The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-03-30

Il present it is an institution recog-
nizing Christ as its Divine head, His
doctrines as the tenets of its faith,
holding the Bible as the word of God
and the source of all religious doc
trines. + present it as the highest and
hottest organization among men; as an
organization teaching and promulgating
all the wholesome and profitable doc
trines, principles and benevolences pro-
posed by. every other moral and benevo-
lent institution on earth. In fact,
the church and its Bible constitute
the source from which all other frater-
nal and benevolent societies or or
CARNATIONS have gotten their inspira-
ton, their doctrines and their methods.
Such organizations have arisen at times
when the church has failed to function
in the particular matters which have
become the objects of interest and ac-
tivity of these organizations. There
is no high and worthy idealism, no
commendable service of mutual fellow
ship and helpfulness, no holy bonds OF
love and lcompanionship not included in
or drawn from the doctrines of Chris
tianity.
shall ask you to become member
of his high and holy organization by
all the wholesome arguments ever pre-
scented to you for membership in any
other benevolent or fraternaI organi-
zation and In addition by the high and
holy call Of God, and urge upon you
the neessitYsand' importance of your kind
and most thoughtful consideration OF
your duty and responsibility in this
regard. t.s
Every student of religion, sociology,
business and politics has pronounced
this the most pregnant, portentious
and possible period in the worlds his
tory; a period in which more high
ideals are seeking legitimate fields OF
operation; period in which there is
more mobility and confusion of thought
concerning the best modes of organiza-
tion and audacious exploitation OF
what has formerly been considered
fundamental doctrines of religion, fun.
damental laws Of government and fun.
damentals principles of society. BY
the Judgment of all strong and clear
thinking men, this is an age in which
the hope.of our civilization reposes in
the church of God; it is the. time when
our highest and best institution should
function in its strongest and most eff.
ficient way. When the bankers Of
our country met short time since, the
man who is regarded the leader in fl.
nancial and banking circles boldly. as
serted that what this country needs
is not more business but more religion
Nothing will stabilize business like 4
firm grip upon the most wholesome
doctrines the world has ever had
namely, the doctrines of Jesus Christ,
The leading manufacturers and mer.
chants have voiced the same sentiments
Wheuthe brotherhoods of our coun.
try hold their conclaves and their wisest
and most thoughtful men give utter
ance, we hear them in the language
Of the international president Of the
Kiwanis club, exclaim, "The teachings
of the Man of Galilee viii solve the
problems Of today as they have those
of the ages and it is upon the spirit
of these teachings that Kiwanis is
founded" May we further add that il
of the fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man upon which ali fra
ternalism is based, that all movements
relations, social justice and business
fairness should appeal. to. these. doc
trines and support the institutions
SAAONSA WAANA navy oAC AOctCACAs
When one of the greatest presi-
dents our country has ever had finds
himself in the throes of the greatest
crisis our nation has ever experienced,
be cries, THE hope Of our nation is
in the church: i therefore appeal to
the churches Of our country for their
sympathy and cooperation in the hour
of our greatest need" In response to
this call every pulpit in America I'M
furled the flag and became a propo-
gandist for patriotism, loyalty and lib
erality that our boys on the firing line
might know by every possible demon
stration, token and support that the
folks at home were with them to the
dividing of their last dollar and last
loaf of bread. 1t is an unanswerable
fact that in all the ages when dis
asters have come by fire or flood,
storm or earthquake, the church has
never failed the people. The Near
East Relief could not have functioned
without the pulpits of America nor
could America have responded, to Japan
and other countries in this hour of their
distress without the churches. Not
withstanding the unfriendly criticism
the actual records will show that the
church has been an unfailing friend
to every condition of struggling. suf-
fering humanity.
Senator Pepper declares in his re-
cent book entitled "a Voice From the
Crowd''-"the same man who remarks
sentiously, Il believe in religion but
not in church, would be quick to
point out the unanswerable objection
to anarchy as a solution to govern
mental problems. The man who is
ready to cheer an exhortation to dis
card dogma and strive to spiritualize
human society would at least ask for
the time to-, consider a proposition to
wipe out the constitution and the SUI
preme court and instead to influence
people tobe just. 1t does not make
any difference what you believe if your
conduct is good is a. phrase often
used BY men who are well aware that
electric ears win not run unless the
power house is in order
Matthew Arnold saws &C s0nd1let ma