Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-08-05

y e
Eouestionabiy efhe duty of all persons to be |
church-goers, and that regularly, except asthey |
are detained from the house OF the Lord by |
circumstances, Not that there Is any religious
value in the presence of bones and muscles and
fine clothes in the church. On the other hand
there is no good in attending church unless the
hearts there, except,it may be some little good
connected with the example 1t cannot benefit
a man to sit in the church when his thoughts
and interest are all somewhere else. Certainly
not. In such case his apparent worshiPis is not
real, and he assumes false position To urge
man with true reason, to attend the worship
of God, is to urge him to worship God in his
own soul, and to believe the truths of religion.
I would urge all to go to church for the fol-
lowing reasons:
I II is due to the Creator to reverence and
worship him. He is not dependent upon us for
ANYTHING. He can be and enjoy his being with
ont our regard. If we do worship him he is
not under obligations to.us for it 1t is simply
what is his due as our Creator, Preserver and
Benefactor An external act of worship can
have no value in his estimation unless it is the
fruit of an honest and earnest spirit OF reverence
| in the soul. God deserves our love, our rever
| encei They are due to Him. When love and
reverence are in the soul they will manifest
| themselves in the conduct, partly by worship.
But the church is God S institution, gotten up
chiefly for mans benefit Hence man should
attend regularly upon its services. tk
g. Because the worship of God willmake him
better by cultivating a spirit of reverence for
lead. He who loves and reverences God is a
better man than he who does not. Men are ex-
ceIlent and noble according as they have excel
lent and noble thoughts and purposes. But the
thoughts and purposes involved in the sincere
worship of God are of the most elevating kind.
The child who is affectionate towards his par
ents is better than the who is averse to them.
His thoughts are purer, and his purposes are
more upright. The man who loves God lis a
4 better man than he could be without that love-
Worship, if it be sincere, tends to deepen a
mans love to God, and make him more devoted
to Gods service. The more spirit of love and
] devotion to God grows in him the more excel
lent is he in his character. The worship of the
house of God tends to develop this spirit. He
who absents himself sneedlessly shuts himself
away from spiritual alnourishment. Talk aboui
man denying himself in order to please God,
. by going to church Nonsense A starving
man denying himself by going to the table
spread with wholesome food But to be more
t explicit
3. Men should goto church because they need
the instruction there impaired. Every mar
needs it. The word of God is given for our irr
struction. God has caused class of men to bt
set apart to the study of his word for the in,
struction of Others is not their prerogativ,
to lord it over men souls. 1t is their duty t.
guide their hearers to an intelligent faith in Goo
0 and correct knowledge of religious things
a There is no man who does not need the instruc
itioll which comes from the correct interpreta
ton of Gods word The most highly educated
e the most talented, as well as the unlearned ano
h humble need it. All need the influence of i
e i'm their lives from day to day Allpeed it tina
they may not be wholly engrossed in the affair
a of earth and time. Here is a reason Why al
e should visit the house of God.
Men should visit the Church regularly be
s cause of the influence of religion on society
Z / Religion influences fociety by being believed
It reverenced and obeyed. Now suppose all mel
n in any community were real, living christians
n Would there not be a present paradise there?-
|. 4 You would hear no profane word, see no Grim
Z i inal act. The whole catalogue of vices woul
IL bebanished from that community. All the viz
! tues would dwell there. All those evils con
,. nected with vice would be wanting. Nothin
better could be desired for the moral well-bein
re of any people than that all should truly ODE
e the principles of the Bible. And everything
?. that is done in imparting knowledge of Bibl
at principles tends to the promotion of virtue an
srs good order in the lc6mmunity. Viewed frol
,e this point the church is seen to be an institu
81 ton which prevents crime, saves money to tH
community, and promotes the welfare of th
State. We should attend church as lovers
: good order, as patriots, and because we desil
!. the progress of virtue.
= These are some of the real reasons whic
should lead men to the sanctuary on the Lord
: day. If they are substantial, the church is n'
" tax laid on man for Gods benefit. It is rath'
God arrangement for man we'll being, tempC
raj and spiritual 1t is impious forany man t
s.: regard the worship of God as hardship or a ia
" upon him. It is the condition Of his Oco1e zoe
Tn fare. He who neglects it, is robbing his Sol
of the bread of eternal life. B.