Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-05
OLD-TIlNE RELIGION
BY BISHOP w. 4. CAN

works? AS Scotchmen, we rejoice not less
sincerely in the literary celebrity of our sister
kingdom; not only from the interest which, as
citizens Of the united empire, we feel in this
celebrity Of any of its members, but as affdrt
ing the secret pledges of the continued and
progressive splendor Of our own country"
These reflections Of this illustrous philoso
phical historian apply with peculiar force to
the character and position Of our own country
! and it's mission to mankind.
In the wide extent Of it's territory, in its
populousness, and in it's vast wealth there is
danger hat its noblest things may be suffo-
Gated, and that it may sink to the level of the
sodden conditions Of the Persian, Babylonian
and Indian Empires in their worst estate or
fall ito the remediless decay Of the Roman
commonwealth in the days of it's hopeless de-
cline.
TO save 1t from such decay it is necessary
for each Of it's states and sections to preserve
its characteristic excellencies and cherish the
| inspiration Of it's own peculiar history A
wholesome, but not hateful sectionalism is in.
| dispensable to the welfare and glory of the
! whole nation.
| There are those who indulge often a Ter
feryid and thoughtless defamation, crying in
blind enthusiasm, 81 believe in no North, no
West, and no South" But they know not
what they say The history of no section can
be effaced. And if it could, it would be a
|
liar Characteristic of any section be depre-
ciated destroyed.
New England has had a great history, and
it should be preserved, and the characteristic
eXcelencies Of New England civilization should
be perpetuated.
The South also has had great history,
and its virtues should never be minimized,
despised or forsaken. The South gave birth to
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James
patr
James K. Polk, William H. Crawford, Alex
ander Stephens, Jefferson Davis, Stonewall
Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Woodrow Wilson
The Colonial Armies under the leadership
OF Washington won our Independence. The
Declaration Of Independence was written by
jefferson, and by him the Louisiana Purchase
was made. Madison is justly called "the
father Of the Constitution" Andrew Jackson
was the victorious hero Of "the war Of 1877"
and under the administration of James X Polk
our national boundary was extended beyond
the limits Of 1.-The Louisiana Purchase" and
the domain Of the Republic extended from
ocean to ocean.
Thus We see how much is due to the valor
and craftsmanship Of Southern leaders in
both war and peace. They framed the fed
eral government and won the imperial do
main over which it stretches it's authority.
The patriots Of the nation, least Of all the
people OF the South, can MT afford to forget
or lightly esteem the historic achievements
Of these great Southerners.
Nor can we despise the heroic deeds Of JEFF
ferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Robert
r. Lee, Or undervalue the high services of
William H. Crawford, Alexander Stephens
and Woodrow Wilson. To forget them would
be ignoble and to depreciate them would be
base ingratitude
We have inheritance far too sacred to he
scorned and renounced
Moreover, the South 5Odav I, IN q oreat do
gree the home of true Americanism and the
DulWark OF a wise conservatism in the United
states By the march of events and the PROV
ldentlal movements of the last half-century,
there has come upon our Southern sections
the hard and high duty of preserving and
propagating the spirit and traditions of that
genuine Americanism by which the nation
was established originally and through which
1t has achieved the coolest triumphs of its
history. In the fulfllment of that duty the
southern people must neither falter nor fail
TO do so would be the FORGETTING of a lofty
mission and the betrayal of a holy trust
winch Providence has committed to them.
The most sacred part of this trust is the
maintenance Of the eyangelic type of reli-
glon which characterized our fathers and
which should be transmitted unimpaired TO
children.
with all the faults which may be charged
TO the Southern people, it remains true of
them that greater proportion of them than
vi any other people on q planet are vitality
related to Christianity and the Church of
Goa. There are more church members in
the South than there are among the same
number of people in any othe nd and their
talth Is the simplest, purest and best. The
predominant type Of their religion is evan.
gellcal, not rationalistic.
Eccentric isms and theological liberalism
nave never flourished in the Southland
please God, they should never get a footbold
among our people
In the South the Christian Sabbath is sa-
credly regarded and the Bible is implicitly
accepted as the Word Of God, and the great
doctrines of Christ which relate of per
SohaI experiences are maintained.
IL is rot true, of course, that none but
southern people stand for these precious
thlngs. In every section of our beloved
country there are many good people who
stand with them. But our history, under
providence, has tended to preserve these
principles among them in degree unknown
TO other sections, and their responsibility for
the maintenance of these essential truths OIL
evangelical Christianity is, therefore. pro-
pOrtionately greater
Let them stand fast in the faith" Ct Cor
nth1ans 1919, and continue in it," for
IN so doing they will both save themselves
ana 7 hU A.