The Mankato free press., 1922-01-20
VIEWS OF LAYMEN

Loss of Reverence Besettins Sin Of
America.
Cambria, Mimi, January 16.-To The
Free Press: At the Presbytery meeting
which was held at Cambria November 16
and II, 1921, one of the ministers gave
very interesting arresting and sug-
gestive Illustration. which was as fol-
lows: Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote to a
friend that he had been to church the
Sunday before and said, There is a lit
tie plant called reverence in the corner
of my hearts garden that I like to water
Cnce a week" So this effective lllustra-
ton gripped me and suggested our lack
Of reverence as individuals and as a ma
tiop today.
esot-ting sin. AS we turn back the
pc g,sn of history we find that the nation
&! siu' Of the Hebrews was ayarice, the
pltasules.2 carthaginians were treacher-
Gus, the Romans cruel, the Teuton was
a glutton. The various historic periods
ere as IL in ths5 vices sss T
age is indifferent to the higher and mob
1Cr things We agree with others when
- is said that our besetting sin as ma
Do we fear, honor. respect rever God
Is it really true that as a people we have
lost the sense of fear and revernce? Our
proudest beast is that our firm constitu;
TO none in all the world. Long may /
flourish and continue. But let US be
ware of doing dishonor to the Lord Go
The church of God has to a large ex
tent lost it's hold on the people. Lac
of genuine religion is the main trouble
Formally rather than vitality character
Lord, but do not do the will of God. Pro
fession of Christianity does not mean il
possession. People are in danger Of max
ls--s Tr1N H.
danger Of making light of everything
art, literature, music: politics. The or!
is for light music, literature, dramas
comedies: picturI,s; RS; The over over rulinf
time. There is no doubt about it, tina
unless we do become more serious as q
people, God will pass US over and give
lovers of pleasure more than lovers c
God The true objective Of the life, OF
the average man and woman II the.
There is no Outlook beyond the immediatc
present. II we are living for things
temporal if we have no objective in lifc
save that which is terminated by death
mest rnen Is miseraSIe s SS S There T so soethnr I hing
wrong. Open your paper today or an,
day and you can put your finger on thf
very spot that is wrong. What is wrong
whether it is our relationship with Other
nations. our home politics. industrial life
social life, God is utterly left out. Go
has no real place in the lives of the
average man and woman. You can sec
1t stamped upon their faces There 1t Is
greed lust. pleasure, gain, selnshness
hopelessness, despair. money. power, pa s.
sion, anything except God. Material
things have taken possession OF and has
been enthroned in our hearts We have
divided even Nife into two departnnts
sacred and secular, and we are not blinr
to the solemn fact that the secular II
crowdirg out the sacred in every sphere.
The enemy has crept in and took pr
session of church music to large ex-
that is sacred. j
When do we and what do we honor
respect and rover? How is IT concerning
the Bible, Sabbath. Home, parents. mar
rage relat; ions ships> What about the
Rible? To large number it is, cut q
date so they lift their voices in acco~
with that noted English writer and au-
thor H. G.. Wells for new Bible. T"
others it is n lost hook. Some turn to
it on some special occasions, not wanted