The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-21
SPECIAL OHIO TOPICS.

tno 1888 SUCCESSFUL 1t Is in other direc-
lions. 1t often happens that when the
religious interest of the church is low.
it multiplies its schemes for money
getting, for when tie heart of the
church is right the money will come
without these schemes. But we have
said enough on this point. Let it be
carefully noted that all these schemes
for making money, of which the modern
church is now full, and into which so
much of the strength and energy of the
church is now put, are not church work:
and if the heart of the church was right
it would not be engaged in them at all
or only to limited extent. Thew are
made necessary, at least in their pres.
ent great abundance, not by the relig-
ion, but by the irreligion of the church.
But what then is church work? We
have seen some things that it is not,
now what is it? First, it is preaching
the gospel. 1t is not moral essays, nor
scientific speculations, nor 'spretty
talks about nothing" but it is the
preaching of the great truths of Chris
tlanity, baptized in the spirit of the
Master. This is distinctively church
work, for it tends to build UP the
heart of the church, and put the spirit
OF the gospel into the life of human
ity.
Again, church attendance and con-
slant and hearty engagement in the
worship of the sanctuary is church
work, distinctively so. This is what
the church is for. The church exists
for worship-to draw men together and
by visitation and prayer, exchange of
thought and feeling, spiritualize them
and lift them into the higher life.
Hence to attend church and engage
In this worship is to do distinctively
church work; and yet people fire.
quently do not realize this. They seem
to think that this is very small matter.
Church attendance they seem to re-
gard as of very little Importance. If
they help pay the minister and come
out on special and social occasions, it
IS or no consequence whether they at
TEND church regularly or not. While
there are those who do not attend be-
cause they can't pay, because they
are not able to pay what they would
like, they stay away from the house of
the Lord. 1t needs emphasizing, there
fore, that church attendance is dis
tlnctively church work. If you cannot
do anything else, go to church. That is
the important thing. And if you can
do everything else and do not attend,
you miss the important thing Above
all and in addition to all attend church
and engage in its worship. The in
difference of our people in regard to
this matter retards the growth of.our
church,perhaps more than any other one
thing. Note then that church attend
ance is par excellence church work.
Again, personal efforts to win souls'to
Christ, to turn men to God and his
truth, to save men from sin land make
them "partakers of his holiness" is
church work of the most distinct. i've
type. fear we have too little of gnis
effort. l suspect we greatly lack re-
ligious workers among us,-lack those
who know how to speak the right
word at the right time, who ''in season
and out of season" speak to their fell
low men of the good things of the
kingdom. We have not and are not
developing religious workers of this
kind. Be it noted, therefore, that this
is church work of very superior quail
ity. The use Of personal interest to
lead men in the right way and win souls
to Christ, is work most valuable to the
church. 1t tends to build the church
up and make it strong, both in mum.
bers and in vital piety.
Again, the conference meeting is
church work. To attend and take part
in these meetings for spiritual culture
is church work of high order. A well
attended and well conducted conference
meeting is most helpful to the life of
the church. Hardly anything is more
so. Its direct influence is to develop
spirituality among it's members and
build them up in the divine life. Hence
all who work in these meetings work
for the kingdom of God.
Finally, all work that tends to de-
velop and cultivate the inner life of the
church is distinctively church work.
Preaching the word, teaching Sunday
school class, worshiping in the sane
tuary, in fine, any or all of those
things that tend directly to build the
church up spiritually and make it the
power Of God unto salvation, are
church work. When the church is
filed with such work, it is filled with
the life eternal. When it is destitute
of such work, whatever else it may
have or do, it is shell without a kerr
mel, body without the soul, form
without the substance.
NOrlOalk. o.
THE MODEL PARISH.