Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-01
BACK TO BIBLE"
IS CURE FOR SIN
Rev. W. F. Crafts Says Invcn-
tions Have Not Ban
ishcd Crime.
GAMING SPIRIT STRONG
Throws lis Commcrcialisln.
He Says, Even III Amateu,
Games Of Today.

Back TO tho Bible" was tho sub
1ect OF an address BY Rev. Wilbur +.
Crafts. Ph. u. OF Washington. ID. G..
superintendent Of the International
heiorm Bureau. In Second Prcsbyte-
RAN Church yesterday morning.
iointing out that all modern invcn-
'ons have not barishcd sin and the
sorrow It brings. Or. Graft said the
cure Tor sin IL In going back to the
bible. He said. In part:
change In Costumes; Not In Heart.
mere has been much change In
mans costumes and customs, but no,
nuch change Of hcart-the great war
or half tho world and it's aftermath
remind us: and there Is no new way
10 change It. The only was is the
OLD way: 'WhercwIthal shall 4 young
man cleanse his way? BY taking
hecd thereto according TO Thy word
ana by fhc same word must the as
sociatfons OF mcu-thc corporation.
tho social club. tho political party, the
city. tho State. the nation and the
world, be changed One compcnsa-
ton the unspcakable European war
may bring is Il wholesome despair Of
merely civilizing influences 10 change
individual character and the spirit of
tho age. The war will not be all In
vain IL II makes "a bleeding. weeping
world cry out: Back TO the Bible:
back to Cod
No lcss battling than the war are
the chronic vices which are AT work
In war and peace. More than a dozen
States and many cities in other States
have abolished red light districts.
but adultery has not hccn abolished.
We have outlawcd lotteries and al
most ended race gambling but the
gambling spirit is. still strong and
throws Its selfish commcrcialism like
a shadow over even our amateur
games. Labor and capital never
fought more bitterly than In the lat
est strikes Sanitation and surgery
have made wonderful advances. but
women. and especially men. arc dy-
ing faster In the twentieth century
than they did In the nineteenth. and
the increasing death rate Is largely
due TO vices. We have outGrown
many things. but we have not out
grown sin and sorrow, and the need
OF their only cure.
Drifted Away From Anchorage.
The cry implies that VIC have
driftcd away from this old anchor
age. There Is no difficulty In prov
ing that most OF the present genera
ton arc growing UP In ignorance OF
the Book which is King at once In
the literature OF knowledge and the
literature OF power. Eas: and West.
when college freshmen have been ca
am!ned on the Bible. II has been
shown that they do not know enough
OF IL TO understand law and litnra
iurc and art and ethics and civics.
which are largely based upon It.
Pack TO the Bible nc must go.
especially To the days o. the prophe,-
rcformcrs. to show church members.
md others also. that God demands
right action no less OF an association
or nation than Of it's individual mem
bers, and tina; He has promised lie
viii make true religion victor over
sclfshness. not only in the sinner.
but In the city and the State and ma
ton, into whose life the spirit OF
heaven. which Is the spirit OF altruIs-
tic service. will come down when We
believe for it and pray for ii and
work for II.
individual conversion IS only the
seed OF Gospel--'the spirit Of the Lord
IS upon me'-the spirit-nllcd man:
the full-grown tree of the Gospel.
full salvation in the. Bible sense.
means the salvation OF the whole
community here and now.
Back TO the Bible we must go:
TO Its own great words in their natural
meaning. with less explanation and
moro memoriz!nG: that is tho need
in Sunday school and church. and
especially in the public school. where
alone we can bring the great stories
and poems of the Bible to bear on all
our youth. to insure their true sue
cess and better social life."