The Washington herald., 1922-05-29
CHURCHES OFFER
BALM FOR LONELY,
PASTOR DECLARES
Friendliness the Great
Message Of Christ
To World.
MANS RICHEST GIFT
All Humanity Depends Upon
Human Relationships for
Happiness.
BY REV. REGINALD ROWLAND,
Pastor, New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church.

By REV. REGINALD ROWLAND,
Assistant Pastor, New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church.
Text: John 1878.
The great war has made and un-
made the friendships of the world.
John Henry Newman once preached
a sermon under the suggestive title,
THE Church, a Home for the Lone
ly." There are many people in this
world with the feeling that nobody
knows and nobody cares. We all
have our moments of dependency.
I have come upon people in my pas
toral visitation who had spent all
day in the house alone. They were
always glad to see me. have
spoken to a solitary soldier whose
face frightened at my address and
interest in him. We all yearn to be
recognized as human beings. We
all are dependent upon human re-
lstionships for ultimate happiness.
Loneliness is the worlds greatest
evil. Our greatest temptations
come upon us when are alone. apart
from those who see and care. when
we are cut loose from the restraints
of environment and convention
there is naught but principle to hold
us. One has to be isolated from
all the refining influences OF mixed
society for time to appreciate the
great impulsion that draws one
toward human society. regardless of
its moral standard. So often the
doors to the lower life are wider
open than those to the higher.
Sympathy for the Lonely.
We are sometimes gripped with a
great compassion for the man or
woman in sin because of their gen.
eral human interest and spirit of
helpfulness in spite of their own
three times OF the devil when He
was alone in the wilderness. When
He was deserted by His companions
and friends, when the things Of the
world were going against Him we
find the one time when He lost faith
in God and confidence in Himself to
accomplish the tragic ordeal. In
the agony of the cross He was
caused to cry out. MY God. Ny God
hast Thou forsaken MeT'
Loneliness Is mans richest treas
ure. The great prophets have come
forth to give a message after
time or season In retirement and
solitude. In secret have come the
greatest revelations OF the good
things of God. The greatest con-
tributions to the scientific and in
tellectual world have come from
men who took infinite time and
IL ~ 0f
From time to time during His ac-
tive ministry Christ felt the need
to draw Himself apart alone to pray.
1t is a secret trust which we may
use to instruct us as to the beauties
of nature, the best thought Of the
ages. the deep things Of God and
His plan for our life. Yet II is
IL is worthless excep,
as It be occasional and not con-
tinuous.
Christ TauGht Friendliness-
There was a time when all the
world felt lonely. 1t felt itself
estranged from God. 1t lacked in
innate communion with its Maker.
Sin, selfishness. which is tffe root
of all sin, stood as a barrier to the
spiritual and moral nature. In the
IdCc VI u sICal WI ~ M e"S AsNS ~
the emptiness of material things.
the vanity of life and the narshness
of Gods commands man because
lonely.
But there came a ray of light.
There came a voice of hope. Christ
came into the world and said.
1 call you not servants
but friends" As such He began to
reveal to us whom He had taken
into His confidence higher hopes.
deeper mysteries and a broader
meaning of life than we had dared
to conceive or suspect. Not only
this. but. He bound us together in
a great fellowship unto Himself ana
unto one another in Him.
THE church has no higher serv-
ice than this ministry of friendship.
1t seems the distinctively Christian
method of rebuilding human society
into the kingdom of God" says DR..
Coffin. The Savior of the world be-
came a friend Of a few hundred sim
ners. He chose a dozen for His
particular friends that they might
learn of Him to carry on the work
with which He intrusted them. He
showed how great was His love in
that He laid down His life Hor His
friends. He left His mission as
among friends"