The Red Cloud chief., 1889-02-08
Public worohip orCod.

What right have yOu MI. Butler to coun
sci or lecture us, your fellow citizens, O
the duty of attending and supporting tn
Public Worship of God on the Sabbath!
I answer, the right Of free speech; an,
when l have presented any argument ani
e1hortation, my responsibility ends AMI
yours begins. II they are valid ant
worthy of your consideration, and you d.
not heed them, that is your business, no,
mine. and you must, n day, account t.
the Judge of all for the neglect.
And, first, is it not a fact that q la1
public sentiment in the church itself, and
a most viscious one outside of it, prevail.
in this community upon the whole ques.
ton of the Public Worship Of God!
Church members stay at home on the
Sabbath for most inadequate seasons OF
weather, Inconvenience, dislike of the
preacher or lack of one of their own de-
nominations.
Does it over occur TO such persons that
God requires these public ordinances of
religion to be observed by Him, and that
like or dislike Of the minister, or the
question of denomination has nothing to
do with the duty of having a place in some
sanctuary on the Lords Day! And is Lot
any n man just as much bound by these
requirements As any other: Has not sach
member of the community, As religious
one, just as much at stake As another, in
maintaining these ordinances of Heayen!
There is divine light and power in them
for the moral good and salvation Of men
and if they are put ont, the darkness and
degradation of sin and vice will permeate
the whole structure Of society and ruin
it. And IN such acommon catastrophe I
should have no more to lose than my
neighbor.
He who absents himself from church on
Holy Sabbath and spends the day in
recreation pleasure, secular read.
ing or business, does all that lies in the
power Of his example to put out the light
and power Of Public Worship, in the com.
in which he lives. Concsrning
Public Worship the community may be di.
sided into three classes; LIST those Who |
attend upon it with some just sense Of it,
nature and importance; md those Who
- to the sacred service With improper mo-
and 3rd those Who stay away ALTO
.ether. Is not the first class in this city,
mall in number: L. it large enough. and.
most Of all, devout enough 70 leavsn the
snole lump: I fear: alas: I do. The
econd class, be it large or small, oocapies
place of peculiar danger. He vho GOES
o church, simply TO see or be seen, Or 70
min some social or worldly end, stands on
he brink Of ruin. To treat the Worship
{ God thus is moro soul -hardsaing than
D neglect il altogether. But what shan I
~ OF young men and women Of the third
What is the truth II this matter.
Are you not moral dAinqsents: Nay,j
n re. Without intending il, are goa oA
, fact, eorruPters Of society and enemies
{ mankind: Appealing 10 the dscrsss q
DDS vcrd as vitnesses; I ask, are sos ,
len vho habitually NEGLECT the worship
God. traitors. not any % The high gvV-:
'nment and lac Of God. but also 70 the :
,curity and welfare Of human society e.
NJ How long. think you. . dsefgsn-l
me gioric1s devotion to our Country and
its political Coastitutioa and Inslitu-7
ons vossd survive The 6eeay Of as.aig..
- devotiea 70 The PShlic woeship Of :
I'd:
Let an this people doe - - 81
'ese churches - Pseaana.aydossl. 81.
| preseAen Of ~ gsspsl 1HW - ear.