Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1899-04-13
METHOD1sM VS.. DEvILIsM.
TO tho Churches:


cbeerfulnesS
There are a great many more customs
and pract 3 used now in our churches
than there we're twenty years ago. I
believe II there is any pure thing on
earth it is our blessed bible. further
believe that OF all the institutions,
grand or common, the CHURCH OF the
living God ought to be that institution.
II ought to be full OF hope, full Of faith,
full OF christian fellowship, full OF char
ity, and then it would not lack for pow
er in order to do the great work which
has been committed to its care and trust
by our Blessed Lord,
It seems now that box suppers Is all
the way by which our people can do
charitable work, Do you know that
such things destroy the main idea of
christian giving and christian sacrifice?
Our Saviour says, freely ye have re-
ceived, freely give" Now to give place
to this by having box suppers, side
shows and every thing else In order 50
get mOnay to pay the preachers, or for
any other purposes that may pertain to
running the machinery OF the church 1t
is simply shocking.
/. B.cause 1t places the church on
the background Of everything. In oth-
er words; when people grow up under
such customs they are insensible to the
eight way Of giving.
9, They say. spend money for food,
for clothes. and for the satisfaction OF
evil habits, but the church is only
kind of social thing and il they want
any of my money they must get up
box supper or n church social, or u side
show so can have some fun. Then
will lot them have some money, not
GIVE. For that is the wrong term to
use for money gotten in this way.
Hence, the spirit Of cheerful giving,
duty or religion, is not any such stuff
l believe the church is a worthy some
thing and ought to be one OF our first
objects Of pay, pray and give. 1t is a
crime, it Is a reproach, it is 3 dishonor
and brings about moro dishonor for
Gods House, His people, and His relig-
gion than any other thing on the face
of e6e earth.
Oyou say il VIC stop the box suppers
wa can't run the church. ask does
Christ toll us TO run the church with
box suppers2 Read Colossisns Ist chap,
10 TO "a verse. but some one says we
will never get the young people in the
church il we don have Amussments and
box suppers for them to have their fun
over Such reverence for God, for his
Ssored Temple, and such a construction
on his blessed Word! no wonder there
are 30 many thousands OF inhiels and
sceptics, atheists aud deists, and all
other classes that reject God and his
Holy Word Matthew: 20 chap, 9Sto to
S1st verses. A religion that will not 60
down in the pocket and pay the preach
er Is no religion at all, and mean this
In proportion as the Lord has prospered
you And now say quit your mean
moss, get more religion in your hearts
and souls, do more praying and try to
do more for your poor unfortunate
neigh bOrs and when the time comes to
pay your preacher you will have no
trouble, and the money will not be SC
hard to get or to give. II we As preach
ers would preach more just such doct'
rines, think, verify know, that soon
our churches would blaze up with chris
tian zeal and spirit, every home would
become a house Of prayer and souls
would fall under the sound Of the gos
pei, as if touched by magic power. The
old time plans of Methodism are best
now, always have been the best, and al
ways will be the best, and If we as 1
church ever succeed in getting devilisu
out Of the way, we must do 1t with I
zeal for God, love for the church, anC
and mistaken confidence and trust il
Cod. Again, those Jews, sellers o
oxen, and sheep and changers of money
whom our Savior drove out Of the tenn
pie, we're they not engaged in just a
legitimate business in the House 0
God az those who sell boxes at box sup
pers, vote on the prettiest women, ours
and want to hght as they sometimes do
You know that It Is wrong, that it
= sin, yea, high crime in the eye 0
Him that was the great example of tn
church. The Lord Jesus Christ said uI
to them that sold doves in the temple
Take these things hence. Make nc
my fathers house a house Of merchaI
disc" John: Cd chap. 10Th and let
verses, repeat again that it is big
crime against God, His law, and al
church. five want to find the mean
by which we are rewarded for preachin
the gospel let Us turn TO Let COrinthiaT
9th chap. 18th and 14th verses, and theI
we ind these words: "DO ye not kno
shat they which mipister about hol
things, live Of the things Of th
temple, and they which wait at the q
Tar, are partakers OF the altar" Eve
60 hath the Lord ordained that the
which preach the gospel should live
the gospel. Indeed there Is quite q CO.
trast 10 this way which ia provided 4
those who preach ths gospel and IN q