The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-06

Of our young people enlisted In the
war and one hundred more members
were absent in various forms OF war
work
Every department of the church
has felt the effect OF the world war.
The attendance of visiting soldiers has
partly compensated us, but they could
not be enrolled on account of their
transiency. The coming home of our
young people with their spiendied
strength and fervent zeal should en-
able us to resume our former num-
Der and efficiency Already from the
camps Of this country our demobi'ized
boys are beginning to come. This
wear we shall sAe them come back
with a Joy that matches the pafrio-
tsm and pride with which we 50 W
Them go, Our church will be able,
with omen countenances, TO look every
one OF them suuarely in the face. for
we have not held back one whit OF
men or means to make their victory
certain and complete j.
NONE KILLED IN BATTLE.
at is marvellous that not one MEM
her of our church has been killed in
battle, Three have died Of influenza:
Q. T. Nance and Grady Buchanan in
the carnps of this country. and Rich
ard Todd in France. When we reflect
that our church bows were fighting
with the British in Flanders and had
: won distinction and decoration be-
fore Ludendorf began his spring Of
fensive March 81. that they were in
action on the Marine. In the Soissons-
! Rheims salient. at ST. Mihiel. on the
verdun front, on the Meuae, and in
the Argonne: that they represented
officers. privates. aviatorr. soldiers,
sailors, ambulance corps. Red Cross
and hospital units. and not one of
them was killed, we may appropriate
| the words of the Psalmist: a thou
sand shall fall at thv side. and ten
thousand at thy right hand. but It
| shall not come nigh thee
The pastor has felt an imperative
duty TO minister to the soldiers and
/ serve their cause in every possible
way. The soldiers In the camps and
the wounded in the base hospital ad-
| Joining his home home received his
! first consideration. He has enjoyed
fellowship with these men. II at the
end of my ministerial life. am permit
ted to survey the whole, may II not
, be that this eomradeship with the en-
listed men will appear as the most un =
selfish and profitable labor of all my
ministries.
1T would not be proper for us. In
referring to our part In the war, 10
Z PHSS unnotiCNN inc ttFeteES eHOrtS
OF our women. Five Of them are serv-
| ing in France Hundreds have served
at home. Particularly would I men
ton those women Of our Red Cross.
the banner circle OF thfs city. Week
In and week out they have knitted
sewed. contributed and coIiecteh money
10 alleviate suffering, They are re-
solved not to relax their efforts until
the emergency has passed That will
probably engage them six months
more
THE terrible and worldwide epidemic
of influenza has ragged among US.
| Immediately before us are two sui
jects TO which / ask your sympa-
,hetic attention. The FIRST Is the
/ church building and loan fund OF the
hame mission board. This Is most
ty*ortht ob5Act \ Two os our eyonne
people have begun our campaign by
giving sEnt 10 endow a memorial In
hcnor Of their uncle.
THE second is the Sunday meetings
which oren in our city a week from
TODAY. Richmond urgently needs a
spiritual awakening. 1t will come BY
+, importunate nraver, personal work and
preaching 'Bfl,y' Sunday has n untrue
nessage. He Is a second John the Bap-
T., tst