The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1909-1931, November 29, 1922, Page 2, Image 2

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IS IT A DRUDGERY, OR DELIGHT? Life is a curious thing. In fact, it is largely what you see it to be. Our lives are the shad ows of ourselves, our projection on the screen of time. Life is filled full of marvelous experiences. Look back a few years and see the curious turns in the road, the narrow escapes from disaster, the foolish fcai*s of impossible dan gers, the broken bridges we never had to cross, the blind alleys into which we went unthink ingly and out of which we had to come, some what behind in the race. Life is largely as we look at it. This is the true psychology of exist ence. is it a drudgery, a monotonous doing and undoing of certain things, a running of a round of duties, or is life a delight, a buoyant over mastering of difficulties? It is strange how even the humblest duties can be made inter esting, bringing a joy into our souls, if we see that these are not cruel limitations placed by a harsh Fate. Too often we think that we are so unjustly hampered; so cruelly limited in our knowledge and especially in our opportunities. But there is 110 such monster as fate. We do not live in that kind of a world. Monotony is not the economy of this world. Our limita tions are only obstacles over which we may rise and get immense joy in the effort. Things that come easy have no happiness to them. It is the sturdy effort that sends a thrill through our souls, not lolling before a warm fire on luxurious cushions is "the life," but facing tho bitter blast, and daring and dashing into the face of the storm king, brings a higher heart beat and a ruddy joy. We can turn simple things from drudgeries to delights by recognizing the importance of small deeds. The dew-drop takes on the form of the expansive heavens above. But the dew drop is worth more to the blade of grass, that it nourishes, than the starry expanse above. It is the small things that really count. The little cogs, or wheels that set the clock of time aright with the revolution of the sun. As we look over the year, how many little things have been seen to be necessary to the success of the year's work. The small deed, the kindly word, the every-day duty is a de light because it is seen to be worth while. Then a thing becomes interesting. Things change from drudgery to delight when we remember that each is really differ ent. Today is not as yesterday. This simple duty we seem to have done a hundred times is really new, if we will look below the sur face. You are doing it in a new day. You are using different brain cells, and dif ferent muscles. Then it is correlated to dif ferent things about it. The minister may preach the same sermon over, but it is not the same; nor is the audience, nor the impres sion on the audience. The Sunday-school teacher may teach the same portion of the Bible, but it is ever new, and start lingly different. Even the mother may wash her baby's face and there is a fresh charm to the baby mouth. This is a world of change, and change is always interesting. We can turn drudgery to delight, if we remem ber the high purpose that sweeps through every thing. This high and holy purpose of God includes all things, "all His creatures and all their ac tions." ' Then this that seems so like drudgery, must be a part of the Divine purpose. Many children find lessons uninteresting and we have to stimulate them by giving marks and prizes. It would be better if the skillful teacher could get the child to see the purpose of the lesson. We do not have to look long to see a purpose in the humble duties of life, The things of life become a delight and not a drudgery when we remember that the sim plest thing may reflect the glory of God. The lump of coal reflects the light of the sun, else , you could not see it. So says Paul, and he is not giving us an impossible task, "do all things to the glory of God." When this comes about, our lives will take on a sweetness we never suspected. Try it. A. A. L. Contributed DR. FOSDICK'S SERMON. By Rev. C. M. Campbell. Some time ago there was sent out broadcast from Mr. Ivey L. Lee, of New York City, a sermon preached by Dr. Harry Emerson Fos dick in the First Presbyterian church of that city on the subject, "Shall the Fundamental ists. Win?" In that sermon Mr. Fordick de nies the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus in the following words: "But side by side with theirs (the fundamentalists) in the evangelical churches is a group of equally loyal and rev erent people who would say that the virgin birth is not to be accepted as an historic fact." Mr. Fosdick doesn't seem to realize just how fundamental the virgin birth is to the Christian religion. It is impossble for one to deny it without saying that the gos per writers who tell us of it cannot