The Progress., 1893-06-24
THE SAVORLESS. SALT
REV THOMAS DIXON, JR., ON CORRUP-
TION IN THE CHURCH.


NEW YORK. June lS.-Rcv. Thoma.
Dixon. Jr., preached this morning th'
ninth sermon of the series on "Th,
Gates of He'll In Modern Babylon" Th,
subject of the morning sermon wa
"The Failure Of the Church In the City.
The text chosen was from Matthew V
13: "Ye are the salt of the earth. but il
p the salt have lost it SAVIOR wherewitl
shall it be salted? 1t is thenceforth good
for nothing but to be cast out and trod
den under foot of men"
One Of the most serious causes for the
present condition of the city is to bC
found in the failure of the church OF
Christ 90 keep pace with its rapid devel
opment. The fact is that the failure OF
Protestant Christianity in the centers OF
civic life in America has been one of the
most painful facts in the history of the
nation in the last quarter of a century.
There are fewer Methodists in New York
city today than there were 20 years ago.
There are fewer Baptists in New York
city today than 90 years ago. And this
in the face of the fact that in the mean
time the city has practically doubled its
population-grown to be the metropolis
OF the new world The truth is, while ev-
erything else has advanced with marvel
ous strides the church has lost ground.
And what is true in New York is true
really in many other great cities. The
essence of Christianity lies in its power
TO save. The work of Christianity is to
save the world. When the salt is re-
moved from the earth, it Is not to be
wondered at the corruption that results.
There is terrible failure today in the
work of applying Christianity to the
needs of the people in the city.
The sad fact as forcing itself on The
hearts Of many tcIio lore The Lord that
thousands Of the churches in Our centers
Of tJe are today practically dead.
The trouble about it is, too. that they
are still above ground. They are dead,
and no permit to bury has been issued
The consequence is that there is natural
embarrassment. We see this painful
fact
First - In the empty pews in the
of the church of Christ is an assembly
The word church in its original means
assembly The trouble is they have
ceased to assemble. The congregation
in the average church in our great
cities is conspicuous for the people who
are not there. Empty pews are the
first thing that strikes the eye of the
observer There are various excuses
made for this condition of affairs. 1t is
owing to the point of view from which
you look at it as to the answer you
would make A man asked another how
he accounted for the small attendance
at our churches He said he could not
account for it. He said he went one
night himself. and he never could under
stand what could attract those people
that were there.
/ The language of empty pews Is a sad
one 10 the church. They are mocking
ghosts 1t is a chilling experience to
any man 10 como from country DISTRICT
into the city and face these solemn evil
dences of TIE decadence of church life.
4 shall never forget the first sermon !
preached in city church. The house
seated about 1900. There were about 80
lpresent, They were scattered over the
solemn building. They shivered in the
cold, and shivered in sympathy. 1t is
needless to say the service was dismal
failure.
SOCIAL CLUBS.
Second-Many of our churches have
become social clubs and cliques. Mans
social nature is mighty lever when 1t
is properly used. 1t should be utilized
for spiritual ends But a social club is
one thing, and an assembly OF people
gathered in the name of Jesus Christ to
do his work. to follow his teachings and
be the medium through which his spirit
shall operate in the world-this is anoth-
er thing. Every part of mans social
nature may be and should be utilized,
but when the great spiritual fact is over
looked and the church degenerates into
a mere clique. in which there are parties
with all sorts of games, in which there
are festivals with all sorts of swindling.
kissing bees and all sorts of cheating in
ventions. we have here the evidences Of
decay
A pastor recently resigned in one Of
our great churches because some of his
people insisted ON having a dog show in
the church. he said he could stand a
good deal. but he drew the line at dog
show. A young man was recently forced
to resign his charge because he insisted
on wearing a mustache. The congrega-
tion did not like a preacher with that
style OF beard. He refused to part with
his ornament. and they parted with their
pastor
Our churches. many OF them, have be-
come apostles of the gospel of geography.
They believe in moving. One of two
things is true. BY this fact either the
gospel is a lie or the methods they use to
propagate it are false The first of these
alternatives need scarcely be discussed
Is the gospel failure? Hardly. Is it
weak? Can it not answer every accusa-
ton of the enemy of man? Let the ages