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Organ of ihe North Carolina Conference.
SIXTY-FOURTn YEAR.
RALEIGH, N. C. JUNE 13, 1918
J J M MIIKK l!.
Danger !
,t. QfUVM-:, For the Board of Bishops.
This World War clamors across the sly. We can hardly hear any other
music. Thunder is hard to talk uyainst. The American people and Methodism
are as one. Methodism has no minority report on this vast battle. W e arc not
pacifists: we fiyht with (Sod for a safe world, for a decent world, for a world
villi a chance to be virtuous, for a Christian world.
Just because Methodism is so patriotic to the 1'nited Mates of America and
to the united states of the planet, it is e.rpcrieneiny a subtle danyer. That
danyer is that the Church should in any wise silence its own heavenly music.
Patriotism is a lesser majesty than the yospel. Methodism must preach both
majesties. The yospel must not be stifled by any business, howerer worthy. It
need not be. There is a more amaziny trumpet than a battle hum pet. It is
the yospel trumpet.
Have a care, Methodism, lest in the revel of patriotism we become uncon
sciously remiss in the hiyhest patriotism, namely, the proclamation and prac
tice of spirituality, the pveachiny'of Jesus the Saviour, of the ylory and neces
sity of the new birth, of the pressiny character of redemption, of the insistent
ministry of immortality, in these battle days of death, of the necessity of
Christianity above all the thinys this battliny world needs, to the end thai
this irorld War may erentuate, in ft world peace, at whose heart dwells riyhl
eousness. The Sunday-school, in particular, must be yuarded ayainst a threatened
falling off. Christian men and women must not lest but more hold hard to
the yospel. Sunday-school teachers and, Sunday-school helps musl speak in
certain terms of Christianity and 'of Christian theoloyy. Sunday-school and
Church were never so yreatly needed. The, Church, must hold to its Sunday
school, its prayer meetiny, its Sunday service, its prayer, its sanctity of soul.
Every Church, uqency must be as vital as the resurrection morniny. Preacher
and Sunday-school teacher and, every Church, member must love Christ and
talk Christ and practice Christ to the uttermost.
Beware! Danyer, lest in our fervid activities our Christian fervor abate.
lUtnqer! Methodism, to your knees!
I