The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-11

800
q our denomination, by calling h meeting
" Lns Rouse of 4 man whose 1lRmb stands
forth ~ the thought of this generation
more prominently m q synonym tor nm
TiRhtaov. MAmon thnn any other name In
the world, can TINS make i drait npoti dis
honorable Rains fer church extension,
would y not ba s%Qutanish 10 fofbeArY III
herc In Montana, by keeping auist about
nagfant abomlnAtiona, BIZ just preaching
no Rospel--thht 70. All has sorno VI nasan,
Sitting the Il uths ofs rim and ssalyatinn Id Il
particulars of sin a. II presents itself III
those times, and In our Communities, and
~ onr o%hufch--if BY 10 doing WI can avoid
qohiliot, ~ least until 2tte church Id soraa-
what established and better able to take
w matters not aRreed upon BY everybody,
Wonld not this bo the wlaar course? 7 4.
The policy Of Fellowship with nnfruitful
Jerks 81 darknsss rather thar rsproyinQ
them when money night be lost BY II il
now g question: In tho church. But,
bfethrsn. shall not discuss II ~ & ques-
saon. y has no right to b I question.
Ihsrs u no color for II in the written
oIdnr onae for all delivered 10 His army by
tne Captain Of our salvation; orders which
every one Of VII who have named the name
of Christ is most solemnly bound to obey.
Jesus says, "Rssiat tho dewitt not, Strike
NE best bargain With him 9 . il He
Who was eur example in this very thing
Himself resisted. How Rrandly. liz re-
sisted IN the wilderness. Y Y . Hs who
Will follow Christ must be 4 soldier; must
nave itrst OF all decision, su0h decision al
inc " aster demanded Of those who wsrs
hssltatinR; "Whosver forsakoth not all
that re hath;'"Hs that hAteth not his own
life also, cannot be my disciple
Have We accepted the test for ourselves?
20 We hold out such a standard when We
invite men into the church? How comes ii
that some arc heard dsbAting whsthsr to
profess Christ, for lack Of amusement in
the church?
Where did they get sachl ideas Of ths
xAfY Not from our Lsadsr--not from
efou,s werd. Do We aomshow cause in
curing souls TO think that the Christians
way ths way Of tho world are 20 par
allel and close together that 1 donbtful
man ny !. wax wi.n ore foot on ,sithsr side
objected. ii VIC require any serious self
denial We may mot get men into tho
church, Is the church 4 through train
Tor heaven with sleepsrs attached, by
Whlch paying passengers may be tiokoted
to their dsstination and landed rs per corr
the table,: but il the church is organized
for war, let " seek to enlist soldiers.
In the second phase Christ demands that
soclsty be holy; that business be done by
the golden rule; that the nations be right
eons, even as his personal followers. The
Icy. naslonnl and international, as we'll az
individual, is to GO forth from Jerusalem.
!, : Nov. it the church would accept
the com mission to she world, IL shs would
seriously take up the vast endeayor. how
should she p oceed? She must follow her
divine example. and il her Lord be u man
OF war Ills cause must be advanced in mill
tary fashion. Let us note this ia one par
tisular. When the will has determined to
tight y summons the intelligence. What
king going to make war upoR another king
sltteth not down first and conaultsth?
Reckless impulse is not war. It feqnires
cool calculation as we'll IS valor; ~ealcula-
ton passing into we'll ordered action. The
must be organized, praoticed in military
arts and moral discipline, officers must be
selected and trained for special duties
until the multitude has become one
organism, compact, manageable. obedient
70 the commanders will "a Q mans body to
one which may then %vanquish a larger
army, equally brave, but inferior in disoi-
pline, ~ did Frederick the Great at Len
then, with 10000 Prussiana maryelouslv
drilled, utterly routing 5000 Austriana IN
open field. Has the church come to b
CATION . military post ready for marching
ordersf Are the members generally pray
ing, consulting inc with might and main
working out the ideas which God gives
them, that they may have the best possible
corps Of Sunday school teachers, the most
Bible study, the most spiritual
prayer meetings.. the strongest inspiration,l
for tho young and above all diligent home
training OF the children, not for society and
business as chief ends, but for service in
the kings army? I nave often said our
Presbytsrian church needs more discipline,
WHOM IS usually mistaken to mean more
trlals. But why SO? In the literal
army discipline is not mainly court mar
Elal. 1t 10 the first requisite for every SOL
aler after enlistment, the military training.
me cultivation of q high sense Of personal
auty, OF generous emulation, each man
WIN his fellows, each division with the
all striving to excel, not for praise.
ont Tor the one great object.
Now compare the church in these essen
tlals with an army. Look over the annual
See the blanks where important
work should be recorded, the thousands of
churches that haven't no much al passed q
lat Tor the greatest CAUSES that can be pre-
'entea to thrill human sympathy, and stir
men to action. See how irregular and
erky ia the help of those congregations
hat do support our general work,
low many of them can be depended
N to do anything definite year
y year Tor any cause whatever outside
AnO DT6bQT6u. turning TO In
lividual members, how many men or
women have you in your congregation to
whom you can mention a work that needs
which they will approve of-
nd then rely upon them to do it. carefally.
thoroughly and on time? Probably most
# you would hesitate to tell. The answer
night seem unkind in it's disclosure of in
Efficiency and slovenliness in the church
york OF your naiphbors. So annoying ia
he condition that often pastors try to do
heir peoples work, rather than tire them
elves urging Others to do, and after all
laving the work fall back upon them. But ]:
that does this mean? Are our people in :
orrigible? Are they 4 selection Of the 4
'orst material that they should be so raw s
discipline after years of supposed train I
and service in tho gospel army? That +,
annot be. Iheae same men would make /
they oan be depended on as rail- /
men or government officials, and these /
omen are admirable managers OF their |
~ouseholds. The difference between the /,
anne people as workers in the church and 1
in the world is a matter of chronic /
and the reason for it ia com :
,only aaid to be want of the holy spirit. t
+ is in u sense true. vet radically wrong. i
: implies that the evil ia beyond our reach, a
hat we can only pray and wait for the q
pirit. when God intends US also. to wo. K I
that supreme gift. " y y
Il Moses rightly called the Lord a man of i
we ought never to have forgotten that '
- ~ 1880