The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-18
.URGESSTUDENTS
TO FOLLOW GOD
Ferguson Cites Controversy
Between Religion and Sci
enCe at Chapel

MANN1NGToN. April 49,
Chapel exercises at the Manning.
ton High School were opened by
the Rev. E. D. Ferguson OF the
Baptist Church, who spoke for a
short while On, the subject, 1.-THE
Word OF God. !"
with the present controversy
that is raging between science and
the word OF God," he said a beg
OF you to throw your reverence
and unalterable adherence upon
the side OF the scriptures and their
teachings. The word Of God Is the
very foundation upon which our
great government and It's instItu-
tons arc based" He begged that
the pupils try to realize that the
only true education and culture is
found in tho word Of God, anu
cited several Of the worlds most
prominent characters as proof that
those who rest their faith on God
arc the greatest men.
Following the Reverend Mr..
Ferguson, Superintendent D. G.
Tabler appeared before the student
body to clear up. he said, state
ment made some time ago with
regard to war.
The question no brought before
the pupils was this: "What is
War?" He asked the pupils to ans
wer 1t mentally take their note
books and pencils, II needed, and
settle 1t for themselves.
AS a road to the explanation,
Superintendent Tabler said. "Man
is naturally a religious being.
Every act OF an individual Is the
result OF decision. You have made
many decisions this morning. IN
each Of these decisions you have
selected between what you think
right and what you believe IS
wrong. You did what you did be-
cause you thought 1t right to do
So"
There's a real cause behind
every conflict" he said "and the
causes arc determined by the con.
flIctlng parties ideas OF what Is
right and what is wrong.
Fo: the basis for the study OF
war, Mr.. Tabler mentioned the ma
ton Of ancient Israelites. Israel,
he declared was like unto every
other nation in history, and the
history OF Israel Is this" r.
while Israel worshipped the
true and only Jehovah, she pros
pered. And then she sinned." To
show the consequence Of sin. Mr..
Tablcr laid that sin is only wrong
doing. "If I cut my finger off with
a knife" he asked. is that sin?
Surely. 1t is sin against my
body. And II do this. what is the
result? am punished
He then showed how, after Is
Iael sinned, she ceased prospecting
and fell into evil ways. Yet. after
q while, God forgave the people
after they had repented, and they
began again to prosper. This, he
said. was the history OF Israel
throughout her existence; con-
tinual prosperity while she was
faithful to God, and trouble when
she forgot God.
Again he repeated. "The histor,
OF Israel is the history OF all nat
tons, and every nation has gone
through tho same things.
Begging for a better understand
ing Of the causes Of war Mr..
Tabler said that a teacher who is
not bigger than her text book Is
not qualified to teach that text. and
the pupil who does not rise above
the text will not get at tho heart
Of the subject.
For Culture study, Mr.. Tablsr
mentioned the NapoIenotc War.
the English war under the Duke
OF Wellington. our own Civil War,
the World War, and the present
war in Ireland. He asked the
pupils to see II there was not an
underlying cause that would ea-
plain all these wars alike.
This lecture, Mr.. Tabler an
mounced was to make thepupils
think for themselves; to bring out
originality. and Independent con-