Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-02-25
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

SERMON BY REV. w. BAKER-Is the mod
sry Church erclusive, expensive or indifferent to
the masses 2-On last Sunday night, Rev. WE.
Baker preached most interesting and able SER
mon embodying the observations made in his re-
cent trip, as to whether the modern church is
open to the charge of being exclusive, expensive
or Indifferent to the masses. He took his text
from the S5th verse of the 25th chapter of st.
Matthew:
II was a stranger, and We took me in.''
It is proverbially difficult. he said, to see our
selves as others see us. The impression the
church makes upon the world is unknown to
those in the church. for people are generally un-
willing to say unpleasant things and hence it
is difficult to find out what the outside world
really thinks of the church. But from the street
and through the press it is found out that the
modern church is charged with being eS elusive,
expensive and Indifferent to the masses. Now is
this so? Is this the reason why SO many stay
away from church An effort was made in Lon
don, recently, to find out why it was that certain
classes did not attend church and various reasons
were assigned, but the reason most frequently
given was that the church was expensive, exclu-
sive, &C. If people remain at home, they will
never be able to find out anything about their
neighbors. So to find out whether his own church
is like other churches the pastor must go among
these others and observe their ways and customs,
1t is worth going away to find out how other
churches treat the poor and the stranger. His
observations had convinced him that
CIRCUMSTANCES
was not to be found in the wealthiest churches
ALI the churches are alike, in that in them all
the Gospel shows its spirit of gentleness, and
care for the stranger. Every convenience is
made to accommodate the stranger. But if he
is compelled to stand up in church which is
always crowded by strangers, he should not COM
plain. If sometimes he stands by pew, whose
owner will not give him seat, though their is a
vacant one, he should not blame the church be-
cause it has rented pew to a selfish and narrow
minded man. The selfish man has a soul to save
too and the church provides for all. The stran-
shipping God standing.
If we turn to other organizations we find ex
clusivsness in perfection Let man be last
to enter concert or any entertainment without
a reserved seat and he will find what exclusive
ness means. In the church all are welcome. It
invites and urges all to come and participate in
the blessings it bestows. Whilst individuals, here
and there, are selfish and nsrrow-zninded, the
church is not at all exclusive. All appropriate
methods of invitation are extended to every one,
and he who stays away because, as he says, he
is afraid Of intruding in some ones pew, stays
away because he wishes to stay away from Christ.
1t is sometimes said q poor man cannot afford
to go to church, it is too
EXPENSIVE,
that he cannot dress well enough, that the large
amount spent in erecting fine churches would
furnish many poor people the means to worship
in some much palmer building. But it must
be remembered that those fine churches are built
by rich men, who spend large sums in many 9TH
or ways You would not have them dwell in
palaces and worship in barn. Moreover, in
all countries and in all ages people have built
Just as fine places of worship as they wore able
to-and it is right that they should do so. These
rich men give literally in many cases, and yet
they are abused because they do not in others
Hence they soon learn to give not for the mere
act of giving, but for the purpose OF doing good.
Fine dressing is not recommended by the
church in any way. People will dress as we'll as
they are able to, and those who oppose fine
dressing are generally those who cannot afford it.
But the follies of people must not be laid upon
the church.
The church is the only place open to a stran-
ger. He can enter without a ticket. Wherever
he hears the prayer ascending, let him enter-he
will be vel come. The church calls to all to
come and partake of the blessings of the Gospel.
AS to passing around The contribution box, it is
done more frequently in many churches than in
ours. All are expected to contribute, not as q
duty but as privilege, for every one should feel
the good it does himself to give his contribution,
however small. It is no admission fee and is re-
CURED of none, if he is unable to give If q
man leaves church because he does not like to
have the contribution box thrust at him, he
ought to be allowed to go; but the:church is not
to blame for his absence from worship. He had
seen no evidence of the churchs-
INDIFFERENCE TO THE MASSES.
In this it bears gratifying resemblance to Him
who went about doing good. Christ taught his
Apostles and sent them forth, so the church
tea ches its missionaries and sends them forth TO
teach the Gospel, to erect Sunday schools and to
bring the people TO God. Christ comforted the
sick, SO the church goes to the prisons and hos
pitfalls and gives consolation to those in suffering
of refuge to invite the wretched inmates to places
of worship and prayer. It has established free
colleges, where the everyday laborer may be
taught the truths Of the Gospel, and may be pre-
pared to go forth to teach others the doctrines OF
hope and life instiled into his heart by the most
devout preachers of the church.
There are also private Christians who advance
the Gospel and are like jewels in the crown OF
the Church and of Christ. Their teachings have
been called, not inappropriately, sermons in
shoes" They go about teaching others during
the week what truths they learned On Sunday. Sc
AS to the work the church has to do
if money could do it, if money could
make evil good, the funds would soon be raised
The world is not yet converted, because the ma
terial is difficult. But the church is nobly doing
her work, and when the Savior comes he will
say to her, Il was stranger and We took me in. D
In conclusion. he urged the members of the
Church to do their duty by the Church and ap.
pealed to outsiders to come into its fold. There
they would find peace and quiet and happiness
The church is doing all in its power to smooth
the way for then-the rest remains in their OWL
hands.
Dr. Witherspoon, Chaplain of the Universe
ty OF Virginia, will preach in the Presbyterian
church, in this city, on tonight ard tomorrow
night Dr. Junkin, of New Providence, will
preach in same church on Friday night, Satur.
day morning and night. and Sunday morning
On next Saturday morning, the elders elect OF
the Presbyterian church will be ordained, and
on Sunday morning Communion services will be