The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-06-16
Christian Organizations Outside the Church.
Continued from 1Oth paqe.


came into existence on account of the
prejudice of young men against the or
binary religious methods. 1t is said by
one high in authority, that when
churches attempt to do Association
work, they fail to reach out beyond
their own natural constituency. The
brand of church" is upon the enter
prise. Young men as n class are hard
10 reach. and the most difficult cases
can never be reached, by other than
distinctly young mems organizations"
Treat it lightly if we will, there is still
4 suggestion in the fact that one who
would rebel at being called brother
will enjoy the title of ''yoke-fellow."
Human nature is something that young
men are stocked with in abundance.
Again, with respect to the Union.
1t is evident that the average church
could never build on the entire platform
ri the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. The church is made up of all
sorts of material. In it are clear-eyed
saints who look with keen discernment
upon the good and evil, making their
testimonies accordingly. In it also,
there are people who are newborn in
the kingdom, literally the babes in
Christ. with only feeble sense of sight
and hearing. 1t is evident, therefore,
that churches are not primarily the
places for compelling assent to reforma-
tory truths. 1t has crippled churches
in the past, that they have been re-
formatories instead of nurseries. Per
sonally have respect for all the truths
in church testimonies. | was brought
up on them. The church door was all
placarded with thou shalt nots." 1t
is true that the notion crept into
the chld-mind that the person who
didnt do II great many things was the
one whose passage to heaven was as
sured 1t is true, that the desire to hit
something was inbred in the church
life, so much so that even now when
find a man in the wrong, | am tempted
TO knock him out, rather than pull him
out. And yet these testimonies were
all of noble meaning to one whose char
acter was sufficiently advanced to see
the difference between man and a
tree. 1t was not so with the little babe
in Christ. 1t was strong, unassimila-
bile food. Church homes like other
homes should have a place for babes.
This is not to say that only milk should
he administered for twenty years. But
even that would be wisdom compared
with the introduction of Il diet of salt
pork and cabbage to child of single
day If all Christians were equally adj
vanced, or even reasonably advanced.
we might make the church Il war-ship;
1ut as it is we find ourselves fully en-
ployed, attempting to make it rorShip.
Try writing the forty-one departments
If the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union on the tablets of Il church. If
YOU get TO anti-narcoticS without Il
sensation and without dissolution,
YOU will do well. Whether right, or
wrong it seems to he the fact that we
cannot plant an evangcliStic church
upon the platform of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union, So that
his organization must carry ON its
work outside, or the work will not be
home
What then should be the relation of
he churches to these agencies: |
snow Of no other answer than this.
hat the churches should give them
proper recognition II their natural and
potent auXiliarics in the work of bring
INC ibis world to the feet of our Re
Iccmcr.
In general, the ministry are hearth
ly sympathetic with the Young Mems
Christian Association, especially the
younger ministers. many OF whom re-
cciycl their earliest inspirations in
Association halls One of the prom-
tent pastor, in Chicago said, Person
ally owe much to the Associations"
On the other hand the attitude of the
pastor, toward the Union is usually
acking in cordially, to say the least.
IhiTE-eight per cent, of the Unions re-
1ort the ministry as supporters of their
work. SiNty-two per cent. Indicate
nat the ministers are not at all in sym
pathy From one of the Womans
Christian Temperance Union head
quarters, circular letter was sent out
to ministers asking cooperation with
the work, which happened in this case
TO have in it nothing Objectionable in
5he way of politics. The replies came
Of two entirely different strains. In
part the letters were kind and helpful,
in part they were full of bitterness
The good women filed then respective
~ in cubby-holes, named for conven-
fence, "Ebal" and "Gerizimw 1t is re-
ported, that so far was one of the pas
tors in Michigan from giving reasona-
ble support to this work, that he wrote
m article criticiSing the Union. which