The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-06-19
MY IDEA UF A CHURCH,
BY MARY A. STRAUB.

The purpose of church is to cul-
tivate the moral and spiritual nature
of man, to facilitate soul-growth, to
purify the channels of life, so that
healthy soul l-growth may be secured.
The church, therefore, is an institu-
tion that should interest every mem
Der of the community. To make
this institution Of helpfulness to man
as efficient as possible, it should first
of all be well organized and wisely
officered. To do this it is necessary
to study and understand human ma
ture in all its phases, SO that the
needs of the soul, which on the one
side of life must come through the
physical, can be best served. To
make and keep the church healthy
and strong, it is necessary to study
ways and means by which that OBJ
ject may be secured. But primarily
and secondarily and eternally, there
should, there must be, thorough de-
votion and hearty cousecration to the
fundamental principles of the Chris
tian life; supreme love to God and
man. Upon this principle hang all
the law and the prophets. This love,
born of a sincere desire to serve man
kind according to the best knowl-
edge and ability, cannot fail of good
results. There must be in the hearts
of pastor and people an earnest de-
sire and willingness to do whatever
is necessary to bring about best re-
suits. Every member should be
helper, and every helper a member
of the church, 80 that all the church
work can be carried on earnestly,
harmoniously and easily.
To make and keep a church
healthy and strong, it is necessary
to nourish it properly, to supply
healthy food for the whole nature of
man ,for if the spirit is properly fed,
the physical will not want in essen
tials. To make the church an insti-
tuition of God for the benefit of man,
that he may be enabled to work out
his salvation, which can only be done
by helping others along the way of a
true and noble life, it must minister
to his greatest needs. 1t is impossi-
BILE to bring much benefit to man, or
society, or the State, without ade-
quate organic force, which implies
preparation and discipline. 1t is just
as necessary to employ proper means
for bringing about desired spiritual
results as for physical purposes. The
soul of man is governed by laws as
we'll as the body. And it is equally
wise to regard them if the function
of its powers are to be fully realized
and developed.
1t should, therefore, be an object of
pastor and members to study each
other and humanity so that they may
be able to enlist all the individual
elements under their influence, and
by proper grouping, make it available
for effective church work which is to
develop all the good that is in them.
This can only be done by making
people, old, middle-aged, and young,
helpful to each other. 1t should al
ways be remembered that, as water
and vinegar alone will not mix or
assimilate, so certain human natures
and temperaments will not harmonic
and therefore, cannot work agreeably
or successfully together. Too great
care cannot be taken by pastor
and members OF the church in this
regard. Success or failure in church
work is largely to be attributed to
the offering and grouping of its
forces. The right man or woman in