be relied upon. If this part of the record cannot be trusted, how are we going to tell which parts can be? As I see it, there is no way unless we submit it. to Mr. Fosdick or some one else like him, who worships his own wonderful in tellect. Again, so fundamental is the virgin birth to the Christian religion that to deny it one has to deny the possibility of the miracle, which Mr. Fosdick proceeds to do. For, of course, to admit the possibility of the miracle would be to admit the possibility that Jesus was mi raculously born. But to deny the possibility of the miracle is to deny the possibility of re generation. Salvation thus becomes a process of social evolution, and Jesus was mistaken when he said to Nicodemus, "\e must be born again." If Jesus cannot be trusted, and the gospel writers cannot be trusted, it is hard to see where We have any ground at all for the Christian religion. It seems to me that it is time we were mak ing a more active fight against such dangerous teaching. I should be as sorry as Mr. Fosdick to see the Church become split on the question. But we should, at least, know then who stands for the veracity of the Bible and who does not. As our nation a generation ago could not continue to exist half slave and half free, neither can the Church go on existing half believing in the Bible and the other half not. Donaldsonville, Ga. THE KU KLUX KLAN. By Rev. T. T. Trimble. I have just read your editorial comment on the denunciation of the Ku Klux Klan, by the "Administrative Committee" of the Federal Council of Churches in America, and wish to assure you of my hearty approval of same. You "wonder how much the Administrative Committee knows about this organization." Evidently they know very little, or nothing. What they think they know is apparently a deduction from false charges made by news papers dominated by Roman Catholics, and from the published denunciations made by cer tain politicians, with large Catholic constituen cies. The charge that the "Ku Klux Klan's aim is to stir up animosities, commit crimes and over ride the processes of law," could only be made through ignorance or wilful misrepresenta tion. The aims of the Klan are just the opposite of that ascribed to it by its enemies. The declared purposes of the organization and the ends toward which it is working are : To promote true Americanism, to maintain the separation of Church and State, to aid law enforcement, to promote morality and good citizenship. The Ku Klux Klan stands for free schools and the open Bible. If the "Ku Klux Klan is disowned by the Churches," as the Federal Council of Churches declares, how does it come that ninety per cent, or more, of its members are Churchmen, many of them leaders in the churches of their com munity? The Klan with which the writer is best acquainted embraces in its membership more than four-fifths of the church officials and active male members of the Protestant Churches of the community. Bunkie, La. EMPTY PEWS. Rev. T. D. Wesley. The Church is constantly tempted to ape the ways of the world in order to fill the church pews, but its spectacular shams are a poor and ludicrous imitation of what the pro fessions of the world can do. Ministers are not called to entertain and amuse the crowds, but to preach the gospel which is the power of God unto salvation. The gospel is the greatest moving influence in the world, is backed by the omnipotent God, and presents the greatest theme of all destiny. If God's servant has a message from God he will also be endowed by the spirit of God to preach that message (cf. Isa. 61:1). Pews become empty, where there is no living mes sage from God, and consequently no burning and illuminating spirit to deliver it. Humanity is hungering for the message ac companied by the Spirit and will flock to hear the gospel. Sharps, Ya. ANCIENT TOMBS. By Margaret H. Barnett. Travelers in Egypt tell of some very ancient tombs in that country, which have been opened up, and are lighted by electricity, in order that tourists may explore them. They are the tombs of early kings of Egypt, and were made ready in advance, by those who expected to occupy them as a last resting place. The in terior is decorated with paintings, illustrating the occupations of the people of those far away times, ahd showing something of their life stories. The colors seem as bright and fresh as if the work had been done but re cently. One wonders why so much time and labor and expense were employed in beautifying the interior of the tomb. Did the makers cherish the belief held by some ancient people that the soul would some day return to its body, and did they, for this reason, prepare an at tractive place for the body! "We cannot an swer the question, after the lapse of ages. But it seems like one of the efforts which man has so often made, to rob of some of his grim ness the all-conquering enemy ? Death. But no