Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-11-11
RELIGION AND LIFE
(By Rev. A. H. Rapkinsl

1880 4A-%( ~ eA-N HAtfN1 .ASAAS -
tention: Predict coal price increase.
if British strike continues" In the
write-up, find this significant state
ment: Among the factors contribut-
ing to the expected boom, the British
strike is termed the most important.
ard the prediction of further rise in
the market is based largely on its con-
tinuation. The strike, one of the To-
cal operators said, has been y God
send to Southern West Virginia. Like
lihood Of labor trouble next year in
the Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio fields
has also stimulated the industry
here, it is pointed out"
These statements and the situation
in the coal industry are proof of the
fact that the world is very rapidly be-
coming a ncighborhood, and that Our
ncighbors today do rot live only down
the road way or across the street,
bat they also live IN England, Scot
land, Ireland, China ard Japan
The statement of the coal operator
charging God with tie responsibility
of managing the long drawn-out coal
strike in England in order that pros
perity might come 10 Southern West
Virginia, challenged my thinking |
cannot conceive of God being a hide
Gus monster with unlimited power in
flicting suffering on his children in
one part of the world. in order that
prosperity might come to those in an
other part of the world. This is not
the Lords doing, but the result of
selfish, ignorant, stupid men who find
it very convenient to charge God with
the responsibility Of blighting the
lives of innocent children and Grip
ping the industry of England in or
der that prosperity might come to
another part of the world. | cannot
believe that God is concentrating His
efforts on sewing suspicion and hat
red in the hearts of employee and
employers in Ohio, Illinois, and Ind
lana in order that prosperity may
come to Southern West Virginia. God
would have US be prosperous, but / am
confident that His way would not be
that of filing the hearts of his people
III one part of the world with hatred,
envy, jealousy, and sclfshness, which
results in a strike, in order that pros
perity might come to His people in
another part. Prosperity that estab
lishG&a the minds OF the people such
a 10 agsf s53ps idea Of God is worse than
Pc
u Sfoesand years ago, due TO ignor-
ance, there might have been some ex-
cuse for charging God with the re-
sponsibility Of doing such outrageous
things. bat today men can know bet
ter if they really give Christ a chance
at their lives.
How ridiculous and unworthy it
would be for father 70 punish one Of
his children in order that The rest
might make progress! That way Of
doing is ell right in the jungles, but
certainly it is not becoming Of social
ed Christians TO live by the laws of
the jungle in the dawn Of the twenti-
eth century.
Capital and labor both have to share
the blame for bringing about such a
tense situation in England today.
am fearful that capital and labor IN
America will continue to SOW the seed
of hatred and jealousy which viii re-
suit in the labor troubles sucn as are
predicted for Ohio, Indiana, AID Hi
nOis
AS | see it the root If the difficulty
lies in the wrong conception of God.
A man who has crude conception of
God will have a crude conception Of
what is right and wrong. The wrong
conception of God and the wrong corr
ception Of what is right and wrong,
result in such barbarous notions that
God is interested ia taking the com
forts of life from one group Ia order
that another might be prosperous and
enjoy them. It is quite evident that
we are still considerably in the wilder
ness in our thinking about so.ne Of
these things.
For instance, judging by the actions
of many people, they believe that life
consists in getting i'll place Of giving.
and that despite the fact that all
their lives, they have been reading,
''He that loseth his life viii ind il,
and he that sayeth his life will lose
it," The time has come when We need
to be in earnest about the teachings
OF Christ and not interpret th.m ac
cording to our convenience ana oul
attitude toward our bank account
These are days when mems souls are
tried, not by the Indians behiNd the
trees or crawling through the swamp,
but by she BATTLE that is on between
rnatcrialism, paganism, and selfiahness
in the world, which carry the germs
that destroy mems souls, and unself-
isnness. faith, hope. love, ne.ghborli-