The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-16
Dr. Walker In Tribute
 To R. A. F. Gallantry
Courage, Determination Figure in Preservation of England Victory Awaits Valiant in Life's Battles

A good many people contend that life is a struggle and very selfish struggle at that, every man for him. self and all that sort of thing, but for some few life is black tragedy, a bitter disappointment" stated Rev. Dr. John c. Walker, pastor of the Second. Congregational Church, yesterday morning in his sermon entitled, You'll Never Be a Flyer
 pr. Walker said in part:
 Now the Heavenly Father in- tended that life should be met more than half way. He intended that we should make life a search for larger and better things, knock ing at the door of spiritual oppor- tunity, valiant effort to turn all life,s defeats and disappointments into final victory. And He gave us the pattern and example of Jesus who went out to meet life and van- quished 1t at every point.
 Spirit of Adventure.
 We live in times when the youth fll spirit of adventure and aspira- tion find expression or seeks to find expression in the mastery of the air. One of the interesting facts I suspect our last census failed to discover was the number of boys who are planning to be pilots. In the grim and ghastlys business of war the headline speak again and again of the decisive factor of air power. The yotirg men of the R. A. F. have written a great page in human history. without their light hearted gallantry, their grim deter imitation, their unfaltering courage the invasion and collapse of Eng land might have followed hard on the heels of the fall of France. Winston Churchill spoke in the great tradition when he said, seldom in history have so many owed so much to so few"
 Let's never forget that! Chris tianity is daring to do something in defiance of the consequences. !" We won't deny that for most people most of the time the primary de- mands of the Christian faith are loyalty and fidelity in the common task. But let us also remember that there are always times in every Christians life, and these oppor- tunitieS come more often by far than most people realize, when the Christian is expected to risk, to adventure, to launch out in the face of possible criticism and misunder- standing. Christianity is more than responsibility. In fact mere respect ability can be Q sin. You'n never be 8 flyer unless you take some risks. Yoifll never be a Christian in the best sense by being merely harm less and conventional. Ask, seek, knock. push out, launch out, adyen- ture! Don't forget that audacity and adventure are indispensable ele- ments in all great Christian faith.
 Glamour, Romance.
 Now you may ask what has all this to do with men and women who have to stay at home and do the worlds work, who have to give their witness in the local church? Two things in particular. This verse ought to make us grateful for the work Of the prophets and martyrs of the past, for the noli-conformists and radicals of our own day who make religion an adventure and who risk reputation and security to give us deeper inSights into, and more sacrificial applications of, the things of faith. We must thank God for those who add glamour and romance to the work of the Church of Christ, who serve Christ with self -forgetful audacity and glorious self sacrifice.
 In the second place, shall we not all make up our minds that the Christian life Is more than form and cersmony, more than the common round of service and worship. Let us here highly resolve to do and