the dy-
mamie in the Christians life. Love
never faileth. 1t has conquered death
and hell. That worldwide peace-of
which we have only very hazy con-
,ception-will never be realized ex-
cept through love.
! 1T is easy to hate our enemies, but
i 1t is impossible to love them unless we
have the love of Christ shed abroad in
our heart. The Christian is to be
distinctive person, outstanding-his
whole being is steadied with love, his
expressions, in thought, word or deed,
tempered by love.
! TO hate our enemy, to say the
least, is uncharitable. For if we love
! 0 rufriends and hate our enemy, how
much better are we than the heath
en?' They do as mucn. How much
better are we than the evil possessed
Germans, who hate their enemies,
treating them cruelty, if we do the
same? We shall conquer, but only
with the Divinely appointed weapon
love which never faileth. For we
can do all things through Christ, who
strengthened us"
| Christ says: If any man will
come after me let him follow me.
Follow Him in this service of love.
1t i'll becomes us to hate even our en-
envy in the light of Christ's teach
Ilngs. In the ages past Jesus Christ
stood facing an enemy, just as 'uel,
Just as evil-possessed as ours t. ay
Mark His conduct as all ar-.,nd
Him traps were set, threats made,
His head crowned with thorns, His
hands nailed to the cross, His side
thrust through with the spear. From
that heart Of love for sinful men came
the words. Father forgive" How un-
like the spirit Of our Master is the
spirit of some followers today.
Back, back to the Christ, for sal
walton cometh through none other 1t
lis being said concerning the boys fall
ing on the field Of battle against our
enemy that their service will admit
them into heaven. Not so, for moth
ling these hands can do that will bring
life and peace, but life controlled by
Christ and His word. Though / be
stow all my goods ~ feed the poor
though / give my body to be burned
and have not love, it profitcth me
nothing Let us follow the image of
the Christ, even thru hell itself.
Love never faileth.'