Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-05
CHARGE THAT
CHRISTIANITY IS FAILURE
World War Used as Evidence
of Truth of AS.
sertion.
MFADEN AT 1sr PRESBYTERIAN
of Faith OF Its Fnthers-Exponents
OF Gospel Open New Geography to
Mankind.

or Faith of Its Fnthers-Exponen II
OF Gospel Open New Geography to
Mankind.
Sunday school commencement was
observed at First Presbyterian
Church yesterday morning. At the
evening service. the pastor. Rev.
Frank 7. McFaden. -. H., preached.
in part. as follows:
Human nature is quick and prone
to detect flaws. aud makcx the ac-
cusati"n that Christianity is fail
ure. Tn" present condition Of tho
world. With all Of it's failures and evil
happenings. proves it So In this
twentieth century OF Christianity. the
World War is used as an evidence
Of the truth "f the assertion. The
nations that were at war are Chris
tan. they say Their rulers were
p!ous men. The Car invoked deity
The Kaiser was king Of divine right.
The Kings OF Great Britain aud Bel
( GUM We're foremost In recognizing
the Almighty. The United states
claims 10 be Christian nation. Some
paper went so far As 10 say that IL
;his Is all that Christianity has done
after 1000 years, let il cease its by
pocr!Sy. Some So-called minister has
gone so far as TO say. he sized
Up the present situation of unrest and
turmoil. that the church might as
well close its doors as did the stock
exchange during the war.
God Chose Abraham.
rs Christianity a failure? Is the
Bible false? Is there any sufficient
reason for such question? When
the Knowledge OF the ont true God
was about To- vanish from the earth.
God chose Abraham to be- the faith
az f1f In g.,I IN Il
his seed the "rncles wcr. to be pre-
served and through them to the
Gentle world. He revealed Himself
anew 10 him and them and that reve-
lation was the gulf stream amid the
ocean of humanity. II made the Jew
ish nation the great nation that II
was. The failure to follow it's teach
!neS was he death kncll OF Babylon
and Nincvch and others
Take the two nations most prom
inent in tho late war for a modern
example First. Great Britain Syno-
nyn OF conservatism, integrity and
honesty. iut the forcfathers were
heather. They offered at times in
the hour OF danger human sacri-
fees. Missionaries with the truth of
God came among them. and her fore
most men have attributed her power
to Christian influence. Second. Ger
Z
telligencc. integrity. Christian activi-
~ until she chose other gods. In the
early centuries the forcfathrrs were
| harbarians. Their leaders were inn
/ moral and heather as the British. but
under the influence of Christian men.
/ especially under Roniface. they he
came most powerful Christian ma
I ton.
What is the secret of the rise and
inhuenc" OF our own republic? We
are rcapinE the benefits OF the faith
Of our fathers and our fathers God.
Japan l. not a Christian nation. but
, the change wrought in her has been
wroush, by her connection with the
Christian nations of the world. Eo-
r"a is nation turning To God in II
I night. as the expression goes. On
/ tn" other hand. take Turkey and In
/ dia Why such decay as exists there?
The answer is obvious.
Opens World 10 Men.
The Gospel has opened tho world
/ to men. The opponents Of the Cos
pol has given a new geography to
mankind. II has given literature it's
final touch. In bringing new re-
lieiona and peoples to light In un-
covering buried remains. il has been
most effective and prevailing. The
.
tho way and business has followed.
The Gospel has been the mos, potent
factor in starting the great move
mcnts of tho world. II has given a
mighty inspiration to all humanity OF
ono brotherhood redeemed by one
( mighty to save.
The paper referred TO should rec
ocnizc the direct and indirect in
nucnce upon the nations and the peo-
pic And were IL not for the benign
influence Of this mighty revelation
we should he hack in the Middle Ages
and the editor would not be in the
enjoyment OF the blessings that he
now has.
The same is true OF the individual
No system not religious is able to
meet the needs of men or nations
For there Is no perfect moral ideal
There is no transforming power by
which those moral and religious
ideals can he reached
where lies the difficulty? what /.
the explanation OF the present un.
rest and selishness? Certainly not
with the Gospel. 1t is no argument
against Christianity to say that
there are hyprocrites among its fol
lowers. Or that some fail Were 1,
otherwise. then we might say il was
a failure. For the Master Himself
iorctold that there would he such
The counterfeit coin does not arSu'
against the genuine coin. Rather II
proves that there is something
worth counterfeitinE. II man |.
i'll and there Is remedy known q
cure and II never has failed in a cur.
where the prescription was followed
the mans continued illness cannot bt
charged against the prescription OIL
doctor because OF the failure Of thu
man To follow the prescription. II
the Waterman warns and trouble en-,
sues, the Waterman is not to blame
HOLD TRAINING SCHOOL
EnR WIOPkEDC uEDL