The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1898-06-17

| Centrl petal force OF the CnuTCn u1ghtler
than the centrifugal. We must make
our churches magnets to draw the peo-
pie thereunto so that man will feel
uneasy if he does not go to church, say
ing: II wish I had gone this morning.
/ wonder if l can't dress yet and get
there in time. 1t is II o'clock; now they
are singing. 1t is half past IL; now
they are preaching. I wonder when the
folks will be home to tell us what was
said, what has been going ON. p" When
the impression is confirmed that our
churches, by architecture, by music, by
sociality and by sermon, shall be made
the most attractive places on earth, then
we will want twice as many churches
as we have now, twice as large, and
then they will not half accommodate
the people.
Forceful Religion.
say to the young men who are en-
tering the ministry we must put ON
more force, more energy and into our
religious services more vivacity if we
want the people to come. You look into
church court of any denomination of
Christians. First you will find the men
of large common sense and earnest look
The education of their minds the piety
of their hearts, the holiness of their
lives qualify them for their work. Then
you will find in every church court of
every denomination group of men
who utterly amaze you with the fact
that such semi imbecility can get any
pulpits to preach in. Those are the men
who give forlorn statistics about church
decadence Frogs never croak in run
ming water, always in stagnant. But 1
say to all Christian workers, to all Sun
day school teachers, to all evangelists,
to all ministers of the gospel, if we
want our Sunday schools, and our
prayer meetings, and our churches to
gather the people we must freshen up.
The simple fact is the people are tired
of the humdrum Of religionists. Reli-
gious humdrum is the worst of all hum
drum. You say over and over again,
Come to Jesus" until the phrase
means absolutely nothing. Why do you
not tell them story which will make
them come to Jesus in five minutes?
You say that all Sunday school teachers
and all evangelists and all ministers
must bring their illustrations from the
Bible. Christ did not when he preach
ed. The most of the Bible was written
before Christ's time, but where did he
get his illustrations? He drew them
from the lilies, from the ravens, from
salt, from candle, from q bushel, from
long faced hypocrites, from gnats, from
moths, from large gates an6small gates,
from q camel, from the needles eye,
from yeast in the dough Of bread, from
a mustard seed, from fishing net, from
debtors and creditors That is the rea-
son multitudes followed Christ. His IL
fustrations were so easy and SO under
standable. Therefore, my brother Chris.
tian worker, if you and find two illus
trations for religious subject and the
6ne Is Bible illustration and the other
Is outside the Bible, I will take the lar
ter because want to be like my mas
ter. Looking across to hill, Christ
say the city Of Jerusalem,
Talking to the people about the con-
spicuity of Christian example, he said;
1.-THE world is looking at you. Be care,
full A city that is set ON hill cannot
be hid" While he was speaking of the
divine care of Gods children a bird few
past. He Said, "Behold the ravens"
Then looking down into the valley, all
covered at that season with flowers he
said, Consider the lilies, Oh, my
brother Christian workers, what Is the
use of. 1our going away off In some OBJ
squire part of history or ON the other
side of the earth to get an illustration
when the earth and the heavens are full
Of illustrations Why should we go
away off to get an illustration of the
vicarious Suffering of Jesus Christ
when as near us as Bloomfield, n. j.,
two little children were walking ON the
rail track, and train was coming, but
they were on bridge of trestlework,
and the little girl took her brother and
let him down through the trestlework
as gently as she could toward the wa
ter, very carefully and lovingly and
cautiously, so that he might not be hurt
in the fall and might be picked up by
those who were standing near by? While
doing that the train struck her, and
hardly enough of her body was left to
gather into funeral casket. What was
that? Vicarious suffering. Like Christ.
Pang for others. Woe for Others Suf.
fering for others. Death for others.
Help In Prayer.
What is the use of our going away of
to find an illustration in past age when
during the great forest fires in Michigan
a mail carrier ON horseback, riding on,
pursued by those flames which had
swept over 100 miles, saw an old man
by the roadside, dismounted, helped the
old man on the horse, saying, Nov
whip up and get away" The old man
got away, but the mail carrier persisted
inst like Christ dismounting from the
glories of heaven to put us on the way
Of deIiverance, then falling back into
the flames of sacrifice for others. Pang
for others. Woe for others. Death for
others. Vicarious suffering.
Again, remark that sanctuary help
ought to come through the prayers Of
all the people. The door of the eternal
storehouse is hung on one hinge, gold