Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-09
BOWIE STRESSES
LOYALT|ES OF LIFE
All Righl,Thinking Men Have
Double Responsibility, Dc.
clarcs Rector.
USES EXAMPLE OF JESUS
Urges Fcal'y to Group,
Whether of Church +
or Nation.
USES EXAMPLE OF JESUS,

Preaching in s.. pau,.s c,,,-
yesterday morning on "rhe Twa
i."yaltieS ot Life" Rev. ". nusso,,
h"wie -. H.. the rector. used tho 80
ample OF Jesus to make plain tbot
All thinking men have n donbIa n
responsibility: first to be true fosg
ne group whether Of church or ma
tion, To which. by instinct and on
yironment. they belong: and second 1
20 hcip Interpret the life Of that
group. not into sclnshncss, bu, into (;
service.
Jesus was tho child of Israel. and
no honorcd his Inheritance. He wenrS
TO the Jewish synagogue worshipedi
IN the Temple, observed the feasts.
ana kept the great traditions OF thn9i
Gathers; but lie lived and died-to
make plain that the glory OF His3s
people could only be achieved as
thcE broke down their old pride and
cXclusivoness ana gave themselyea
spiritually TO serve the whole needy
human race. "a
Savior of World. .,.
He who was horn as King OF
me Jews. was, by His miEhticr kim
ship with all mankind the savior
Of the world. toward whom the
Wise Men at Epiphany came fromI
their iar lands as they followedt 1
the star :.
so then the message OF Epiphany.9
ana the message OF the dedication
OF Jesus in the Temple blend Into
one. He was most loyal to the real6;
soul OF His people as He became.
All mankind. To help the Church.
OF Israel best was not to help It
scllshly, but rather TO lift into
awareness and expression Its slum-
boring conscience for n mission forsi
all the earth.
AS we take these thoughts and
apply them to ourselves certain
clear consequences follow. We ares
taught to understand the true res;
lationshp between our narrowerSl
and our wider loyalties. We shalIEI
avoid two mistakes into one or tho
other of which SO many of MS areS1
prone To fall.
Respect Religious Convictions.
There are those, on the one hand,s a
who think they do not need tho
close bond OF loyalty to any orr
ganized fashion OF religion. They
say they believe in respecting theS
religious convictions OF every one;a
they believe in tolerance and good8
viii. and the sort OF general beney-s
olence which is willing to rank,
every religion on the same level,ll
There is too much separation. toos
many particular statements OF be-
lief, such persons say. We want as
church of all mankind. When alIS
people can make up their differ-S
cnccs and worship alike we will john
that church.. hut in the meantime. 4
we are going to stand outside org
any organization. We can cultivated
fulness best by Keeping free from
every tie.
Yet Jesus did not do that; and dos
we seriously imagine that we can9
achieve the Masters ends by a.
method contrary to His own? ,DoI
we suppose that we can make our-g
selves in some vague fashion signifi-{3
cant to life in general when wes
have not set ourselves first to ms
terpret the best in the group to-
which instinctivcly we belonS?S
There is much shallow talk to the
effect that what people want is notA
any fixed creed or definitely shaped
conviction, hut only sort of gen-a
eral sentiment OF being good to-h
gether. How pitifully this mocksG
the blindness OF world that seek53
tho Infinite ends. yet can never find
those ends until IT has first found
some plain. true road. How 1T feeds
on husks the hunger OF starved 4
spirits, longing for II creed that is ]
ldnllal. &
Followed 1t the More.
did tho Wise Men follow less tho
leading of their star because 1t leds
them TO one who was King OF the
Jews? No they followed it the more.
For they felt that from that race OFF,
Israel. in spite of all the limitations
of its pride, there yet might MOST!
reasonably rise the Dclivercr, be-.
cause in them was Il strength of
fundamental conviction which could 4
give great fact birth. And that
is what the world is seeking now
1t is asking for light and guidance.
1t Is asking not for shadows, put
for bread And when with widest
and most inspired scrutiny, one
searches all the possibilities of this
earth. where else shall he ind the
likelihood OF a spiritual bread sufft-
cicnt To feed tho needs of the peo-
plc save in that gospel which Chr1s-
in =