Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1920-06-25

Mr.. Editor This year the Fourth of
July celebration takes place on the fifth,
because the Fourth falls on Sunday. 1t
will be marked in Montgomery county by
a most unique meeting and in its way the
most important ever held here. am writ
ing at this early date in order that we
may not overlook this occasion in PLAN
ming how to spend this great national holt
day.
After meetings held in various impor-
tant centers throughout the county, the
committee has decided to hold general
meeting at Washington Grove on July 5th.
beginning at II A. M. and lasting through
out the day. The morning will be taken
up with the organization of the Ministers
and their congregations throughout the
county; constitution and bylaws will be
presented by the committee; and such
other organization III any will be decided
on by those present as may be agreeable
to them. In the afternoon there will be
an hour given to patriotic exercises and an
address by some prominent speaker. There
will be baseball games and other amuse-
ments. besides general picnic for the
children and their parents. The various
large organizations throughout the county
have pledged their help in making this
the greatest meeting over assembled in
Montgomery.
1t Is. however. for the Ministers and
their CONGREGATIONS especially to rally to
this movement, in order that there may
be established In the county an oreaniza-
ton through which the Christian people
may have an opportunity to do all the
charitable. social. educational and religious
work that Is not being done and cannot
very well be done by the Christian people
In their separated condition.
At present this work is being done in
part by Christian people through oreani-
cations in no way connected with the
churches, although the churches furnish
the motive power for all such work. never
theless they derive no awakening or
strengthening influence from the good work
accomplished instead Of the CONGREGATIONS
being enthused by the good work being
done and conscience stricken by the APP
palIIns amount left undone, they are mostly
In state Of blissful ignorance. The re-
suit is what might be expected moral
responsibility rests lightly on the should
doris Of too many Christian people; instead
Of institutions being sought as the crown
inR glory Of a community, they are re-
sented as a disgrace; men are not horri-
fed at the political degradation so wide
spread. even among prominent people;
diseased and ill-fed school children make
but small appeal to the community, and
but few heads hang with shame at the
record Christians do not resent the fact
that there is no place in the county or the
State for the care Of cOlored people suffer-
ins with tuberculosis; thirteen orphans,
white and colored, appealed to the Social
Service League In two or tn ee months
and the churches have neither known nor
cared to provide for those helpless infor-
Inmates no provision Is made in the coun-
ty for the education of backward children
recently there was as many as seven
| in one Of the larger schools at one time ;
mentally defective and degenerate parents
are handing down to their descen-
dants their defects and vices without
restraint injustice is committed without
protest in the assessing OF new houses at
their present value, which is twice that of
the assessed value of older houses citi-
zens arrested and held for trial are kept
under conditions that would be intoerable
for convicted criminals; large sums Of
public money are spent by amateurs with
out adequate plans and valuable school
property is left uncared for through the
summer months. | need not enumerate
further In evidence of my contention that
the moral sense Of our Christian people in
Mont omery county is asleep. and further
that there Is no chance Of an awakening
until the Ministers and the Christian peo-
pie look at these things as they are and
DCbtH tHOiloCiNoo W
What are people converted from and to
what are they converted Merely to join
the church What's the use of joining the
church to listen to few prayers. sing
few hymns and squirm during a short
sermonH Surely 1t Is to renunciation Of
their sins and shortcomings. such asl have
mentioned above, and to change these
conditions through love for our felow-men.
Men too frequently turn away from the
church as a superstitious, sentimental
thing without intelligent aim or important
purpose. to money making, pleasure. gam
bling. breaking their family ties, corrupt
politics, etc. The church needs to reach
out and face conditions as they exist in
the world. and challenge red-blooded men
to leave their trifiing and depravity and
undertake a real mans job.
The Ministers and churches in Mont
somery county dare not sit in careless
indifference with this great opportunity
before them. The fifth Of July ought to
be the birthday Of a new Montgomery
comfy. Pray for il.
L. WAGLAZEBRooK. Sec'y.
A