The herald., 1898-11-28
IN CITY PULPIIS
AT st. Johns Episcopal church the Rev.
B. w. r. Tayler yesterday took his text
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Indifference IL: "But if he neglect
to the Church to hear the chureh
let him be unto thee
ne heather man and publican the sub
;ect of the sermon being "The indifference
of the men of today to the church"
ct is an unquestionable fact, when lew e.,
can controvert, that the church has very III
lie hold on the men of today; that IN ever!
church or congregation the men are mere
handful compared with the women and tfat
when we analyze it we find that the brunt OF
the work is borne by the women, and the
most of the money contributed to the WORK
and support of tine various religious ooaies
is contributed by women. l am not saying
this TO force contrast but merely to state
a very palpable truth. 1t is with the hope
of throwing some light upon this very per
tinent topic that l wish to consider why
the church has so little hold upon the hearts,
affections and interests of men.
eThe fact is well established that the atti-
tude of the men of today is one OF indiffer-
ence mostly. There is some actual hostif
ity, but this is much more than counterpai-
anced by the interest of others. Most OF
the men have been baptised and have been
at some time under definite religious instruc-
ton. Why these lapses? Why this indht-
ference!
az believe that one great reason is be-
cause of an element of vagueness about the
church. Men are usually trained in exact
sciences. Defniteness is habit of the
mind to which they are accustomed. The
LAWYER is lucid in his brief, the physician
clear in his diagnosis, the schoolmaster alb
solutely accurate in his facts and figures,
the business man with his perfect grasp on
business affairs, cannot understand the
church if they perceive in her position and
teaching anything OF what appears to them
to be vagueness and uncertainty. 1t is not
a new thing. The educated classes of the
Jews did the same thing. They turned
away from Christ. They could not under
stand him. Even his own disciples did not
always understand his mystical utterhnces
"The church of God must from the very
nature of the case deal in mysteries, rites,
symbols, sacraments, which cannot be re-
duced by us to the plane of a lawyers brief
or a physicians diagnosis or a schoolmas-
ter's multiplication table or bookkeeper's
cash account Theology is not scientific
formula. 1t transcends all human sciences,
for it is the queen of sciences. The men of
the day are educated away from the recog-
milton of another condition of affairs, in
which things are hidden from them, the
wise and prudent, and are revealed unto
babes 1t is not the intellect which com
prehends God; it is the heart and, to I'm
derstand that divine agency which he has
given us to do his work and work his will
necessitates not the clear, cold intellect as
it does the warm, throbbing heart. Until
men recognize that the church is not a
teacher of exact science but the kingdom Of
God, an organization not for the purpose
OF developing intellect but for developing
heart and soul, it cannot be expected but
that their attitude toward the church
will be one of careless unconcern and indif-
ference.
"But how is this to be done? On every
side they find rival claimants to the title
church of God. They hear discordant
voices. To call the current teachings Of
many of our Christian denominations dis
tracing is to use feeble expression. The
division of Christendom into churches, all
independent one of another, and their sub
divisions into sects, has been the most
fruitful cause of that uncertainty of teacl
ing and lack of definite pronouncemel
which has alienated from the church many
OF the most brilliant minds of the century.
The splitting up OF the holy catholic church
OF Christ into those various and insignificant
and uncertain parts has disgusted men OF
mind, culture, intelligence and heart, and
has alienated them from the church which
Christ purchased with his own precious
blood The only remedy for this condition
Of affairs is that the church be again united
as she was before in the unity of the faith
and the bond of peace
"Another cause contributing to this atti-
tude of indifference may be roughly spoken
of as the low ideal which the church pre-
sents to the observing man of the world
The church's ideals are fawess and abso-
lutely perfect, but she suffers because these
ideals are often laid aside and lower ones
substituted. The whole tendency is down.
ward and not upward among many Chris
tian bodies. Insted of the church being held
up as the visible kingdom of God, she is
placed upon the low level of human organ
ization. Instead of her sacraments being
considered channels of grace divine. they
are spoken Of as outward forms without
any spiritual efficacy Instead of her min
listers and priests being accorded their due
honor and distinction 'as stewards of the
mysteries of God" they are looked upon as
paid hirelings to preach acceptably and run
the parish machine. Instead of the places
set apart for prayer and praise being con-
sidered sacred to the worship Of Almighty
God, they are often turned into lecture halls
concert rooms. The pulpit is often place
where butfoonery jostles up against the
gospel message. Instead of the obligation
of giving proportionately Of ones income
being considered privilege, too many seek
to escape that duty and the church has TO
60 around as a beggar holding a hat for a
few coppers to pay her obligations. As we
look over the Christian world today. can we
not see that all along the line there has been
a distinct lowering of the churchs ideals
Ii therefore we are ever to expect men TO
hear the church, she must present herself
to them in divine perfection and divine
ideal, and she will compel attention, re.
gard and affection
Religion for Women" was the subject OF
the sermon preached at the Church of the
Unity yesterday by
Hellglon Tor the Rev G. j. X
Women Jones. based upon a
text from Matt. 1928:
30, woman, great is thy faith"
1T should be apparent to every thinking
man, whether he is religious or not, that the