The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-08-21
Ry IRA l.. CRABTREE.

% Grace Methodist Episcopal church.
Text: Titus G:ll-l2.--"For the
rrncc Of God that bringeth salvation
hath appeared unto all men, teach
knr us that, denying ungodlincss and
Awnrldly lustg, we should live soberly,
hlrhteously and godly in this prcs-
ont world"
The meaning OF the term "disin-
,orration' In a dreadful thing TO
mink about. especially when applied
., human society or Christian clvili-
2,tI0n. Il means the falling apart of
'hp component parts OF a body. Sop
.,flfiun. Inability to hold together
,rhpu subjected 20 the influence Of
gn external force which tends TO tear
down and disjoin the members OF a
body
.Cunrlomerate" is a term used by
he gculogist to represent mass Of
rock composed OF different Kinds OF
aubstancc--si silicinus, quartz slate.
granite or the fossiliZed bodies OF
little animals. But this mass Is not
A ronglomerate unless it is held to-
refhrr by some sort OF cement.
There must be something 10 unite
thum and hold the parts together or
,h.y fan apart and remain alone.
! | have IN my possossion some speci-
mems OF conglomoratc In which the
cement, which holds It's parts to-
gcthcr in one solid mass. stiil re-
nius its vitality and life. have
also some separated parts, fossili2cd
animal bodies. etc, which once
'romcd parts OF what Is known az
White mountain. This mountain is
composed entirely OF these tiny ami
nal bodies which were once firmly
held together by n limestone cement
Rl, that cement has now lost all its
life and holding quality under the
influence OF cold and heat and other
rrosivc agencies. so that geologists
and geological students who visit
the mound are picking 1t apart piece
hy piece with their fingers and car.
rying II away. This is disintegratiun
Now human society is. in many
respects. like the conglomoratc. But
the point OF similarity in which we
are most interested now is the co-
ment which holds its parts together
and the disintegrating agencies that
tend to break up Christian ,IViliza-
tl0u.
There are many things lha' have
a disintegrating effect on the idcnl:,
\mbitions. hopes. virtues of society.
and faith. without which necessary
parts Christian civilization can no,
endure. Selfishness, jealousy, en-
nifty ignorance, crime, injustice.
lack Of law enforcement. such as we
have In Tulsa, extreme poverty Of
some, others rolling in undoscrvcd
wealth. sabbath deseCratlon. di-
vorCe and the modern dance--these
are some Of the disintegrating agen-
cics 10 be overcome If Christian civ
ilization ~ to hold together.
Diverse DipintcgratOr.
We know that much space could
and should be given to the treatment
~ these and many other things
which threaten the development OF
Christianity. Not one Of ~ an should
escape exposure in an ar'i-.", or an
address or sermon. or the ~ DughtsJ!
consideration of every car l"s: Chris
tan. but let us direct our I;'e1t.1n
TO the last two mentioLId, namely.
the divorce and the dane.
/ suppose each one will have his
own opinion a. to whether the mum
Der OF divorces is increasing. as to
the increasing ease or difficulty with
which divorce may be secured by
law, and as to the ground OF divorce;
but ! think this much Is certain.
that the evil is deadly enemy to
that sacred institution which we
call home. As to the increase in The
number OF divorces in Oklahoma
and also in Tulsl county some start
ling figures have appeared in the
papers recently. The divorce evil
Is one that cannot be corrected by
legislation alone. We must have
good deal more positive outspoken
sentiment against It. But we must
first have a better conception of the
sacredness OF marriage and more
wholesome public conscience in the
matter before much Improvement
can be expected, We most heartily
commend the churches and ministers
who have recently spoken in no un-
certain terms against unscriptural
divorce. A group Of five strong rcso-
luiions was passed by a Baptist con-
vention OF ministers from the follow
ing counties in oklahoma; King
Usher Oklahoma, Canadian and
Logan The resolution follow:
Be II resolved, that 1t is the
sense Of tho Central District asso-
2 clatlon that one of the greatest
evils among the American people
Is unscriptural divorce. 1t de-
sToys the home, lowers the moral
standards and debauches public
sentiment.
BE 1t resolved, that we would
urge all Baptist preachers every
Where 20 study this colossal evil
in all its aspects and tendencies
ana that they constantly inform
the people concerning the teach
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