The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-11-22
The Need of the Churches.


ing secular and political journals of this
country, has the following article upon a
subject we would not ordinarily expect
to see discussed in the columns of such a
journal. 1t is like voice from the world,
pausing in the midst of its whirl of bust
ness and ambition and pleasure-seeking,
and appealing to the Church to be more
faithful in fulfilling her God-given COM
mission to preach and live the gospel,
always and everywhere, and not to de-
volve on others the duty we should each
one discharge. To this article we invite
the particular attention Of our readers:
1T is not surprising that most of the
clergymen who have expressed to the re-
porters of the Times their views relating
to the condition of the city churches
should lay much stress upon the neces-
sity for Individual Christian effort. They
see that the machinery of the Church is
well organized, and that too many mem
bers of'the Church hand over to the ma
chine their responsibility for all labor in
the vineyard. 1t is as ifa company of
farm laborers, seeing patent reaper in
the field, should fold their hands and say
that this contrivance would do the work
and earn the pay that should fall to
them. This state of things is natural in
all large communities. The ecclesiastical
society that we call church is numeri-
cally strong. The very fact that one
thousand persons, more or less, are week
ly gathered within the walls of their
house of worship is in itself species of
disarming of the church members On
the day when the membership musters in
large numbers to partake of the com
munion, one may look around with a GER
tain glow of pride to see how numerous
is the throng that bears the Christian
name in that organization. The back
ward man, the slothful man, and the self
distressing man, each take courage at the
sight. why should 1 bother myself
about work? he says l have done
great deal Of hard work while l was in
the feeble little church in -. But
here [ can take rest In this great
multitude l shall not be missed This
would not be said in small religious So
ciety.
ANY person who has frequented the
large and popular city churches must
have wondered, at times, what becomes of
the people who are at regular intervals
received into the communion and fellow
ship of these organizations. AT least once
month promising body of recruits is
added to the already formidable array of
Christian soldiers AS soldiers, what be-
comes Of them? Their names appear on
the roll of the church. They are charged
upon the already burdensome pages of
the pastors visiting list, and they will
finally find their regular places IN the
house of worship. 1t is not fair to as
sumo that this is all that can be said of
them. Undoubtedly many of these re-
cruits fall to work with earnestness and
zeal, and their useful lahors are not in
the eye of the world They are never
theless, acceptable and faithful workers.
But it really seems as if the mass of these
accessions sank into the organization
whose fold they have sought without
making further sign of their existence.
They listen with satisfaction and content
t. the report of the doings of the many
sub-societies and minor auxiliary branch
es of Christian activity that are main
tanned by the religious club $50 to speak,
to which they have attached themselves
They pay their tithes, or subscriptions,
to each and all of these, and are con-
scious of glow of pride in what these
are doing. AS il the giving of money
were not one of the least things that a
Christian man may do for the ameliora-
ton of mankind, the diffusion of a prac-
teal gospel, and the relief of the number
less woes of humanity.
These people have an abiding faith
in the efficiency of the machine They
appear to forget that they are each and
every one an important and component
part of that machine. Now, let us cup
pose that each accepted and enrolled
member of any of the larger evangelical
churches of this city were as active, as
jealous, as enthusiastic, and as faithful in
the cause of the Christian religion as he
has formally promised to be. Suppose
that each were to 60 to work as if the
burden Of the labor of preaching Jesus
Christ by word, deed, and life was COM
mitted to him and to him alone. The
veriest wording of us all knows that
such church, so awakened and so viyi-
fed, would be like flaming beacon-light
in the midst of the moral darkness of this
city. But such revival, such kind
ling, will never take place in any church
so long as a great portion of what should
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