Norwich bulletin., 1918-03-27
BISHOP AcHEsoN AT
 TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Confirmation Ceremony Followed by
 Sermon on Gods Call to America.


 At Trinity church Tuesday evening the sacrament of confirmation was ad- ministered to a class of two by Suf- fragan Bishop E. Campion Acheson. Following the confirmation Bishop Acheson delivered a sermon on Gods Call to America. The speaker took his text from Micah. chapter six. first to eighth verses. Bishop Acheson spoke as follows:
 The picture of Gods controversy with his people is one of a wonderful assembly. God calls on witnesses to testify what he has done for the peo- pie of His kingdom. He calls on the mountains and hills who have seen His works for the good of the people. God has a divine and beneficial pur- pose leading toward a divine end to which the whole creation moves. To bring this about God needs man and man needs God for we were made to think Gods thoughts after Him and we were made in His image. The an cient controversy might interest us 1 but it is not ours. The question is l what is Gods controversy with us It 1 is ever a new thing, with each person, | people and nation but it's object is l the same. God is ever the Father Al mighty with whom there is no varia- bieness or turning.
 1 We are here on historic ground and the witnesses of Gods work among our people for generations are the coasts the hills and dales and even our old historic buildings and streets, 1 These if thew could speak would tell us of Gods great goodness. This is a beautiful land and to it came our | forefathers to seek the liberty of wor- shipping God. They consecrated the land to God, and today we have lib- erty. justice and equality such as nc l other country in the world.
 His controversy today, if We vii hear His voice, is. Have we kept the faith? Is the liberty of worshippins
 God cherished today with any of u:
 or is it d liberty not to worship? Ha: God been dethroned? ? Is He kept out il
 our plans? This countrv's mission i:
 Divine and how can it be accomplished with God left out. God must accom-
 plish His world purpose, but is it tt
 be without us.
 At this time when the question 0
 democracy is paramount this nation of America is meant to be the solution of the problem of national life. Ar
 we to leave out God in this grea work. We must not leave out God il this great problem but must be ol Gods side for right and justice. Il We must keep the faith for Amerfc; cannot live without God. We hay been following the old world ideas o evil and now we must give them IF There are men over there, fighting fo our homes and what are we doin ever here? There are those in .thi , land that God gave us who are makin t a vast profit out of the tears of wo ! men and are gambling with the live l of those boys over there. These prof : iteers are traitors not only to tn t United States but to the kingdom c 7 God.
 God has shown us what is good. H
 has given us splendid examples i
 Washington and Lincoln and in tn
 whole history of the country. Americ
 cannot say, Oh, Lord, You have nc , shown us. The boys over there re !, quire us to give for them for if the : fail we will have no homes and if Go : fails in His purpose we fail also. Go . is trying to make a home for us an z cur children and we should keep tn : l faith.
 We have got to get down to roc bottom and think of those things. W
 have got to think of those who al . I giving their lives for us. Again " ; must ask. ourselves, have we kept th
 faith? Let us get new vision (
 God and consecrate ourselves to Hi
 and to America.