The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-05
BIG SHORTAGE IN MAN POWER TODAY,
 MACSPORRAN SAYS.
Pastor of First Presbyterian Church Tells Congregation Average Man of Today
 Will Not Fill Bill


 "A Shortage in Man Power" was Dr. .Macsporrans morning subject at the old First Presbyterian) church Sunday
 He said in part: T am very ser iously alarmed over a kind of faith that exists today, which will sh,p= wreck us if not supplanted ~by an- other faith. I mean a ehildlike, un- critical confidence in the average man that he is quite good enough. He brides himself on being a plain. blunt man'--one of the erowd-and feels quite able to attend in prac- tioal way to any problems that arise
 s.We have an easy democratic faith that one man Is about as good as another-that no one man Is in- portant and none is essential, We even nistrust the exceptional man. too big and fine to fawn upon and flatter the dear people, We don't eject such a man. We don't like to make such admission of our own inieriofitN. Sc We select one of our mediocre selves for honor. Thus he sheds honor upon us all.
 "l believe that to be false and foolish. Logic and experience are against 1t. When some men fall. none are big enough to supplant them. trogress is not automatic. 1t deronds not oh the forms of goNera- ment but on the kind of men. Tha average man is not good enough. We must everywhere find and pro- sft d |, .t4 FTtt. situation is critical in our cities be- cause we are ruled by the average and not by the best. We must in quire into this. We must find out the true meaning of Christian democracy.
 "Because God is no respecter of persons if does not mean that all men are equally useful as agen.s for God. He always chooses and uses the pest.
 Where will We find the exeep- tional man? There arc plenty of devoted conscientious average men, but We must find a higher grade for today. then will We come to seek for the best. and the greatest among us VIII be our servants.
 When a man begins to see God he begins to see everything else. Faith, vision and Knowledge of God give man knowledge of facts. Ezekiel of old saw this same condi- tion clearly through such eyes Of faith. Ezekiels blood boiled at 1t, and his heart burst with love for his peo- pie and his city. In that situation he looked for man of heroic mold, one that would stand in the breach to fight and resist and serve. I sought for man and 1 found not Ezekiel looked in vain. None of his beloved people measured up to such crisis. Yet there was such man. He was the prophet him self, and he threw himself into the gap and saved the day.
 This is picture of life, too. in a modern city. A breach has been made and the sinister forces of evil are pouring in. We must find men big enough to stand and sacrifice for the cause. And there is a shortage of such men. l am looking for just that kind of men in our church and in our city. l am looking for them among you ioday--men away above the average to stand in tho gap. And if you are fit you will later stand among the immortals Cincinnatus, Oliver Cromwell George Washington and all the leaders and saverS Of mankind have been those who vol-. unteered to stand heroieally in the gap. Yet the opportunity is close at hand as we'll
 Dr. MaeSporran paid a tribute to the Birmingham health officer. who paid the price. you know. for stand ing in, the breach, fin the way of blind little mem"
 Long ago outside 8 city wall was One who, because He stood in the gap for you and me, was crueified, And His prayer was Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' And now, who will volunteer to pay the price, will stand ready to fill the gap in our ranks when our elder saints are goneW