St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-15
MISSION OF THE CHURCH.
Interesting Symposium at the
Peoples Meeting,


Interesting Symposium at the
Peoples Meeting,
The Present Mission of the Church,
was the subject set for yesterday even
ing's peoples meeting at the Lyceum
theater. The building was crowded to
the gallery. Judge J. o. Pierce was the
first speaker. He said the church should
be unsectaran. 1t should not divide
one denomination from another. The
mission OF the church was to be liberal.
All denominations should treat each
other as taking their example from Him
whose creed was love TO God and love
10 man. The gospel Of Jesus Christ
taught a form absolutely unsectarlan.
Therefore, it was the mission of the
church of the present day 10 follow
shat example.
Mrs. Kate Burlington Davis followed.
She claimed the church should be like
great heart. thrO5bng in loving SYM
pathy with every pulse in the rhythm
OF human suffering. Love was the law
of life. When man conforms thereto,
suffering would no longer be the lot of
man. 1t was the mission OF the church
&c teach the law of love. which was
greater than articles Of faith. The
modern church should also acquaint
itself anew with the principle of Christ.
1t should lay aside pride, cease cOnten-
lions and mutual criticisms and seek d
unity through the meeting Of hearts and
hands in service of humanity.
Rev. William Wilkinson said:
at is my duty to disciple men, and
baptiZe them into the church. But for
what purpose to sing hymns, say creeds,
and tiatter themselves they are better
than other people? To make void the
law through faith? Nay. but rather to
be in the world the representatives Of
Christ, the savior and king of the
church; to get done the will of God On
earth as it is done in heaven; to
do all they can TO destroy the
works of the devil. Do you ask
what they are and how they may be
known. Look around sou. Examine
facts as you see them, in any of the
great divisions of life.
Take that first which is nearest to
you. How is much of the business of
the day carried Oh? Is itnot true that
in many instances the worst and clev-
crest man in a trade rules it and sets
the evil ways, others follow in what
they call pure self-defense and against
their will? They have got
20 meet the cut or the quality.
/ have heard it said man may as we'll
close his doors as to sell none but hon
est goods. What a comment is this
upon the ways which are dark and
tricks which are vain!' was the church
no mission to this generation of trades
meu, has it 10 word of. encouragement
for the honest man. trying to stem the
tide Of deceit by such gain? Has she
no word OF reprobatiOn for the rascalS
who make it study to degrade the
common business transactions in which
they engage. If not her hymns are vain
and her prayers a deluslen.
Look into the political state
Of things, not as pictured
by Prof. Bryce, but as we ourselves
know them, without any mans specta-
cles to look through. And we shall see
the need. sad and dire, for the mission
of the church. What have we to say
for the government of our cities? Are
the best men in Office? Is virtue, peace
and good government the one thing
aimed al? Is it lot rather in many cases
question of how any action will affect
votes at the next election. The simple
question of what is right. true. or for
the good of the people does not enter
into consideration. But the church
must unhesitatingly speak and act her
mission for the pure and right. Hers
it must be to resist all the forces
of evil, and to van0uish them.
A-NRfN liz City, ~ " IllE SLuLG
and nation, and we fare no better
The best men in all parties know this;
every election proves it. and the mis-
sion of the church is TO change it.
Let US now look at that which cuts,
for the masses of the people, nearer the
bOne--thOSe who have work to sell and
those who have work to buy. and the
relations between these two class
es, by universal consent, is
ff,n HI,
Labor and capital are looked upon as
enemies. All this Is wrong, and it is the
mission Of the church to correct 1t. 1t
must not fail TO speak strongly for
proper wages and for good, honest work.
It may be SAID this is ideal. You will
not accomplish the end named by moral
force. Then try the law. Sup
pose all the people who desire
10 see justice triumph in the mat
ter of wages could combine to pass
law. which should fix the lowest price
at which young persons and women
should be employed per day, and that
at just wage. so they could earn their
living and be independent. 1t would be
more effective than good advice and
cheap coffee. 1t might not sound rs
generous, but it would be more right
eOus. 1t would meet with the opposi-
ton of all who live on tyranny, but it
would be hailed by honest men as a
long step in the right direction. 1t
would, in more cases than we think, be
handmade Of virtue, for want and sin
are often neighbors, even when they are
not friends"
a. B. Choate, the last speaker. was
more IN sympathy with the audience.
He argued that the church must discard
everything not essential to Christianity.
The ministers could not be depended
upon to DO this because their training
makes them narrow. The movement
must come from the laynen of large
ideas. who can exert influence upon the
church.
Frozen to Death.