The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1891-11-19
CHURCH LOCALS
AND RELIGIOUS NOTES OF GENER.
AL INTEREST,"

a- OOS
why so? "The new broom" has no
experience in the matter of dirt
has not swept out the corners and
the hiding places, of dirt. When
the new" is worn off and so no
longer sweeps clean it is not the
fault OF the broom. The fault is
with the dirt. The ''new broom"
never suspected, in the beginning,
such piles and piles of dirt. 1t fails
to ''sweep Clean" when worn to a
point of real usefulness, simply be-
cause it can't. The dirt has come
out OF it's hiding and mounts up
above all sorts and all kinds of
brooms.
FAITHFULNESs in church attend
ance is good thing. 1t is the
foundation stone of "pure religion
and unde6le1." But we may be
faithful in church attendance and
religious bankrupts on all things
else. Real faithfulness in the one
implies taithfulness, in all things
else. The life of the soul-the life
OF Christ, in the soul--means faith
fulness in church attendance, be-
cause in and through the church,
only, does the religious life havs its
genesis. But it means infinitely
more than the mere bodily, physical
presence. The right spirit must
prompt the attendance. The spirit
of worship must dominate the life,
while in attendance. The spirit of
hearing and doing, must reign while
in Gods Presence, in His House.
Thought and meditation, must be of
Him. Self>examination mus. be
the rule. A ready and glad and
meek, hearing, the way.
| So MANY of us take credit for the
mere outward act of church attend
ance. We are careful to note the
fact, that if we miss service at all,
there is a good reason for it. And
then we seem to ourselves good
hearers of che word-not judges or
critics, of the word, but hearers.
And yet, if We had our thoughts,
reflections, conclusions and the sight
of our eyes, during the hour, thro wn
into a picture before us, we would
fly from our own image, os from that
of q menacing enemy. Jesus said,
Take heed how ye hear" The
Wise man says: keep thy foot
when thou goest to the house of
God, and be more ready to hear
than to give the sacrifice Of FOOLS. >
We can but see from such warnings.
that there is danger to us, even the
performance Of duty, The worship
Of God, duty to self and the won Id
around US, is far more than in the
outward act.
AND still the obligations we are
under to God AID man, in church
attendance, needs nc demonstration
The wickedest man in any communi-
ty, as well as the best and purest,
have upon them the equal obliga>
ton. They may, in their thoughts,
motives and enjoyments, be as far
! apart, 'as the east is from the west, "
yet the duty in this matter, from the
lowest and most earthly reason is
the same. All good, in all things,
comes to US, through the ministry
Of the church. A man, though
wicked beyond all telling, honors
his own life and magnifies his citi-
zenship in no way, SO well and 50
strongly, as in church attendance.
He only, in this, pays back, in a
small way, the debt he owes, to that
which gives him his all. If he had
70 other motive than that of mere
policy he is, in world by sense, a
wise man. Refusing this tribute to
the church, he receives and lives on
the productions Of another. lie is
4 mere consumer and non produc.
or. From any stand point, such a
man is tramp and reproach to
his own species.
We must say to you, brother, in
all tenderness, that you Cannot stay
away from Gods house, and remain
tinnocent The time will come and
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