The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1895-06-06

"h' No. NOT any more than
he makes whiskey, or runs gambling
helis, or inaugurates and cond acts
evil and oppressive public policies. or
enacts vicious legislation. The
preacher who says poverty and suf.
fering among men in the midst of
plenty is Gods will, is liar.
Preachers have and announce
some beautiful theories. They can
preach spirituality" with an JUNCTION
and an eloquence that are marvel
ious. But what is the sense of preach
ing such stuff as that to a man who
sees hunger facing him in spite of all
the exertion he can maker So much
OF this has been done, however, that
hundreds and thousands of the most
Intelligent men are looking asksnce
at so-called christian organizations,
and the churches are losing ground
both as a factor for good and in
membership.
Religion is noble. Christianity is
grand. Both are therefore counter
feited as all good things are. Some
times a counterfeit of christianity is
counterfeited. Many a man has his
name on the church roll book and
lets it stay there for the sake of the
"respectability" it commands among
some people. And the real Christians,
If there are any, knowing what he is,
let his name stay on the roll. Some
Of the biggest robbers in this great
land are "pillars'' of the church. 1t
is all very well to say that the church
should not be condemned because
there are some bad men in it. 1t
| sounds common and comforting to
say so. But is the church place for
bad menG What is it for?
If one half of the protesting Chris
tians IN America today were real
Christians, there would not be home
of suffering from poverty in the land
Until the preachers shall begin to
take stand looking to the annihila.
ton of suffering from this cause, the
religion which they profess to repre-
sent will not command respect from
men who think about men. Love
and anxiety Cor men is Gods love
and anxiety. This can and must bt
shown in material as we'll as in
spiritual way. Men can be Christians
when they are not driven to desperate
conditions. When they are so driven
they cannot be other than criminal
at heart and in practice. Let preach
ers study the causes of desperat
, conditions. Let them show the wa,
, out of them. If they can't carry thi
kind of politics into their religion
, then let them get some other kind o
religion; for that which canno
. mingle with such politics as looks t
! the betterment of that part of man
kind which is oppressed and drive
to poverty and desperation is non
: of Christ's religion.
D We said above that on account G
: certain conditions the churches ar
3 losing ground both as a factor fo
l good and in membership. This coul
Y be shown by statistics; but we wi
Y bring up credible witness and leav
D the case with the reader for tn
t present.
: Rev. DR.. Talmage said not Ion
v since:
e Il simply state a fact when say that
many places the church is surrendering, ar
|. the world is conQuering. And when a fe
q Sabbaths ago, stood in this pulpit and sa
Il fear that some of this audience will
9 lost for the rejection of Christ why, the
, were four or five of the daily papers tn
y threw up their hanos in surprise at it. o
we have magnificent church machinery
this country; we have. sixty thousa1
American ministers; we have costly musi
,. we have great Sunday schools, and yet
give you the appalling statistics that in Il
+ last twenty-fiv years. laying aside last yes
% the statistics Of which l have not seen,
within the last twenty-five years t
y churches of God in this country have ave
" has been an average of four or five deaf
n in the churches. How soon, at that ra
will this world be brought to God? V
W gain two; we lose four. Eternal God! VIII
u will this come tor
y If preachers will begin to prea'
" more humanity; if they will stu
ID sociology and become teachers
rs humane and Christian-like publ
h. economics; if they will begin
1t thunder denunciation against tho
who steal the livery of heaven
serve the devil in; if they can beco1
70 leaders or teachers in methods a.
m politics which will change existi
,e conditions for better, they may CO.
rs mand the respect of the dlscerni
at world. But the great majority
ID them now are regarded as little me
O. than the paid conservators of
lie formal responsibility. They apps
D. emily fear to inveigh against CORFU
es practices and conditions, because
he the powers which can withhold c
g. tain privileges from them or tn
es them out of good livings.
lie Many country pastor could re
es the above and wonder that it co,
IS; be written; but there are preciou
" few town or c;tv pastors who will