The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-05
SAYS PREACHERS

Some church trustees are not mem.
bers OF the church. he declared. add
ing that they would have to be con.
verified before he'd trust them. What
right have they to help run the
church he demanded to know
We don't let aliens come over here
and run the government"
He likewise paid his respects to
what he calls the cold storage brand
OF religion-the kind that people I'M
wrap and take with them to church
on Sunday. and then wrap up again
ana put 1t away until the next Sab
bath. '"They don't use it in business
or in society during the week." he
said. He likened it to a withered
hand.
This did not end Sundays crit.
cism of the church or its leaders
Too many preachers disagree with
the doctrine of the Bible" he said.
Then, In heavens name.. he added,
they have no business in the pull
pat. II a preacher can't believe In
the Bible" he said, emphasizing the
word cant" II have no quarrel, no
fuss with him. but he should have
the decency to get out of the pulpit,
because he is taken money under false
pretenses: he Is masQuerading as a
believer when he is an unbeliever."
Church People support TAeaters.
The trouble with the church, accord
Ing to Mr.. Sunday. is its unwillingness
- divorce itself from worldly entan-
clements.
IF the church would withdraw its
patronage from the theaters. they
would have TO go out of business" he
said In this connection. the evange-
list again paid his respects to theaters
IN general This Is what he said, "If
the average theaters' patrons would
withhold their patronage until the
layhouses paid some attention to what
they permitted to 60 on--in other
words. unti1 it cleaned its stase-and
the moving picture houses put decent
nave to clean up or go out of bush
ness
Along this line, he said, There is
entirely too much socializing OF the
church" All, attempts to socialise the
church. according to the preacher, is
the work of the devil
What has the church been doing
during the last 1000 years that 1t
hasn't Christianized this old world
yetT' he wanted to know.
TIL tell you what the trouble has
been and is today--and I don't have
to go out of Richmond to fad the rea-
son. 1t Is too lazy. 1t has been and is
today compromising-amon o t h q r
things. with the social problem"
Formerly II was the saloon. he added.
and It still is in some places. .
The world war. according to Sun
day. has plunged the world into a
ccsspool of vice
The time is coming" ne declared,
when sexual hygiene will be a part
OF the curriculum Of the school system
The social question:" he added. rs
no longer a. moral question-it is a
question OF civilization Nor Is the
saloon any longer an economic ques-
tion--~it. too. Is a question OF civilixa-
ticn--
Another trouble with the average
church. according 70 Sunday. IL that
IL has been turned into a clearing house
Tor politics. and social ''foiderols."
Bawls TAe1 Ont.
Sunday doesn't care II he does tread
on the toes of some OF his hearers
III you preach. and make ono old hypo-
critic mad. and he goes out and cusses
you, NIFTY others will como to see how
you did it."
Answering the question, why more
men do not attend church more regu-
larly, Sunday said. The question. like
that asked about the league OF nations.
Is one that IL easier TO ask than It IN
to answer. 1t doesn't mean, though"
he was quick to assure hts hearers,
that the church Is losing its hold on
men, or that men are abandoning the
church.
1T - the same way With srt and
music. = pseach~ 49, 1870 1eatn-