The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-16

cordIng to sunday, is now. He
spelled the word out--N-O-w!
That's why the average church is
not making headway." he said.
That's why so many ministers are
preaching to empty seats, or. il the
church roll is fairly well filed, the
church is long on members but short
on religion"
II the same effort were expended
by Gods "people"-so-c called profess
ing Christians--in furthering the
Kingdom of God. as is put forth in
political campaign, the church would
make Roadway. he said
III you women showed As much
interest in winning souls to Christ as
you did in selling W. S. S. and Liberty
bonds" he said, the church would
come into it's own.
THE trouble here in Richmond"
he resumed, lis that religion has no
restraining or controlling influences
over the lives of sixty-ive per cent
of your so-called Christians. It's a
about five minutes" he added. par
enthetically."
Sang for Love of It.
Sunday told OF the young married
woman who sang in the choir in one
of Gods places OF worship because
she liked 1t, hut, when the Lord
wanted her to save her husband
from perdition and bring him into the
church, the job az distasteful and. un
der the subterfuge that he Sunday 4.
could exert more influence On her re-
calcitrant mate than she could. she
passed the buck" on to him. Sun
day told her to make an effort to save
him herself; that, when she failed.
then 1t was time enough to come to
him.
THE Lord blesses you for doing the
hard things he wants you to do" he
said, mot the easy ones. I have no
f'oing Ground looking for the easy
things to do"
SUNDAY took occasion to score what
he termed the narrow, bigoted idea
OF religion possessed by. some church
goers. This he characterized as the
curse of the church. Don't be con-
tent to go to heaven yourself and let
! the rest OF the world go to hell" ne
admonished such Of this type Of
people who may be within sound of
my voice"
Suppose the United States had as
sumed such an attitude when brave
France and heroic England impor-
tuned us to come to their aid. We
were three thousand miles away from
the scene Of carnage. We were safe.
Germany could not have beaten US.
even II she had licked, England and
France. But we were not selfish
enough to lot those miserable, con-
temptible. murderous Huns tear the
heart out OF Belgium and France
without protesting
1.-THE trouble with Us Is that too
many of VI are inclined to rebel
against God. Some people think that
When I rebel against the devil. I am
throwing stones at them. Take
Christianity out Of Richmpnd." he
continued. land there wouldn't be a
decent man or woman in your city"
The Real Charity.
Sunday had soma pertinent things
to say about charity. Charity doesn't
to some one in more straitened cir
-cttn1Htanees than yea yourself are in
simply because they are run down at
the heel or need half -soleing. or in
cutting the brass buttons or the gold
braid of an old suit or GOAT and giv-
ing il to the poor he said. Have
them half-soled or heeled and then
make some heart beat with gladness,
and leave the gold braid and the
you .give II to some one less fortu-
nate: they like pretty things. too.
.'So-caIled charity covers q multi
tude OF SINS" he said. you can pin
badge on, usher people to their
seats. pass the collection plate. be an
elder or a deacon or q steward, sing
in the choir and be a member Of a
home or foreign mission society--the
devil will let you attend Bible con-
ference. but the minute you begin to
do personal work. to try to get some
body TO take . stand for Christ. all
the deciIs in hell will be on your back.
for they know that's challenge to
the devil and his forces. And. hope
ths work of leading people to Christ
by personal effort always will be
hard. No. sir. have no sympathy
for people who are looking for some
Ing eaay!"
Sunday declared that Of 5000. 900
young men between the ages of ia
and 30 In America. 100000 are
members Of no church; that 1000 a0
visit church occasionally. and S,0Oo.-
600 never darken the doors OF al
church.
bob Matthew. was again sssn. Ia