Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-08


 believers in this city have been, can be really indifferent or fail to make all practical re- sponse to any comprehensive and vigorous plan for religious work in our city. hops that ere long some plan which may unite all workers in this field and put the responsibili- ty of it more directly upon our churches may be devised and agreed upon, and feel that run no risk in pledging this church in ad- vance to hearty and substantial support of any sensible comprehensive plan for efficient city missionary work. Having thus hast1ty gone over the general field of benevolence and work necessary to help on the coming here of the Christian city, you will bear with me while now make few suggestions with regard to otir oWh relation as church of Christ to this work As pastor permit me to say am gratifed to find some members of this church actively engaged in each one of these good works. I find some of the younger members of the church and some of the older members cooperating in these works, and some members of this church, may add making one anothers acquaintance upon fields of Christian work. Right here then ems to me to be the key to the Yexsd question of the proper social life for an established church. In 8 new town or growing community the church must be the formative means of society. This is not the case exactly where society is already largely matter of family history. In our older communities the church is not an indispensable or even to many partlcu- larly helpful means to desired social life; it is recognized by some as duty who would not seek 1t as pleasure On the other hand every Society needs sotne fresh life and no church can sustain itself if it never glows with the warmth and the love Of the common household of faith. And there will always be need of mutual ministry Tn the household of faith. Recognizing, therefore, both the difficulties and the need of personal acquaInt- ance and friendliness among members of the same city church, I have been led to look upon that sociability as something which holds about the same relation to Christian work as happiness does to virtue; if we seek happiness for it's own sake we usually miss it, and if we resolve to have church so ciables for their own sakes we usually glad when they are over. When will we learn that some of the best things most to be desired in this world will come to Us not directly when we seek after them, but indirectly when we try to make the sacrifices or to meet the duties of our lives. The birds sing in the tree-tops while the sower sows his seed in the fields bordered by the naples; he will lose the song if he stops his work, and chases after the birds. So is it with our most sweet-voiced joys. 1 doubt, then, if any direct ezhortation from the pulpit, or determination in the pews to make this church what is called sociable would do any of us much good; but if we are intert upon these works for the Chris tian city; if the members generally of this church engage in these works of the Lord they will not be strangers to one another in the Lords house. To carry out this idea of socisbiiity through work, our own church parlors it is true may be utilized mord than they are The only way, indeed. to get the proper interest from religious investment like that made in our Chapel and church parlors, is to nss them as much as possible. It cccars to me if those members of this church who are interested Tn the different religious and benevolent works which have mentioned could in turn have each an even ing during the winter upon which the whole church should be invited to meet them to talk over with them what they are doing and what needs to be done, and to provide any enter tainment they might pleass for that purpose, that in tbis way both the problem of church scciability might be more pleasantly solved than is apt to be the case, and also much more general and sustained interest in our city benevolences and the great work in- cunbent upon us all of making the city Christian might be secured.
 Finally, leaving these various comments and suggestions to pass for what they may be worth in veur own practical judgments, let me leave shining as from heaven upon your thoughts the ideal of the Christian city. We read in one of the opening chapters of the Bible that Cain builded city The first city then was built by Cain. We read at the close of the Bible of the holy city, coming down out of heaven as bride adorned for her husband. Between the city built by sinful man and the city coming from God lies the whole distance of the history of redemption. The mark of Cain's passion is not yet wholly washed out from the life of the cities of this world; yet in every city are there now many true men and women who have seen in their hearts the vision of the holy city from God. The city of Cain cannot last forever. Evil builds nothing permanent upon Gods cres- tion. All souls made prophetic by love to their fellowmen see coming the city of God. Glorious things are spoken of the city Of God! Awake awake, put on thy strength 0 Zion! put on thy beautiful garments o Jeru- salem, the holy city! For henceforth there shall no more come into thee the unclrcum- cised and the unclean. The sons also ot them that afflicted thee shall come bend ing unto thee; aud all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee the city of the Lord, the Holy one of Israel And the streets of the city shall be full Of boys and girls playing in the midst thereof. The children shall play in safety in the streets of the Christian city. Lift up your eyes as you walk these streets where sin and sadness still meet us by day and night lift up yonr hearts from your business and your cares, and behold descending from heaven the prophets vision, the glad ideal of the Christian city! For her let wealth be spent freely as the streams which make glad the city of God. For the hope of the Christian city. let all service and sacrifice be counted joy! May our lives be part of the sacred history of the coming of the Christian city