The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1941-08-28
Mans Spiritual Poz0ers Haze
Undrean1ed Possibilities; Aust

tolerance is found in our laws and
in the standards of our people.
To me as a layman dedicated to
the practice of Christianity it seems
that our government has neglected
to mobilize one of the greatest pow
ers or forces of the nation, namely,
the spiritual force. This power is
found most potent in two groups:
those who are under twenty-five,
and those who are now past fifty.
The Selective Training and Service
Act of 1910 has tackled only half of
the job by establishing camps for
conscientious objectors. Spiritual
training should be provided for all
citizens who have this potential
power and who are willing to stake
their all on the spiritual enterprise.
AS the leading practical exponent
of Christianity in the world today,
OUR government should utilize the
tremendous spiritual forces of our
people and put them to practical
use. In this way we would not only
avoid one ofthedifficultiesof the last
war, namely the Wrecking OF the
faith and belief of many of our
young people, but we would afford
science an opportunity to study and
observe practical Christianity at
work and a nation in a great return
to the faith of its fathers.
If fear is the only thing we should
fear, are we not safer in the United
States of America to have faith in
the foundations upon which our in
situations are built? Must we not
practice our American motto, I'm
God we trust? Or is this only writ
ten for peacetime consumption? If
the spiritual approach is to be given
an active part in the scheme of
things, the spiritual energies of the
nation must be organized and put
to work.
Our leaders in Washington have
overlooked good bet in not mobiliz-
ing the spiritual forces of those who
have enriched their faith by daily
prayer. The government has pro-
vided mobilization of physical and
human resources. With a large por-
ton of such resources diverted into
destructive channels, it would not
seem unfair to ask that our govern
ment mobilize the spiritual forces
of this nation. Our leaders in Wash
ington should make spiritual lead
ership and training available not
only to conscientious DIRECTORS, but
also to all who sincerely place great
er faith in God than they do in
physical force. -.
Something more is necessary in
Washington than mere acquiescence
in the idea of spiritual mobilization.
There must be spiritual training and
leadership in the use of the spiritual
forces. The spiritual minority
should he financed, aided, and help
ed as much as those who are trying
to prove the effectiveness of air.
plants and battleShipS, tanks and
bombers. The members of this spirit
ual minority are not communists,
traitors and rebels. They are SenSi-
tive folk, often with brilliant intel
lects, and usually endowed with ma
tive abilities that, If developed and
organized, would be tremendous
force for good. Among them are
many who are peculiarly equipped
to tap and usilize the spiritual re-
sources. These persons should be
modified so that they may have
an opportunity to prove the effect
iveneSs of their attack and approach
TO the problem of national defense.
If We are so to mobilize, those
who have the spiritual vision and
power should he drafted or employed
to direct and lead. There are lead
ers of this kind in our nation. These
leaders would discover those who
have the unusual ability to elevate
pain and the power to heal Through
spiritual means. These leaders would
discover others with innate apti-
tudes for solving social problems.
United. these units would become
powerful motors utilizing spiritual
energy in solving the immediate
problems of the world today. AIDE
quate Christian leadership is the
only means by which these groups
can become potent factor in lift
ing society into a true brotherhood
of man. It is certainly promising