Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-06
ISsHlas'Sn fSsnlns Yesterday sssiS 14OO7
SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 6, 1920.
More Faith Need of Today.

That so many churches in this part OF
the country are celebrating their centen-
uial anniversaries, some, indeed, their one
hundred and fifty years of continuous
activity. emphasizes anew the fact that our
ancestors, the early settlers here, were
more inclined 20 turn to the Bible for
guidance than are our people of the present
day. Probably in those earlier days when
the matter of existence was more complex
and distractions fewer. the people natur-
ally sought for spiritual light and pro-
lection, and the church became not only a
haven for those in darkness and doubt,
hut wae necessity indeed, as lndlspens-
able then az il actually is today.
To the settlers, or TO the people of a
century ago, the church meant more
than il doe. today Religion then seemed
to be more vital, the church filing far
greater space in the lives OF the people.
The preachers, too. perhaps, We're more
Jealous and performed their mission as
shepherds with force that suggested they
might he delivering their messages almost
rs If by the fervor of inspiration.
4 century ago 10 lead congregation or
flock required man of courage, firm con-
vlctiOn, unfailing industry and persistent
energy. He could not have faltered IN his
faith and have preferred "the lOaves and
fishes" above the opportunity 70 do the
Masters viii. and have continued as 8
guide 70 those who looked TO him as
leader.
II ia evident. therefore, that both the
pulpit and the pew are gradually under
gong change, and each year church at
tendance dwindlee among the Protestant
bodies Of Christian worshippers, while the
services, we may state on the authority of
snme Of the best informed clergymen, are
lacking in thoee qualities that made the
ministry Of the Whitefelds the Nesleys.
Bishol. +. >aks or Bishop Asbury, or OF
George Fox or of Elias Hicks so abundant
" rich in fruitage.
4 woman Of very deep spiritual insight
and understanding discussing the growth
of her own religious denomination, recent
IL. with sigh regretfully admitted that
while the membership Of her denomination
was gaining little, she lamented the de-
creasing number of Christians in the con-
greeation. OF course, she measured the
Christians by their daily deeds and acts. or
as To how closely or distantly their lives
squared with the decalogue. Il we accept
this standard SIS the correct appraisal OF
church work today, we find find that IL IS
greatly AZ variance with that OF century
ago.
Those communities whose settlers
brought their Bible and Shepherd with |
them when they came here TO build homes |
show very distinctly the influences OF /
that early religious discipline and training /
although three generations Of people have /
come snd gone since the flag Of Chr1s- /
tianity WIS planted here. Wherever the !
settlers brought the fear Of God with them /
and reflected Him in their daily deeds and /
words and thoughts, we find there were /
planted the seeds Of the church on goodly \
soil and there has fiourished long and well .
until religious zeal burned lower and low
er in the hearts Of the communicates, or
gradually became diluted by the lust for /
material things.
The church, however, Is not entirely /
alone in tins falling off, for we find II IN /
almost every branch Of human endeavor. /
II the preachers Of the Gospel express less
of the spirit of exaltation in their sermons,
men Of the other professions and voca-
tons also work and plan with the hope OF
monetary rewards or similar material COM
pensation set large and first IN thought:
But our main lesson today is to get back /
o. the paths that our ancestors followed I
with faith and assurance, and accept the
guidance that brought them. to the human
sense. through trials that must have been
veritable Red Sea, and, but for the /
beacons Of smoke and fame" and su-
preme faith of their inspired leader, would /
have made their achievement impossible. /
More faith and love and brotherly /
kindness is the supreme need Of the hour,
and We must look again to the church and
our spiritual leaders to bring those quail
ties into rea lization