The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-10

| OurisI came, so ulleQ Win great lue
to save humanity that the whole powe
OF God TO help men swept into hi
soul
Let your one thought be to concen
trate more and more the energies o
the church upon the great work o
saving the world socially. commerce
ally, politically. There Is no human
interest OF whatever kind that the re
ligion of Christ does not touch. NJ
one can look on the social interest tina
is throbbing and vibrating Throughout
Christendom to-day without a feeling o.
dread. The developments OF the pres
ent century have brought the church
tons. Christianity is neither as ag.
gressive nor as progressive as tho
might be. because OF her failure tc
adopt herself to new environments.
i Two thousand years ago. the great
idea was redemption. To-day the idea
is the regeneration OF society and a
larger brotherhood and Incorporation.
believe the character of the social
| revolution that must come in the near
future will depend upon the attitude
of the church and the manner in which
| she responds to the great task before
her. Only by adapting herself to the
peculiar conditions that confront her
can she perform the God-given task
of saving the world.
She must touch and come into touch
with humanity at every point. To ig-
more the conditions is to invite calam-
ity. Whether the agitation which sig
mails the coming social changes be. fool
ish or wise every man should strive to
prepare the way of the Lord by
searching out those who labor and are
heavy laden, and showing them how
Christ and His spirit Is adapted to
solve all their perplexities and relieve
their burdens and cure their woes and
sorrows. That you may help to cure
the worlds unrest you need to study
It, and whence its springs.
What we heed most to do IL is more
OF the spirit OF self-sacrffce. What we
need is spirit of self-giving that shall
become contagious. The disciples could
not see the necessity of the cross, and
many who profess to follow Christ do
not realize the necessity of giving sc
or denying themselves.
1t is not self-denial and suffering
that keep men from the church to-day.
II they saw more OF II than they do.
IL would command their respect and
often their service. Selfshness is al
ways social disintregation. and seen in
the Christian or the church 1t pro-
duces contempt.
The Christian Endeavor movement
may become force to lift both the
church and the world IL IL will but ex-
alt and emphasize the spirit of sacri-
fee.
4 And first in regard to amusements
by making them not an end. but a
means TO an end.
Probably many OF you would think
my creed too liberal and others too
rigid. We might differ as to the posi-
ton the church should take in regard
to amusements. but / believe there are
positions upon which all ought to
agree. First, III you are in doubt in re-
gard to any of them you should give
you conscience the benefit of the
doubt Second, you should have as
much respect for another conscience
as for you own. II may be no harm to
you. but any offense to others who are
looking to you. Paufs platform is
the highest that any Christian can
stand upon: IF meat make my
brother to offend I will eat no meat |
while the world stands.
III We have the proper respect for our |
own and other peoples consciences IL |
viii settle the question OF amusements
Tor most OF us. III you have no respect |
for either you cannot represent a
Christianity that is either aggressive |
or progressive. You do not count in /
the Christian ranks at all.
Our social system is not the most /
hopeful, and your society has to do |
with IL very emphatically.
Our system OF business is competi-
ton run mad. Capital and labor have
no sympathy with each other, and dur
ing these months of depression and
ioleness are sleeping upon their arms
on every hand is unused capital and
idleness, and beneath them
anarchy and revolution shoulder
ready to burst into flame, and the
church is wondering what is wrong.
and many Christians, while they ac-
knowledge that there are unrest and
discomfort on every hand. think the
present system is the best possible. I
N no fro ,f ell. |
to l, but there Is only one panacea for
the worlds unrest, and that is the
free coinage OF Christian sympathy.
You can help. at least. in this.
We believe that the return of COM
mercial prosperity requires that silver
vas for almost a century; but IL is of
Tar greater Importance that we should
realize the untold value of the human
soul. When we value the soul as we
ought. the social question will be
solved.
True Christianity would make the
citation between the employer and en-
,loye sacred relationship. Labor
should not be mere commodity any
more than human souls, and vet be-
ieath the dark shadow of a COMPETE
i've system. often as cruel as the in
emo. we are almost afraid to assert
I. When we have reached Christ's ,
treat ideal, and got his intense enthu-
iasm for humanity, then self-sacrifice |
will be easy and the dominance of self I
interest will disappear. and the grand
st social revolution OF the ages shall {
lave been accomplished. ,
The only solution is the Christian So {
ution. You can help IL you will. I
What we need IN social life is more !
morality; what we need in business
nc is more sympathy; what we need
political life is more honesty; what .
We need In religious life is more of all
hree. purity
The result of the business meeting
1as as follows;
The officers for the ensuing year are: 1
]. II. Murphy. Boulder; vice I
Rev. o. c. Clark, Mis- !
oula. Rev. j. NJ. Douglas. Miles City $
nd Jesse Davies. Deer Lodge; secre- S
ary. Rev. w. III. Jordan, Deer Lodge; I
Ruth Matheson, Helena; SUI !
OF junior work. Mrs. {
rcenweld. Butte. of missions Mrs G. | s