Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-07-19

| it was shameful for her to speak in
visible member responsible for the pros
perity and growth OF the church.
tII-But how changed the conditions
today! Not all at once, but gradually, as
the doctrines changed, as God took on
kindlier look, and churches became no
longer places of physical torture, man
began to drop out, to find adequate rea-
sons why he should spend Sunday with
his newspaper, at the club, or on the
street corner-anywhere rather than in
the house of worship. In the old days
every man and boy went to church as
we'll as every woman and girl. Today
many men pride themselves on not hav
ing been inside church for ten, twenty
or forty years except to attend a funeral
perhaps. Today it is almost considered
mark of intellectually in man to stay
away from church services. Such man
has thought too much to go to church.
The difficulty is, he has not thought
enough and by staying away from the
place where spirit life is generated he
fails to feed the holy spirit of truth that
seeks a resting place in his heart, and
thereby kills the life OF his soul.
But let the cause be what it Will, today
We have to face HE fact that men do not
go TO church, that the life of the church
is sustained for the most part by the wo-
men. suppose woman should follow
Paul's mandate today and keep silence
in the church, suppose she should cease to
give time and energy to the furtherance
Of church work, what would be the re-
suit? How long would it be before every
church door would be closed and church
Worship would be a thing Of the past? 1t
i true man still holds his place in the
pulpit, Many religious denominations
and many individuals cling to the past
enough to think that only man Is compc-
tent to occupy this place from which the
gospel j. to be preached to The multitudcs.
Vet n spite Of prejudice, in spite of prec
ed"nt, woman is steadily pushing her
Way INTO this sacred place; she is making
herself heard from the pulpit, and il tie
same fleet is produced here as has been
produced in her making herself heard
from The pews, no knows but the day
may come when women will do all the
preaching and It VIII be considered as
shameful for man to speak in Gods
hou-, as it once Vas for woman to speak
in TINT holy place?
But his i not condition of things to
H., desired, indeed it is an evil that must
b" tonight against TINT Righteousness may
~ is.t reign supreme. Human beings
were not created to be divided into two
olus-as directly opposed to one another.
Man cannot do his most perfect work
without he help and encouragement of
woman any more than woman can be the
most successful without the aid of man.
The one : a complement OF the other
not like TO like but like in differences,
and the most perfect work is done when
they work together. In church work there
IL need Of both elements. Woman is not
doing too much now. Indeed she is not
doing half what she ought TO do. Not
one iuta less would | have her do to help
spread truth and righteousness, but by
some effort man must be aroused to see
hi. duty and to exert himself to take his
place in the ranks to help make the house
of God in very truth the gate of heaven
The present attitude of men toward
church attendance is not thing to be
lightly dwelt upon. 1t is Il serious mat
ter, one that calls for careful thought.
There is danger in present conditions
that threatens the welfare of all that is
best and purest in humanity.
know muniticent gifts are showered
upon benevolent objects by men who
never enter church door, missionary
projects are furthered by men who are
outside of any religious fold. 1t would
not be well to discourage any such gener-
osity. But the question arises whether
all this phianthropic effort does not
arise from n desire to be looked upon as a
benefactor without much personal work
on the part of the individual; 1t IS a
question whether this benevolence does
not exist because it has become at the
present time fashionable thing to give
large sums for religious objects and in
stituttons. and not because the giver has
any great degree of religious ferYor.
But no amount OF money can buy re-
ligion, neither can it buy soul growth.
Jay Gould's heirs cannot buy spiritual
nature for Jay Could, however many
memorial churches they may build. Not
one man here can buy for himself place
in the kingdom of Heaven however
literally he may give OF his plenty toward
religious enterprises, if he refuses to lend
his presence and his influence toward the
establishing OF that kingdom. Personal
effort is " hat is required, and no soul
growth comes from giving however gen
erously from an abundance that VIII
never miss the gift. So far as the IN
diyidual is concerned, but little good
comes from giving toward church sup
port from selfish motive, /. e., giving
that a few more customers may trade at
vour counter, or a few more votes may be
polled at he elections.
1t is often said that man may be as
onj ;uut good q man if he