The Washington herald., 1922-06-12

MAY FALL UNDER
ITS OWN WEIGHT
Should Better Serve Com
munity, Says Rev. B.
II. Melton.
TELLS OF REVIVAL
Great Awakening Must Be
Entirely Worldwide,
He Declares.
TELLS OF REVIVAL
BY REV. B. H. MELTON,
Columbia Heights Chrfstisr Church

SuaEtns
The conception people have Of the
world in which they lived has al
ways had its religious counterpart
The tribe has its tribal religion.
The petty state at war with sur
rounding states worships a narrow,
cruel and beligerent deity.
A fair generalization of the his
tory Of the past 1900 years would
be this: Whenever the minds of men
have been broadened into a new
world-view. this change of political
and social outlook has invariably
been paralleled by a broadening ana
deepening of the religious con-
sciousness.
What will be the result. II there
Is anything in history. then We may
look to a new religious and indus
trial awakening parallel to and we
hope interpenetrating the political,
social and Industrial awakening.
What will be the earmarksc How
shall we know IL when this great
revival comes7
Worldwide Revival.
/. II must be in the truest sense
world wide, with no reservations.
The new religion must be frankly
and entirely human-not Eastern or
Western, not cultured or uncut-
tured. not scientific or unscientifc.
but human only in the sense that IL
is adequate TO the primal needs Of
all men everywhere. Only the re-
ligion OF the Divine Christ can do
this. That Is just another way of
saving that IL must be the religion
OF the only possible spiritual COM
dGR ngSafv g.
mood. love and service. This new
religion can't be anything save the
only religion Of the Man of Naz-
sreth. who said: "A new command
ment ] give unto you that ye love
one another"
2. 1t must be a unity Only by
united effort can We compass the
tasks of the big new world. Unity
OF command, aim and execution
won the war against Germany. We
dare not forget the lesson. The
united church alone can win the
war against inequalities. against
powers. against the rulers Of the
darkness OF this world" Not intel
iectual unity, but unity in the
spirit. ideals. purposes. hope. Unity
in one holy fellowship. in one
body in Christ. "Denominaiiona
Pharisaism" is the beseting sin of
our day.
3. Utilizing and magnifying the
regular agencies of the church in
the worlds redemption. The day
of the sky-rocket EVANGELIST IS
passed. never 70 come again. II the
church is to live il must catch the
spirit of the Master in serving and
not in being served.
Used I'm Financing Church.
Frequently the whole strength Of
the preacher and his church is used
in financing the church. keeping
our salaries paid. the janitor paid.
and the church heated and lighted.
The burden OF our work is to kct
the people to do something for the
church. instead Of making the
church serve the community. Ther-
is danger 80 're church falling
under the weight OF its own rI1-
chi-'Ty
The revitalized church in this new
day will inject its life in the 3ocia,
order. in politics, in business. II IS
nothing short Of blasphemy TO
speak OF this nation as a Christian
nation as long as we have wi:h us
5000. 900 plutocrats and 5000, 5000
underfed children"
The Church of God will never
move like a mighty army" until
she gives more intelligent and con-
slant attention to our black breth-
rem. We compel them 10 live In
hauhts Of vice and expect them tS
be as clean as angels. We close
many doors Of opportunity to thera
while we surround 'hcm with de-
grading influences As Americans
they have always been true TO
America in the face Of bad treat
ment As Christians and Ameri-
cane let us see the church in its re-