The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-01-31

VI tals great: we4tsn, Que si4teeHtn
part Of neper.cent:. OF one dollar Gut
Of every dfseea.hundredaud eighty-six
was given for the salvation Of eight
hundred million heather. They paid
out six times as much for sugar and
molasses as for the worlds salvation
seven times as much for boots and
shoes, aud eighteen times as much for
bread.
But let us now turn to some Of the
remedies suggested by Dr.. Strong and
others.
III. TIE NEW METHODS NEEDED.
l. The church must leasn the
meaning Of these two words-iodi-
ridualised responsibility. That is.
that each man is q part Of the church,
aud the church will fulfil its mission
just in proportion as each member
makes himself felt.
The rule uow is for the church to
hire q minister, and this being done.
nothing remains for others to do. He
must do the work of saving men, and
10 this work the church members have
no part. The cburcbmap pays his
part in money, aud aatters himself that
his check absolses hin from everything
else. The good Samaritan. when he
found the wounded man by the
wayside, gave himself first, bis personal
service. aud then his money The
modern christian would have said.
"Here is ten cents; you can buy some
bread with it; but I have business
engagement dozen town aud cannot
atop.''
It is ruiuous idea that, after one
has paid his mite. his duty to the
church is done Dr.. Strong says a
basiuess mae told bin that be had
been regularly to church for seventeen
years, and no member Of that church
had ever spoken to him about his soul.
II belong to the financial department
Of my church, bat not to the religious. .
is what sioe-tenths Of our church peo-
pie should say There is story that
Pope Innocent ~ was once engaged in
eosntiag large amouat Of coin, when
Thomas Aquinas was ushesed 10. The
Pope remarked, You see the church
can no longer say With st. Peter.
silver and gold have l none /" Aqui.
mas replied. "neither can she say any
longer With him, in the name Of Jesus
Christ Of Nazareth. rise up aud walk. !"
Nov, alas! it is ali too true. and
this results from our making our gifts
substitute for our personal service. as
if the preacher we're the only one who
had anything to do with its religion.
2. The masses are to be reached BY
reaching individuals. The day will
never come when men can be berded
and driven into the church. They
must be reached one by ooe. Each
one has bis peculiar difficulties. ard
must be dealt with individually.
Some say, I'VE must have foe
preacher, a man Of great gifts. and he
will draw the masses to u.s. but when
they are drawn, what then what have
you got for them ? what do you for those
who do come? It will not do to roll
the burden upon the preacher. I'll
cite case. for I must defend myself
There is floating Baptist brother in
this town. who often attends another
church. he aatters the Baptist pastor
by saying be likes to hear him preach !;
but be finds the people in the other
church more genial aud friendly, and
hence be goes there. No, sirs, you
might put Paul in this pulpit, and be
would 6nd himself handicapped. unless
the people are going to help to draw,
and not drive away the masses.
8. Tier. must be an actual acquaint-
ance of thu church people with the
world people Nobody loves to 60 al
ways among strangers The church cries
out loudly for pastoral work, aud the
world says, "Yes. we'd like to know
you as we'll as know your pastor.' |
believe house-to- house visitation BY
the church is the great need Of the day.
The church must know the people in
their family life. and personal relations
must be set up between those within
and those without Our church peo
pie are too selfish, and seek too much
their own ease. If one of our number
dies, not more than handful will at
tend the funeral. Recently little baby
lay dead within three hundred yards
of eight Baptist homes The parents
were Baptists. aud there we're not
enough present to compose the child in
it's shroud or bear the coffin from the
house. Often We are called upon to sit
up with and nurse the sick, ,and I can lay
my hand upon the few who can be relied
upon for the service One little boy
With an aching tooth or "stumped"
foo wi11 he eYcnea enonoh IN keen