Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-02
DECLARES WORLD
is GETTING BETTER
Paramount Pastor Says Church
Is Going Through Test
ing or Proving Time.
NOT HOUR FOR DISMAY
Public Mind More Religiously
Inclined; Bible More Uni
vcrsally Read.

Answering question that. nc
said. many arc asking. and that Is.
is the world getting better" with
nm emphatic Yes" Rev. samuel L.
Dumvllle. pastor OF Paramount Ave-
nue. Methodist Church. In his morn
Ing sermon yesterday. declared that.
although there lis a rcstlcssncss and
supernciality In this age. and many
arc taken up with Interests that are
predominantly material. yet there
are those who remain true to deeper
loyalties.
Mr.. Dumville's discourse was New
Years message. which he based on
the words OF Isaiah 2l:li-l2.
Waterman, what OF the night? The
watchman said. the morning
cometh." After brief resume Of
the past year. quoting from the gov
eminent census and his own church
book, nc drew certain conclu-
world war. the church has been go
ing through testing or proving
time.
World Getting Bctcr.
IIe said: Many ask Is the world
getting better? We answer our ques-
tion with an emphatic, yes. Though
there is rcstlessness and super
hcinlity In this age. and many are
takeH up with interests that are
prcdoIninantly material. yet there
are those who remain true to deeper
loyaltics. People arc giving more
heed to Christianity and higher Nv
ing than ever before"
1t ls not theories. said the minis
ter. but practice. that counts. Read.
ing matter. newspapers and maya
zines. editorially and otherwise.
show that the public mind is more
religiously inclined. Popular Action
Is even taking more serious turn.
Tho Book OF Books. the Bible. is read
more than ever before.
Tho preacher regretted that there
was n falling or In the number OF
family affairs. but stated that those
who were reading and studying the
Word OF God were getting more
practical and spiritual value out OF
tho Same than ever before.
He said. In the course of his re-
marks: we make serious mis-
take IL we imagine that, simply be-
cause the crowd is IN the thcater.
movies and other places. that the
church has lost her influence and
her hold upon the future. for there
are nary today In whose hearts
living lire Of conviction and devo-
ton IS still burning. This III
force to be rcckoncd with. the
question sis not how many were NJ
church this morning. or at prayer
meeting. hut the real, the vital
question, is: Was the Spirit there?
.Th,s Is not an hour for dismay
and fear. but for faith and patience,
and for wisdom In the constructive
application OF Christianity TO present
needs and problems"
The pastor made an earnest APP
peal for cooperation and unity
among Christian forces and dcnomi-
nations. He said tina, any minister
n tnominational popularity as an
absolute essential was behind the
times, and out of touch and har-
mony with >,c progress Of the King
dum OF God In modera times.
Dny OF Child In Nation.
He mcnttcned the Importance that
is being given to childhood. char
acterizing the present time as the
day of the child in the church and
nation. This, he said, is our great
est and best form OF evangelism.
He thanked God for the emphasis
which is being put upon Christian
cduca ton, and said: I'VE are be-
ginning TO realize thaS IL tne
world is going TO be saved. 1t VIII
bo through religious instruction in
our sunday schools. day schools.
colleges and universities. where we
come in contact with life in the
making"
In mentioning the limitations OF
armament conference. he stated that
the duty Of the church was TO i'm
nlant in all the world the intcrna-
tionnl mind of primitive Christianity.
found in ColosSians 3:ll. Where
there cannot be Greek and jew
circumcision and uncircumcision
barbarian. Scythian. bondm1n, free
man; but Christ is all and IN all.
"AIong with this" he said. must
como conscious oneness with
Coz
In conclusion no said: God help
orofessed Christians whose morality
is merely what respectable society
requires; whose religion inspires
little or no effort. Oh! for people
10 really begin to understand wha;
christian morality really is"
He quoted I Peter 4:l9, The time
Ia at hand for judgment TO begin ut
the house OF God" The New Testa-
ment word for judgment" he said
'is krisis. The present world crisis,
no said, summons every church and
oil, it's individual members to Judge
Themselves. least they be Judged and
found wanting" Let us, by self
searching before the Judgment scat
NJ Christ, rid ourselves of mere
Journalism, and hypocracy-phari-
saism of modern times. Only by such
can we fulhll our duty to this COM
munity and To the world.
" Tho evening service Mr.. Dunn
,,,iia nreachcd another appropriate
sermon for the New Year from
Philippians 3:l3. lone thing do, for
getting tho things which are behind
and. stretching forward to the things
which are before. 1 press on toward
the goal unto the prize of the nigh
calling of God in Christ Jesus.