Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-25
Religious Questions
DISCUSSED BY
DR.. S. Parkes Cadman.

preach. On matters Of remote interest
consume your own smoke. On those Of
vital importance present o message
stepped IN the major spiritual expert
ences recorded in the Bible and attested
by your knowledge Of yourself and of
your fellowmen.
The situation confronting every
preacher today is one Of challenge and
appeal. We live In q new age, which
intensifles old problems and creates
fresh ones. Organized Christianity is not
accepted by large number of people.
Materialists deplore 1t and skeptics at
tack it. But their attitudes are negligi-
bic, compared with the lassitude and In
difference manifest in the masses.
Yet, as every experienced pastor,
priest and rabbi knows, there is in
countless souls what DR.. A. s. Peake
finely terms "a inconsistencies for their
God" Certainly the long-labored or
abstract discourse whose very title was
a thesis in itself Is hopelessly outdated.
Matters relevant to present life, viewed
in the light of life hereafter are not
easily mastered for the consumption OF
others. They demand careful study of
competent authorities, the Oscillations
Of your own brain and the full stream
Of your. energies, undiverted by the
thousand and one things which have
been thrust upon the preacher as an
ecclesiastical mechanic. Make your
sermon preparation q sacred trust and
its delivery a constant preposSession
Walk daily with the God of the prophets
and apostles. Then the preaching which
follows cannot fail.
O. am deeply interested in religion
but not in the churches, because they
fail to consult peoples tastes. How can
they expect increased attendance to get
religion so long as they are so hide
bound in their method? I am passing
them up until they are more attractive
and have larger variety Of appeal.
A. Whatever may be the situation In
rural districts, quite diversity Of re-
churches. The encient ritual Of the
mass, the elaborate worship Of cathe-
dral-like ceremony, the warmth and
simplicity of evangelical sanctuaries
the silent devotion of the Friends and
the ardent overtures of the Salvation
Army offer q wide choice to the I'M
churched. A score or more of cults also
advertise their peculiar ministries. L
not your position on this matter slightly
tinged with cant? II Q man said he
was profoundly interested in politics
candidate and played golf when he
should be voting, would you take him
seriouSly2. Hardly.
Startling as it may sound to some
critical souls who profess faith in the
spiritualities, they cannot get religion
by strolling into the flrst church that
happens to suit their fancy. Until men
make an honest effort to humble their
pride, expel their fond conceits, make
restitution so far as Is possible for
wrongs done to others and cleanse their
hearts Of hate and foul desire. religion
can do little for them.
Hidebound. sinners are q more seri-
Gus phase Of this problem than hide
bound churches. So why not settle on
three elemental facts? The first OF these
is that God is not in the thoughts OF
multitudes today. The second IS, II He
were, there would be q drastic inter-
ference with their customary way OF
living. The third Is that 1t is sheer
hypocrisy to play possum on so vital q
matter as personal faith, personal good
ness and personal service for others.
respect the individual who IL alert
to the magnitude Of these issues, but
who for conscientious reasons cannot
see them from my viewpoint or from
that of the churches. There lives more
genuine faith in his unfaith than in the
merely nominal faith OF those who
serve the Lord with q patronizin6 air
or from interested motives. AS for those
who are always heckling the churches
they are on, par with the superior
citizens, who willfully neglect every civic
obligation while loudly complaining OF
the 1nefaciency or corruption Of civic
government. If you really want religion
get on your knees and be candid with
your Maker,