The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-09
RENEWED FAITH
NEEDED, BISHOP
HOBSON HOLDS
Presbyterian PreIate Lays
TOday'S Troubles to
Weakened Zeal.
BY THE RI. REV. II. W. HOBSON
Bishop Of Southern Ohio

religious ideals are a unity. They
face a common task and are beset
By common enemies. Il is significant
therefore. 10 all who are interested
N the same cause. that q church
numbering about two million mem
bers, should be taking stock Of it.
self, and pausing TO ask itself with
the deepest seriousness. What are
We doing 70 forward the Kingdom
OF God among men?
No representative group Of Chris
tian people can meet IN these criti-
cal days without a deep conscious
hess Of the inadequacy of the
churchs response to the world S
need.
The leaders Of the Episcopal
Church were conscious of the fact
that the church has not enlisted
IN any adequate way the idealisnl
and the energy Of youth in the pro-
gram TO build a better world.
Nor IS the church exerting any
very great influence on the social
economic, national and inter-
national life Of our day. Worse than
that, 1t has compromised with the
world and often accepted its stand
ards. The chaos in the world is due
not so much to the activities of foes
Of the Christian religion as it is to
the inconsistency, the indifference
and the worldliness of Christian
people.
Rallying Call Issued
Facing these conditions. and be-
lieying that the Episcopal Church.
as well as the other great commun-
ions IN Christendom, should exert
a new power in the life of the world.
the general convention decided to
set its own house in order.
It issued a rallying call to the
church TO stop its retreat and begin
an advance. i joint commission of
five bishops, five presbyters and ten
laymen was created and instructed
TO prepare and carry out definite
plans in collaboration with the ma
tional council for an organized effort
TO reinvigOrate the life of the
church and to rehabilitate its gen.
. eral diocesan and parOchial work. 8"
The commission began its efforts
for revival where any great religious
awakening must begin, with the in
olvldual. It was recognized that the
root of all the difficulties and weak
neSseS in the church was a failure
\ on the part of the majority of our
members TO live up to the demands
Of discipleship.
"A Lenten booklet of daily Bible
readings was issued in which the
seven marks of a disciple were the
themes for weekly meditation. Disci-
pieship must begin with penitence;
the first theme, therefore, was The
Disciple Turns" Then came, The
Disciple Follows, Learns, Prays,
Serves, WOrshipS and Shares"
Hunger for Spiritual Leadership
The splendid response to these
daily helps ard the fact that the
purposes and plans Of the forward
movement have been widely in
dorsed and emphasized in local and
diocesan gatherings, has evidenced
the deep hunger on the part of the
church for Spitual leadership.
More than 100000 of the Lenten
Booklets were distributed and the
topics used everywhere for sermons,
addresses and dis cuSSion groups, as
well as for personal aids to devo-
ton. From various parts of the
church word has come Of the largest
Lsnten congregations in years. sun
day schools have grown. Confirma-
ton classes have increased, and
more earneStnesS in Christian Serv-
ice has brought JOY to the hearts of
, the clergy. AS one of them said,
Something is happening in the
church
Another daily guide to Bible read
ing and prayer with suggestions for
acts of Christian service was pre-
pared for the so days between EaS-
ter and PentecOst. In this the dis
C!ple'S relationship to the home cir
Gle, the parish to society and to the
wider world have been the topics
followed. More than 600 900 of these
were purchased and distributed
more than enough for every family
in the church.
Back to the Scriptures
It will be seen that the commits
sion is effectively leading us back to
The Scriptures as the central and in
diSpensable doctrine of our faith.
FhiS IS a basic part of its program.
1t Is convinced that if we can
have a worShipping church, a
Bible-reading church, a church
made aware of the needs of the
world. obedient TO its invisible Head
and filled with His spirit, it will be
a witnessing church with its men,
bers ready and able TO change the
lives of men and women around
them, and also the un-ChriStian So
cial background against which the
lives Of so many in all lands are
lived.
The program Of the Forward
Movement. therefore. does not stop
with the renewal of the individual
Christian life. While this is of fun
damental Importance, it is means
10 a larger end. which is the for
warding Of the Kingdom OF God on
earth. There must be formed new
men and women in order that there
may DC a l4CW SNA~414 oAOCA- AAAS 81
cial emphasis Of the movement
therefore. Is also emphasized.
= Finally, il may be said that the
commission does not exist to tell the
church what 10 door 10 impose
specific programs for action upon
parishes, dioceses or organizations
1t eS.sts rather 10 help the church
more effectively do what the Master
has ever called it TO do. 1t encour-
ages each diocese and each parish
TO work out its own program for re-
invigorating its life. and at the same
time viii be ready with suggestions
Of ways which others are trying and
found helpful. But above all. 1t is
an effort 10 educate and inspire.
PARADE PRIZE WON BY