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

be three-fourths of life but the life force
from which conduct springs is of more
moment than conduct itself. The unseen
part of life contains the springs of
action, the motives, the hopes, the fears,
the ambitions, the aims the unseen
portion contains the root from which
the whole growth takes its health and
strength" By the consensus Of all
fair and righteous opinion, the church
of God is the soil IN which this root
is nourished.
And so all the men of all the organi-
cations who really know history know
our country and are conversant with
the movement and work of the Chris
tian church through the ages, grant to
it a supreme place in our civilization
and look to it as the source from which
must come the forces which Will con-
serve and preserve as well as pro-
mote and carry forward our great civil
lization. ~ -
! No social, civic or religious principle
has dominant force without organi-
cation. Some of the most eloquent
and stirring speeches recorded in the
English language were called forth un-
der British oppression and the desire
for liberty. The dumping of the car
goes of tea into the sea and the cry of
give me liberty or give me death"
stirred the people. The storm Of emo
ton caused by all these things amount
ed to nothing until the Minute Men
organized an army and met the British
soldiers at the old Concord bridge.
This was the beginning of an organi-
cation, an army with leadership and
power which brought American liberty.
And SO of all the idealism of history,
nothing is accomplished without or
ganization.
The doctrines of Christ could never
have vitality affected human govern
Inents and conduct without organiza-
ton. Who would desire to live in a
country where no doetines of Christ are
taught, no religious congregations as
Eembled, no pulpit messages delivered,
no prayers offered and no hymns of
praise, hope or consolation breathed
forth in spiritual melody? This high
and holy organization called the church
of God is challenge to every thought
full man and woman who sincerely de-
sire the highest good and the noblest
and ,happiest conditions of the race.
In the face of these facts 1 ask ''can
any American afford to be Indifferent
or negative toward { the great institu-
ton called the Church. of Christ in the
worlf?" s'se6s @sSai E.
!. Some shallow excuses have kept men
out of the. church. Some have said /:
II desire liberty; / do not seek mem
bership in Jan organization which re-
stricts my conduct and limits my ac-
tivity."S OF course snch men when they
think, know that liberty, regardless of
law, is anarchy and that our best laws
bring to us our richest liberty. We
enjoy our American liberty because it
requires us to obey prohibition laws
which save us in IA large way from
domestic broils, home distinctions, la
Dor DISCRIMINATION, business ineffi-
cheney, divorces, murders, mobs and an
archy and grants to- us the liberty of
going when and where we please in
safety of life and property. Some years
ago j was in the city Of Waco. A
father walked along the street with his
little son. He heard the crack of "a
pistol and saw his little boy drop to
the street. He gathered the little bleed
ing body in his arms and cried. who
would kill an innocent lad like this%
1t was ascertained that drunken man
from a nearby saloon had fired at an
other drinking companion and his
stray bullet hit the innocent boy. When
vicious men have unbridled liberty to
drink, quiet citizens have not even the
scant liberty of walking the streets
with their families in safety.
We enjoy our American liberty be-
cause it requires us to obey the laws
of the ownership Of property. This
strong arm of protection shields us from
the thief, the robber, the highwayman,
the poaeher and the CRATER and the
defrauder. 1t gives us the exquisite
liberty of lying down in our own homes
in peace, quiet and safety and of puF-
suing our business in an orderly, quiet
and unmolested way. We enjoy our,
American liberty because it requires us
to obey the laws of marriage. This
preserves to US the peace and safety
of our homes, the sacredness and un-
interrupted bliss of our marital reIa-
tionships, our table and fireside. We
enjoy this American liberty because it
requires us to obey the laws of life;
prohibits the carrying of firearms, bur
'glary tools, dynamite and other de-
structive agencies to human life, giving
us the delightful liberty of travelling
the highway without the hazards of
death and destruction. We abhor lib
erty without law, the runaway team
without a driver, the automobile and
the express train without brakes.
Wherever there is progressive power
there must be instruments governing
and restraining, else wreck and ruin.
The laws of our country and the
wholesome and restraining laws of the
Christian church preserve for us and
guarantee to us the best things in life.
The two formative forces in character
are incentive and restraint" the
going ahead and the stopping power
the steam and the brake. The history
of all supreme characters viii clearly
reveal the fact that their highest
achievements have. been due to their
most rigid discipline and training He
who rebels against restraint .manifests
that element which has been must de-
structive TO character and the greatest
promoter of vice and ineffieney. I.loye