The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-03-16
CIIRISTIANIZING INFLUENCE
NEEDED IN CAPITAL
Rev. A. Il. Bird Lays Conditions In Ma
u0nal Capital OH Hearts Of His
Hearers Thursday Night.


the south on the religious situation in
Washington city, and who addressed
the Laymen's Convention in Green
vile Wednesday, came down on the
day following, upon the invitation Of
Rev. c. T. STuires, to address a meet
ing at the Presbyterian church Thurs
day evening. He also addressed the
Laurens high school on Friday morn
ing.
The special purpose Of Mr.. Bird as
outlined at the Presbyterian church,
Is to lay upon the hearts OF the Chris
tian people Of America a sense of re-
sDonsibllity for the spiritual atmos-
phere Of Washington City, the capital
OF the nation, to awake the country to
a realization OF the fact that the spirit-
ual condition of Washington is not a
local problem, but is national re-
sponsibility.
Mr. Bird called attention ito the fact
that Americans generally think or
Washington as political center, but
seldom have thought OF it as a center
of spiritual influence He showed that
Washington has a very great require
ment for the best Christian influences
for four reasons. First, there live in
Washington the correspondents prac-
tically Of every newspaper in the
United States. Every time the sun
rises its light makes visible to the
minds Of America the thoughts which
during the darkness Of the preceding
nisht have flashed over the wires
from the minds and hearts Of these
in Washington. These
men DO not merely report the facts
but they report the facts as seen
through the media of their own spirit
ual outlook. IF they believe that the
principles Of Christ are applicable and
practical for business and for govern
ment today, then an impulse for good
goes throughout America every twcn-
ty-four hours and makes it easier to
put over movements for Righteousness
in every town and hamlet under the
Stars and Stripes. Ifthesc men can be
influenced by a Christian atmosphere
In Washington, the good effects are felt
the land every day in the
year.
Another reason why the best Chris
tian atmosphere is needed in Wash
ington, 1t was shown, Is because there
lives In that city another group Of men
who control the business OF America.
The Congress OF the United States, by
its taxation laws, fixes the prices and
Mr.. Bird urged his hearers to enter
into sympathetic understanding Of
the burdens which they impose upon
their servants in the congress and SEN
ate OF the United States. He suggest
ed the case OF a corporation which ois-
covered that it could make a million
dollars a year extra profit for their
stockholders if it could get certain
law changed. OF course it would go to
Washington to try to get the law
changed. Now, it might be simple JUS
tice to change that law according to
the desire OF that corporation. Or, it
might work a gricvous hardship on a
large class OF citizens to change ii.
The point is that the full force OF that
extra million dollars profit is brought
to bear upon the characters Of com
paratively small group OF men in
Washington. Mr.. Bird cited the testi-
mony Of man prominent in this state
as a religious leader to the effect that
a friend Of his had refused to allow
himself to be reelected to congress
and had given as his reason that he
thought more Of his own soul than he
did Of his seat in the congress OF the
United States. 81 quit congress-" he
said, ito save my soul" Mr. Bird also
quoted number Of other congress
men to the same effect The wife Of
another member of congress in dis
cussing these various cases with Mr..
Bird remarked to him that she had
always loiI ChdI a. SoliSl cSShihh ilSNc
left his home in the morning and went
down to his Office that he did not have
some sharp temptation Of this sort put
up to him. Under these circumstances
Mr. Bird asked his hearers whether
they did not feel that every American
christian should unite to keep the
beacons OF unselfish service and OF