Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-03
Rev. George Hodges Hears From His
Newspaper Parishioners.
THE PLATFORM OF THE CHURCH.
Why General Terms Must BE Employed il
Stating What 1t Is.
/ SEVENTH DAY ADvENTIST'S TALK
WRITTEN FOR THE prsrArcH.


an indication that somebody is in doubt
| and differs. And that is precisely what the
| preacher needs to know. That helps him
more than all the praise which can possibly
be reeited.' It reveals o>him what his hear
ers are thinking about.
There is some disadvantages about the
formal orderliness of the modern congrega-
tion. They got more good out OF the sermon
in the old days when everybody was free to
interrupt the preacher. These profitable
Interruptions would seem least Of all within
possibility in the case of newspaper con-
gregation, where the preacher is not within
sight or hearing. In this case, however,
people may write letters. They may differ
from the preacher, they may ask him for
explanations through the mail. And they
do. These newspaper sermons bring the
preacher many interesting letters-more, in
deed, than he is able properly TO answer.
Two Questions and Their Answers.
It has occurred to me that the whole con-
gregation might be glad to hear some OF
these questions, and might be interested in
the answers. And to-day I set down two
quite different ones, with copies OF the
replies which have sent within the last ten
days to their writer's.
One of my newspaper parishioners ques-
tions me as follows:
What are the purposes or objects Of the or.
ganizaiion known as the Christian Church?
and labor OF ganizatfons have usually more
less clearly defined purpose for their existence
and method of procedure, for the further
ance of those objects. Can you give me state
mcnt OF principles, or platform" of the
Church. analogous to that of these organiza-
tionsf Your sermon of to-day's DISPATCH is
an appeal to those not members of the church
to join. l wish statement of the purpose of
your organization. Having that il will then be
necessary for me to decide whether consider
your purposes worthy ones; and, second,
whether IN reality, judging from the evidence
can gather, your organization does enhance
and eff fect those purposes.
/ was raised in the strict Presbyterian faith;
believe friuly in the teachings of Christ;
rarely attend church now, but am neither an
atheist nor scoffer. All my life l have heard
what Henry Drummond so aptly terms in his
Pax Vobiscum" the ''dialect of the churches"
and which he used ad Mduseam in his "Per-
fected Life" The kind of answer that 1 and
hundreds of others want to the interrogation
before put is not generalization, not cant, not
platitude, but such a statement of purposes as
other organizations give; and further, state
ment of how such purposes are to be effected,
the means by which such ends may be reached.
Doesn't Like Generalization.
In all the years have attended church, a
member, choir-singer, an usher, cannot re-
call single sermon wherein a clear exposition
has been given. To say that the purpose of the
church is to ''rescue Sinners" to 'lead into sal.
vation." to spread the Gospel" to "heal the
broken-hearted," ETC.. ETC., is mere words.
have heard that sort of platitude all my life.
have read good many books full of that sort
of generalization. = 100
What does the church propose to dc, and
how does it propose to do itf
As to what the great Teacher proposed to do
and how He went at 1t, there can be no Ques-
tion, although countless theological questions
have been raised. and doctrines and dogmas
founded on all sorts of sayings attributed to
Him. But we will probably all agree that His
purpose was to establish (or, rather re-estab-
liSh in . new feld) a system of ethics whose
of procedure was practicng what He preached
living it, doing it. And He emphasized His
teachings by dying for them. Thus far prob.
1t may be that some discourse of yours that
have missed would answer my question. If
so. would be obliged if you would kindly
refer me to it. At any rate, hope that this
may receive courteous treatment at your
hands, aud the same sincerity with which it is
written.
To this good, honest, reasonable and in
telligent letter made reply as follows:
You want to know what the Christian
church is for-what its platform" is. The
purpose of the Christian church is to teach |
u ceItalu UOuy VI uutn, huQ 70 persuade |
men to follow a certain way OF living. Its |
Founder put this into one sentence when He
said rye shall be witnesses unto Me-" The |
truth is that which he. taught, and the life |
is that which He lived.
The Church's Threshold Message.
The church has three-fold message:
What men should believe, what men
should do and what helps there are toward
Al Ill
it is not possible to state this other than in |
the ''generalities" which you dislike, be-
cause the platform of the church, instead of
being put forth for single campaign, is |
meant for all generations and for all sorts of |
men. It is advisedly stated in general |
terms, with the understanding that each age
and each man shall translate these generals |
into particulars, to meet his own case.
An instance is in the account of the word |
of Christ to the brothers who wanted Him
to divide their Inheritance between them,
one accusing the other of cheating. He |
said "take heed and beware of covetousness."
leaving them to think it out I don't see |
how you are going to get along under the |
condition without generalities. For the |
particularities get old fashioned and obsolete |
in every new century.
The church exists then, first, to teach men |
what to believe. And the plank of the |
church's platform here is the Apostles |
Greed. To teach this creed, to keep it be- |
fore mems minds, to apply it, is one of the |
purposes of the church.
The church exists, in the second place, to !
teach men what to do. And here the plank |
is the Ten Commandments, interpreted as |
Christ explained them in the Sermon on the |
Mount. To love God and to love our neigh |
Dor contains, as you indeed suggest, the |
essence of Christian conduct To teach |
these commandments. and enforce them, and |
apply them to the moral needs of the race,
is another of the purposes OF the church.
Further, 1t Offers Helps.
Finally, the church exists to offer men |
helps toward right believing and right be-
having. For example. prayer-which she |
teaches by precept and example. setting the |
Lords Prayer as third plank in her plat |
form. To this end she has her appointed |
services. Beside this, she offers the Sacra-
ments which Christ appointed, Baptism
and the Lords Supper, one the sacrament
of initiation, the other the sacrament of re-
membrance, Of reverence, of worship. To
persuade men to pray, to unite them into
great society having these sacraments for
bonds of union. to get great company of
people to cooperate in true believing and
right behavior is third reason for the
church's being.
This, should say, is the platform of the
church, And she invites everybody who
approves of it, and is willing to help it on,
to come in. The work goes on slowly, and
with drawbacks and failures. partly because
it IS great work and partly because it is
spiritual work. The physical is always
= u W l--sI l