The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-29
THE CITY WITHOUT A CHURCH.

NO man has brought greater force or
freshness to the discussions of religious
questions than Professor Drummond, of
Scotland, whose book, Natural Law in
the Spiritual World" has attained a
wider circulation than any religious
work OF recent times. His subsequent
writings have been characterized by the
Same vigor and originality, and every
thing from his pen is looked for with
interest. His latest booklet, "The City
Without a Church." contains some
striking thoughts on the relation of the
church to the world. Here is one sug-
gestion:
II have said that were it mine to build
q city, the first stone I should lay there
would be the foundation stone of a
church. But if 1T were mine to preach
the first sermon in that church | would
choose as the text, I saw no church
therein l should tell the people that
the great use of the church is to help
men to do without it. AS the old eccle-
eiastical term has 1t, the church ser
vices are diets of worship. They are
meals. All who are hungry will take
them, and, if they are wise, regularly.
But no workman is paid for his meals.
He is paid for the work he does in the
strength of them. No Christian is paid
for going to church. He goes there for a
meal, for strength from God and from
his fellow worshipers to do the work of
life-whlch is the work Of Christ. The
church is a divine institution, because it
is so very human an institution. AS a
channel OF n~ourishment, as a stimulus
to holy deeds, as I, link with all holy
lives, let all mon use it, ana to the ut
most of their opportunity. But by all
they know of Christ or care for man,
let them beware of mistaking its ser
vices for Christianity. What church
seryices really express is the want of
Christianity, and when that which is
perfect in Christianity Is come, all this,
RS the mere passing stay and scatfold-
ing of struggling souls, must pass away.
If the masses who never go TO church
only knew that the churches were the
mute expression of a Christians wants,
and not the self advertisement of his
sanctity, they would have more respect
full words for churches. But they have
never learned this"
Here 1t seems to us Professor Drum
mond has got at the bottom of the
trouble between the church of to-day
and those who stand aloof from it. Is
not much of the non-church going attri-
Dutable to the fact that many Of those
who have taken upon themselves
the VOWS Of church membership CON
~sciously or unconsciously assume
superiority in religious knowledge
and virtue toward those who do
not go to church? At least it is safe to
say that many non-church goers believe
that such is the attitude of church
members toward them. Whether this
belief does injustice to the members Of
churches or not, it exists and the main
question for the churches to consider is,
"What can be- done to remove it?n In
the first place they must deal more with
the human side of life and demonstrate
to those who are standing aloof that
they are interested in the great vital
problems OF the life that now is-prob-
lens for whose solution they invite the
cooperation and assistance of all men
of whatever name or creed.
In the second place, the world must
be convinced that the churches are pre-
pared to discuss in the hight Ct moiern
discovery and scholarship, tie great re-
ligious questions of tie time. They
must offer something more than meet
ings of "the elect" for prayer and praise,
however worthy and necessary these
may be. People viii not 60 to hear tho
expoundipg OF old creeds in OLD forms.
In short the churches must minister 10
the intellectual wants Of men as well as
to their religious cravings, and If they
fail to do this, they will ceuse to lrlI
commanding places in lho communities
in which they are established. Tho eE-
sence OF Christianity Is nejl and be
lieyed in by nearly III civilized men IN
Christian nations, but there are millions
OF men who do not attend the churches
because the churches hnye SO Little t.
offer them and fall so far short & their
opportunity. As Professor Drurnmond
warningly says: LET them beware of
mistaking their services for Chris
tianity." II the non-churoh going mul-
titude are wrong IN looking upon the
churches rs ''self advertisements OF
sanctity" much can be done to remove
this impression by broaden
ing the humanities OF the churches and
eleyating the intellectual standard Of
tho pulpits 80 as TO command the
sympathy and RESPECT Of the masses.
When the churches so to the people,
the people will go to Inc churches.
,- obIirafed the Sar.ian throne