Evening star., 1922-03-25
PRESIDENT LAUDS CHURCH
FOR UNFOLDING THE LAW
Therein Will Be- Found the Largest Contri-
button Toward Guaranteeing Safety;
He Tells Bible Glass.

In time like the present, when
there Is an apparent tendency to a
lighter and more frivolous view Of
the citizens relations to both the
church and the state, there Is no
higher service that the church may
influence in behalf of frank and will
ing obedience to the law of the land,
President Harding declared last
night in an address to the Vaughn
Bible class of the Calvary Baptist
Church. Therein" he continued, Il
think will be found the largest con-
tributlon toward guaranty OF the ma
tion's safety. the most promising as
surance of ultimate realization OF the
highest aspirations of the church In
behalf of all humanity"
Discredits "LOose Talk
Discrediting to a certain extent the
"loose talk nowadays" that the cause
of the spiritual Decentralization of
the community" is an outgroWth OF
the war, the President said, Before
the war started or was dreamed or,
We were already realizing the tend
shifting of standards, weakening
Of the sterner fibers."
President Harding said there was
an important relationship between
church and nation. because no nation
can prosper, no nation can survive
if it ever forgets Almighty God" The
matchless American achievement has
been aided to a great extent by re-
ligious reverence. "and l wish 1t ever
to abide," he stated, and added, If
were to utter a prayer for the re-
public tonight it would be to re-
consecrate US in religious devotion
and make US abidingly God-fear1ng,
God-loving people.
Makes for Simple Life.
Il do not fail to recall that the
religious life makes for the simple
life" the President asserted, "and it
would be like q divine benediction to
restore the simpler life in this re-
public"
The text of the address follows:
1T is a very great pleasure to be
associated with you tonight: to utter
work your class is doing. Frankly.
my relationship is one Of asso-
ciation rather than participation. be-
cause / do not feel myself equal to q
discussion Of the very great topic
which has been limited as my assign
ment.
Apart from contact with this un-
usual organization, l have thought
I would like to commend such activi-
ties, because your class reveals pur-
suit of religious activity of inesti-
mable value and interest, and chal-
lenges the too prevalent impression
that the pursuit of the Christian re-
ligion is always solemn, and lacking
in the charm which is so desirable in
our social life. 1t is a very simple
discovery, but there are far too few
discoverers, that the Bible is the most
60 tn CT dC in q a.
ture, and the lessons taught are the
most helpful which may be brought
into our daily lives.
Religious Liberty Has Place.
There is no relationship here be-
tween church and state. Religious
liberty has it's unalterable place
along with civil and human liberty
in the very foundation of the repub-
lie. Therein is shown the far-seeins
we are a better people and a better
republic because there Is that free
dom.
II fear it is forgotten sometimes
In the experiences of a year in the
presidency there has come to me no
the manifest religious intolerance
which exists among many of our
citizens. 1 hold 1t to be menace
to the very liberties we boast and
cherish.
I'm spite of our complete divorce
ment of church and state. quite in
harmony with our religious freedom
there is an important relationship be.
tween church and nation. because nc
nation can prosper no nation can sur
vive, If it ever forgets Almighty God
I have believed that religious rever.
ence has played a very influential and
helpful part in the matchless Ameri.
can achievement and I wish it ever tC
abide. If I were to utter a prayer
for the republic tonight it would be
to reconsecrate us in religious devo.
ftion and make us abidingly a God
fearing, God-loving people.
Il do not fail to recall that the re.