Evening star., 1941-02-10
Mass Meetings
Bring Mission
SessionstoC|ose
Nearly 5000 Attend
Services at Cathedral
And Calvary Baptist

Hi0 SoiNb'y D0PAiSt
Nearly 5000 persons yesterday
heard stirring calls for revitaliZed
Christianity to fortify the Nation
brought the National Christian Mis-
sion to a close.
Held under the auspices OF the
Washington Federation of Churches
and the Federal Council of the
Churches of Christ in America, the
mission devoted an entire week to
emphasizing its meSsage-that the
only answer to the worlds troubles
lies in a revival of sincere religious
feeling and inspired action
Through large meetings at WASH
ington churches and numerous SEM
mars devoted to specific questions,
concrete proposals and suggestions
were evolved and presented to min
listers and laymen.
AS 1t was brought out at the
services yesterday, however, the mis-
sion is not over. On February is
the home visitation evangelism
drive will begin, and laymen will
go out and seek to bring new men,
bers into the church and to re-
monstrate with members who have
become lax in attendance.
Worshipers of all denominations
crowded the Washington Cathedral
Yesterday to hear the Rev. c. JEFF
fares McCombe, pastor of St. Pauls
and ST. Andrews Methodist Church
in New York City. urge fresh out
burst Of religious reality"
Dean Weigle Addresses Session.
At the same time another large
crowd attended Calvary Baptist
Church, where Dean Luther A.
Weigle. newly elected president of
the Federal Council of Churches,
voiced a plea for Christians to keep
their minds in the present world
crisis"
Every available seat beneath the
lofty arches of the Washington
Cathedral was filled as DR.. McCombe
warned that I'VE meet at the most
momentous time in the history of
this country and of the Americas. :"
As the result of the worlds sweep
to war he said. there are apparently
only three choices of action open
to us.
The first Is to accept what has
been called the collapse of civiliZa-
ton. he said
Those who describe the state Of
the world in this fashion, he said.
have many explanations for the
collapse"
The Explanations.
Some say that we hold our faith
too feebly; others that it is due TO
a weakened ethical foundation. and
that mankind has lost his sense of
direction" he declared.
The second choice offered. DR.
McCombe said. is ito renounce every
element that is Christian"
That he pointed out, is offered to
lis "by Nan ism, by Communism. by
FaSciSm and by Socialism
The remaining choice is "a revival
Of religion on an unprecedented
scale" he declared.
The latter choice must be our
choice" he said. The time is ripe
for religious reformation"
1t is the Job of the state to in
sure that the dictator be dethroned,
that his authority be overthrown,"
DR.. McCombe said.
The Christian Factor.
But it is not enough to over
throw the dictator We must en-
throne God, and his authority must
be retained That is the privilege
of the church" he said.
Democracy and Christianity are
upon one another,
he said.
National defense doesn't only
involve the Army, the Navy and the
air force National defense involves
Christian forces as well"
Only marshalling of those Chris
tian forces will enable the Nation
to withstand "the terrific testing" it
is about to undergo. he said
DR.. McCombe was presented by
Bishop James E. Freeman, who said
his great hope is that We will carry
on. in the days ahead" the work
accomplished by the National Chris
tian Mission.
and of fellowship will continue and
increase" he said.
Dean Weigle Urges Thinking.
Dean Weigle told his audience:
I'VE must use good Judgment and
good sense" he continued, and be
in our devotion to Gods
will as it has come to us through
Jesus Christ. We in America must
particularly not lose sight Of the
fact that we are not going to forsake
our heritsge-the heritage of the
land that was founded on the prin-
ciple of freedom"
The teachings of Christ he said,
should be remembered today as
never before, and particularly the
purpose of His teachings which were
to enable the people Ito know the
truth and the truth shall set you
free"
The tone that Jesus uses" he
declared. lis the tone of one who
sets the truth before people clearly,
calmly, without undue strain or pas
sion.
Jesus was not propaganda, He
did not appeal to the psychology
of the crowd, but to peoples minds.
their intelligence. He spoke simply
because He knew that a man is not
free, is not the master of himself
when inspired by the fervent oratory
of some man.
"Our Minds Are Poor"
Living in the disturbed social
that Christ did it would
have been easy for Him to be an
opportunist, a rabble-rouSer and
but instead He became
a disciple of God to bring Gods
to the world.
Some have enormously said that
man cannot know God because man
does not have an infinite and abso-
lutte mind" he asserted 'Thag.