The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-08-19
Rapid City Black Hisb South Dakota Friday August 49, l898
Number 33.

to exercise kindness in word and deed
toward saint and sinner alike. I heard
that minister utter fervent PRAYER
for guidance from Him who errs not.
[ joined with the minister and that lit
tie congregation in singing songs, the
words of which, if put into practice,
would turn rays Of brightest sunshine
into many Rapid City homes, words
which held out hope and encourage
ment to the faltering; words which, if
practiced. would fill every church in
this city with thankful congregations
each sabbath day. felt that it was
good for mo to be there.
What next? heard that same min
lister who had asked divine guidance,
that supposed follower of Jesus of Naz-
areth, stand in his pulpit and shame-
fully abuse religious sect which diff
fered from his own; their methods, he
stated, were the methods of the deviE
they themselves were devoid OF good
sense; they ought to be suppressed;
their worship was next to blasphemy
and their entire theory was falsity
in itself. Thus the harangue [I can
call it nothing else] went on. Judge
not that ye be not judged, for as We
judge We shall be judged" That quo
tation came into my mind and applied
it to the minister. Evidently he had
lost sight of it. What was the mat
ter? Did this sect on which this SER
nf nd hio
teach infidelity? No. Do they take and
accept Gods holy word as their guide
to eternal life? Yes. Do they look to
God as the creator Of all and the final,
saviour of all? Yes. Has it helped
men an women to lead purer and better
lives? know that it has. Are there
people leaning on its teachings, .on-
tented and happy in what it offers
when this mortal body shall have filled
its mission? Yes. A man is said to
have once asked Robert G. IngersolB
this question. Said ne. ''Mr. Inger-
soil, what would you do if you were to
see some robust young man knock
from under helpless cripple the verv
crutch on which he leaned for sup.
port?" Ingersoll promptly replied, II
would thrash the young wretch within
an inch of his life" Calmly the ques-
tioner replied, '"That is what you are
doing, Mr.. Ingersoll. You are trying,
to knock from under every christian i'm
this country their only hope their on
ly support and comfort in the dark
hour of adversity.' My point is made
plain. [ left the church, diseusted at.
the glaring inconsistency~of this man
of God.' So did others. Not that I
belonged to the sect upon which this
minister poured his vial of wrath, for
1 did not. Neither am a member of
any church. Furthermore, know
that that minister either mis-stated
facts because of ignorance, or else he
did it maliciously. One is about as
bad as the other in this case. What
was the matter? And ask, what was,
the matter?
I like practical christianity-c
tianity that will help put clothes on
the shivering forms of the suffering,
and food in the mouths of the hungry.
Practical religion will fill our churches
but the kind practiced by the ministe
above referred to,-well, what do you
think OF it? | went to a brother not
long ago -one Of those unfortunates
who, periodically. gives way to the
appetite for strong drink. Said l to
him, Taking the past five years, how
many times have the church members
Of Rapid City urged you to come out
to church, to be a christian, ch hange
your ways and do better?" "Once or
twice." he answered. Once or twice,
Three or four hundred church mem.
bers in Rapid City and once or twice
in five years has this unfortunate been
given d kindly word of encourag ment
and an invitation to do better, Once
or twice! Time to condemn other re-
llgious sects, but no time to reach out
a helping hand to those within our
reach Do you ask what is the mat
ter-why our churches are not filled,
why there is backsliding? Ponder
over the matter. Those empty seats
spoke volumes to me. What's the
matter? If Christ were to come to
Rapid City tomorrow there would be
about as many uneasy professed. chris
tians (and three or four ministers) as
there would be uneasy sinners. ~
Rapid City, S. D.