Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-29
RACHEL ROGERS.
Ephesus Versus New Haven-Dfd
 Rev Dr. Phillips Mean to Draw a


 Parallels
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 Is the report true that the Church of the Redeemer, after an experiment of six months, feels moved to give up its Sunday evening servicel hope not. It has been a service of great interest to me, as I be- lieve it has been to many others who are not members of that church. Dr. Phil lips's strong and awakening sermons are the leaven which will leayen the whole lump if time enough be given. Can it be that many of the members of the church service and that for this reason it must be abandonedi When the Jews rejected the gospel, Paul and other apostles turned to the Gentiles, as the hope of the world. Is Redeemer whether its moribund elements shall smother its life and stihe its influ- enoe, or whether it's new and vigorous pas tor shall be given free scope to reach out after and gather in the "Gentiles"-the young men and the young women who are not yet allied to any church, but who may be drawn into this if not repelled by & dead Journalism or a cold indifferencel
 The pastors picture of the church at Ephesus, last Sabbath morning-was it drawn as portrait of the Church of the Redeemer, an organization crowned with honors in the past, heavy laden with responsibilities and possessing ability to do great work in the world for Christ's kingdom! The Ephesian church did not take kindly to sermons over thirty minutes long. It wanted only one service Sabbath It believed in the soothing influences of a delightful musi- cal service, rather than too much dog matic theology, or too many unpalatable gospel truths. Its purple and fine linen summed the wear and tear and possibly the contamination incident to an evening | Sabbath twilight in hasocial en- joyment, or in la zy sup. bling of the joints and hinges of the body tho mention is made by Paul of the attractions of the Sunday ''World, '' Tribune" ''Times'' and ''Register'D than in worshippipg God in the beauty of holi- ness. The church at Ephesus prided itself upon its conspicuous position as the lead | ing orthodox organization of Asia. It was rich and influential. It was powerful for good while its zeal was fresh and its faith strong. put nnally It WearleQ or we'll doing and rested upon its laurels. It gave up arduous work; quit attending prayer meetings and night worship, lost its en. thusasm in the masters cause and fell from its high state. Then its candle-stick was removed and its light put out, as Paul had prophesied it would be unless it awoke from its lethargy. He sounded 8 loud note of warning, but it came too late. Did Dr. Phillips mean to sound similar alarm to his congregation! Possibly not But would it not be well for the church tc | consider if it has within itself the earnest zeal and faith that will prove efficacious for its continued usefulness and lifei IT which direction does the displacement oi its night worship pointl Has church ai powerful as this in many respects, witt such admirable means for carrying on great work, with beautiful and capaciou house of worship, exempt by law iron taxation, with fine choir and a ministe of unquestioned power in the pulpit, tn moral right to shut it's doors when b, keeping them open a work of grace and o vast good in this community might b l wrought! Think on these things.
 AN OUTSIDER