The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-24
The DEVIL IN The CHURCHES
[CoNrINUED FROM FIRST pAeE.l


when we are sill the time educating
them In this direction, giving them,
ourselves, . taste and relish for such
thiDgs? Who wonders that, after we
have blunted their spiritual sensibtlities
and familiarized their minds to such .
life by contact with the more refined
forms of worldliness in the Church, to
find them afterwards perfectly content
and at home with the coarser form OF
worldliness outside the Church. There
is . young man in the penitentiary Of
Ohio to-day, placed there for some crime
committed rs D gambler, who says he Is
there from the influence and effect on
his character Of Church entertainments.
He says that he was 90 lucky In all the
grabbing and rafting pertorma Of
young man, he discovered relish and
thirst awakened in him for things OF
that character; and 1t occurred to him
that, 80 he had been so fortunate in
Church sffles. he would be equally spc-
cessful in cards, lotteries, etc. And so
he embarked in the life Of gambler;
then came crime as gambler; and
then the penitentiary. o Church Of the
living, holy God, how glorious has your
work become!. The drift. or educstive
tendency, Of the Church entertainment,
I emphatically repeat, is toward evil
and greater evils all the time"
III. They undermine spiritual life.
Who ever knew revival spirit begun
or carried forward by Church entertain
ments? Who WAS ever converted or
wholly sanctified through their agency2
Do the suppers, etc increase the study
of the Scriptures. the spirit OF prayer
In the congregations, and the attend
ance upon the ordinances of the Cos
pei? Is there more charity, zeal, holt.
ness, brotherly love In the congregation
after the Church than be-
fore? Remember, II these things do
not build up the spiritual life. they
necessarily destroy 1t. Jesus said: HE
that Is not with me is against me" and
again, by their fruits ye shall know
them" (Matt. vii. 30; xii 5o.)
The entertainments have their in
fluence, and II 1t is NOT for Christ, then
1t is against Him. II they do not Inc
crease spiritual force, they inevitably
decrease 1t. II they fail to draw souls
nearer to Jesus. they drive them farther
from Him. But who claims them to be
spiritual agencies, revival factors? Who
ever knew the Church entertainment to
kindnl revival fires and arouse the
backslidden in Zion to holy energy on
the spirituAlities of the Church? But
have there not frequently been aroused
contentious. chickering's, evil surmisings,
strifes. Church factions, quArrelings,
jealousies and other manifestations Of
the osrnal mind? Do not these sup
pers, sociables, etc., disturb the spirit
OF pure and holy love? Have they not
frequently disturbed the prayer meet
ing, damaged the class meeting, hurt
the Sundsy.school; checked the revival,
hindered spiritual development. and
ologged the wheels of Zlonp We un-
hesitasinRly say, that TO greater or
less extent, these results we believe
bsve followed these questionable means
Of raising Church moneys.
1--WE have nothing to expect from any
kind OF affinity or amalgamation with
world but the loss OF Gods fsvors and
our own final overthrow and ruin. May
heaven keep US far and forever from IL?
But certainly when we see the Church
and the world socially and morally one.
when they can work side by side in o
common religious-or rather, irreligious
-enterprise. 1t means that history is re-.
peating itselt-that the people Of God
and the world have amalgsmated; are
1T peace, and that at any day we may
look for the sweeping judgments OF the
Head of the Church.
Nv. 4uey IObt6r prluo huO snow.
The heart Of sinful man is naturally
proud and enclined to things that are
gaudy, things that make fine display.
On the other hand, the Bible inculcates
simplicity and humility. Pride Is un.
doubleday the enemy of God and true
spirituality. "Pride goeth before de-
struction, and naughty spirit before o
fall" Any thing that begets or Guilt
Yates the spirit of display and pride in
the Church 10 harmful. The Church
suppers and other entertainments no
DOUBT do this. They are usually given
to enrich the trappings and other ornas
mentations of the Church. Leave these
things to the world, but let the Church
Of God cultivate holiness. humility.
simplicity, as tecomes the followers Of
the lowly Jesus.
v. They frequently engender strife
and bitter feelings.
This is so often the case where these
evils are in vogue that neither Argu-
ment nor illustration seem necessary.
Rivalry and contentious are almost GER
tain results of long continued Church
Church and the peace Uf The entire
community are often sacrificed by the
foolish and carnal strife originating in
these unscriptural shows, run in the
nsme OF the Church. From the rival
ries begun here we so often have
chickering's, heart.sches and uncon-
trollable prejudices that undermine
spirituality and leave the Church the
laughing stock of goddess world; for
when Church lacks holy fire and sin.
consuming zeal she Is as salt that has
lost its flavor.
1.-THE Church Is commissioned 30 In
culcate love, peace and kindly feelings
In the hearts OF men. See what she
entertainment does In this regard!
have already touched on, aome Of the