The record-union., 1896-07-12
boys or girls, and few questions will
convince the most skeptical."

convince the most skeptical."
The abSentees must receive some new
Impressions about the church if they are
to he won to its services says the New
York Observer Pres.). IF they saw
the church absorbed in this one idea of
increasing attendance at the house of
God, they might we'll feel some of the
pressure. If they saw the look in the
churoh's face of tender, gentle pleading,
they might feel now and then an i'm
pulse to crafty the holy loving desire.
People would steal ir at first Sha me-
facedly as if they did not belong
there, but out of this driftwood of past
churchlessness some would remain
beaohed upon the golden shore of true
churchly union. Thus the army of alb
sentees would grow smaller by degrees
and the church would be gladdened and
encouraged. We should not need to
preach sensational sermons to these peo-
pie or sermons for special occasions. All
we should have to do would be to point
them to the lamb of God slain for the
sims of the whole world. These new
hearers would need only "a simple, Old
would be good enough. The story OF
the cross would not seem tame or dull
to the souls which had so long been in
the spiritual prison. The world does
lot need amy new theology. 1t simply
needs to see that Christian people are
sincere and earnest and that they have
their whole heart and soul wrapped uI
in seeking their own salvation and than
of those around them"
cit lis little curious" says the Chris
tian Register CUnit) of Boston, 'that
the bicycle is believed to be dangerous
in two directions. The ministers COM
plain because it lessons the church at
tendance, and the theater managers are
complaining because it lessons theate1
going. There are many ministers OF
the old school who would be glad of this
inroad upon the theater if the church
did not suffer in the same way; and the
theater managers are indifferent to the
sufferings of the church, because they
do not keep open themselves on Sun
days. But it seems very curious that a
useful invention increasing the powers
OF human locOmotion should have had
such am effect. 1T is impossible to pre-
diet the moral results of a purely phys
ical invention, but they very soon de-
velop. The bicycle, like the Sunday
newspaper, has come to stay; and both
church and theater, as we'll as the raiserS
Of horses, the livery stable keepers, and
The road makers, will have to take this
into account. AS for the church, all
that it can do to counteract the effect
OF this or any other obstacle TO its in
fluence is to address itself more seri-
ously than ever to its own special work
and to its own opportunity. Modifica-
tions may be necessary in its methods
IL it has had stables for horses, it may
need sheds for bicycles. But, whatever
concessions it makes, it must adhere
steadfastly to its own purpose; and in
time the bicycle may be found a help
instead of a detrisnent. The foundation
o. the church lies in the religious SEN
timent and to this sentiment it's appeals
must persistently be made
The holiday feature of the Fourth
is all right in its place. says the New
York Evangelist" tPres.). 1--WE have
need of holidays. Yet the call now is
not for more of them. but for better
use of those we have. The weekly half
holiday of summer means not so much
as it ought recreation, but dissipation
The poor woman who complained that
holidays meant 'beatings,' and prayed
that there might be no more went TIC
the root of the matter and revealed the
dangers that lurk behind relief from
the restraint of labor. To interrupt our
daily work for no definite or noble pur-
pose is not good. The Sabbath as a
mere holiday is a dismal failure. For
the same reason a national festival as a
holiday only does not claim or deserve
to be perpetuated. We think 1t is with
in the scope and power of any commu-
nifty to rescue our Fourth of July from
the shame of misuse and desecration.
The dignity of the day can be made
manifest by discovery; it can be restored
by the simplest means of recovery"