Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-07-17
RELIGIOUS LIFE IS
PROBLEM OF TODAY
Comparatively Small Glass Sc,
Themselves Against
Church.
GRADUALLY GIVE WAY
Interesting Sermon Is Preach
ed by Rev. W. +.
Walters.


Religious Attitudes" was tho sun
So, of sermon preached iu airs,
Christian church yesterday evening
h. R"v. " T. Walters. He spoke.
ir part. as follows
Tho problem Of the religious life
presents ITSELF to all mankind and
each In his own Hay meets tn. issue
aud assumes dennii. atcitunc To-
wards II Il - our purpose 10 con
slider briefly a few % tn. most com
mon az these attitudes
opposition.
Ther" Is comparatively small
class Of p"opl" who 80, thems.lvos
openly against religion and tho
cnhroh. II they were permitted 10
nave their way. churches would b..
H'siroEcf. bibles burned and rclig
.'n stamped out. and TIE nation
would sInH back into heathenIsrn and
narbarism. Certain organizations
ana elemcnts ar. fostering This spIr.;.
nut II - gradually giving way h>
i're religious Influences. hacked by
"ni'Eht"nrhent and tn" prepond"rcncc
Of evidence on the other side
Tho man who denics tho existence
~ God and the influence of religion
mus, shu' his svcF 20 ~. I.volop-
m"nt ~ the history ~ tn" human
race.
el Indincrrnrr
large Proportion OF tho popuIa
e!"n assumes An attitude Of indlrer-
once towards religion. WIN som.
'ler" = feeling - Independence
t6at they arc sufficient within them
hstves without cod win others -
- matter ~ having all their time
ann attention taken up with other
ft'crss' hG' Whatever the cause. s,
~ mistake fur any on, 10 nev,cc,
"a. cultivation ~ the spiritual side
"e,th". snd II religion 9. worth any.
'h'"s' In tho development NJ citizen.
tdol-- no maintaining 81 4 hiphc,
standard. tho rcsuUInr AID saving
90 mon. II - worthy ~ our iuio-ev,
;HT cn-opcra;ion ana we Canno, he
ipH'7rrrnt 20 g, and bc true 10 tn.
GsTpun1iy and tn" nation
'it" TrIfi~r.
"'Ih"r@ = class 'ha' assumes a
rsIEpus name mad q church oti!sa.
.G!.r"" m"r" "na"diency % attain
rhdnsirea end. They would divorce
tAi,Sion from all spiritual ,,as ars
"nGEaiions and make Il material
rolI'lchl "r social agency
iht Srcnt aim o' N" church and
'ha pIrpos" ~ No have been missed
ana an "H"rt has been made TO pros
p'ut@ divine means TO gain carnai
TIs To SUCH religion AFFORDS no
"e"'nr" and holds gu, no hopc o..
Inward
. IfsiI-ssn~s.
* step higher IN the scale of -.
llgs""s attitudes is IN. Iistlcss or
inactive church In"mbor-rhe drone
IN n" line o: church activity He
*,trds church occasionally but. IKE
ne children If isrnc! y" IL at cas-.
IN zion. No fans 20 realize ma,
tHcrc is anY more religion than Join
Ak Ia" church ANA being baptized
His attitude e. often h!ndrancc
7" The "nUsr that h. represents
II This class could get vision
~ their possibilities and could be
aroused - action. the church would
70 forward by leaps and bounds. and
i's influence would increase many
fold
Enrn~stnrs..
The Apostle Paul voiced the scnti-
men, and expressed the feeling % the
active element in the church when
he said This on" thing do The
man who has "a true interest In God
and his own religion. does not neg
lect 'hc church He may sell shoes
drive locomotive or do any ono 81
hundred other things for living
hut his one great work is to serve
God He sets his face in that di-
rection and strives To attuuc mis- lifo
In harmony with Gods plan His
attitude is the bulwark OF the church
the pillar Of moral law and the hone
n! tho world "