, 1922-12-28

the Providence OF Almighty God, to obey His will,
to be grateful for His benefits. and humbly to i'm
plore His protection and favor"
As everybody knows, George Washington was
no liar. So that when he wrote these words he
wrote them because he believed them.
In short, the United States of America was con-
celved and established In exactly the spirit set
forth In Washington's words. The nation Of his
time was "a Christian nation. It's sense Of de-
pendence upon God was very real because Of real
ization of perils past and difficulties to come. 1t
saw the guiding and protecting hand of Providence
in the past. 1t hoped for a continuance OF guild
ance and protection of Providence In overcoming
the problems and difficulties of the future. For
America was then a child among the nations and
Its way to maturity looked long and perilous.
America has now come to that maturity. And
he is a dullard who cannot see the hand Of Provi-
dence In our national history since the beginning.
In the 1873 years since George Washington's first
Thanksgiving proclamation America has accom-
pllshed much. 1t has made its maturity rich and
powerful. Today America stands the wealthlest
and most favored nation of the globe-so rich and
so favored that a pre-war prediction has come
true America has emerged victorious and un-
harmed from the Great War and without a friend
among the nations of earth. America Is too
wealthy, too powerful. too resourceful. too well
able to move on toward its destiny without "en-
tanglng alliances" to please the rest of the world.
America Is so favored that It must have a care
lest In Its complacency it thanks God 1t Is not
as other nations are.
It Is true America Is not as the Turk. who Is
pounding on the gates Of Europe. with all the as
surance of n victor who asserts that he has wiped
out past defeat by present victory and demands
new opportunities for crimes against civilization.
II Is true America is not as the Bolshevlsts In
Russia, who apparently are growing rather
stronger than weaker. seeming to gain strength
from the ruin they have wrought, and parade their
Red Army as an object lesson to the nations of
earth.
Yet America sadly needs to take heed OF the
Eleventh commandment. Love one another" And
IL needs a Twelfth commandment, Thou shalt
not prohteer." For the profiteer. II has been said.
takes the Eighth commandment by the throat.
knocks the Tenth commandment on the head and
treads the golden rule under foot" And as for the
Ten commandments handed down from God at
Mount Sinai-it Is increasingly evident that II IL
the task of the good citizen and the church and
the press to build up the moral manhood and
womanhood that is suffering alarming deteriora-
ton.
There are many who believe that in acceptance
and practice OF practical Christianity lie AmerI-
cas- only hope Of emergence from the greed and
lnwlessness OF 1923. Ammo Domini.
In this connection the progress OF a movement
begun In the United States by "Chrlstlan business
Mem will doubtless be watched with interest by
the nation.
In some American clty-probnbiy Detroit-wiIl
be held early In 1923 the first convention OF the
Federation OF Christian Business Mems clubs.
Probably 100 clubs In the principal cities Of the
country will be represented. 'To search out and
apply the laws of God in all commercial relations
between ourselves and all men" Is the stated pur.
pose OF the federation. All members agree to make
the golden rule fundamental In their commercial
dealings. The clubs reserve at all meetings n chair
for Jesus Christ. "the unseen Quest" whom the
members acknowledge to be their directive head -
At a recent conference in Kansas City. Mo. dele
gates were present representing clubs In Kansas
City, New York. Philadelphia. Lincoln. Neb. Tulsa.
Okla, st. Louis. Wheeling. w. Va. Chicago.
Rochester. N. Y. Cincinnati. Columbus, o. ST.
Paul. Mimi, Jacksonville, Fla, Columbia. Mo. and
Detroit