The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-09
TWENTIETH CENTURYLEAGUE
CONTINUED from Ninth Page.)

ais stHu tne HE or the world.
we shall thrive in the atmosphere OF
the class meeting and prayer meeting
we shall thereby be drawn closer tc
God.
9Th. The neglect to take church pa
per.
Brethren, keep posted; read the news
You will be interested. You may in
thuse and work the harder.
During period of convalescence in
cldental to recovery from a dangerous
illness in '97, my first reading was from
the Christian Advocate. Its editorials
and contributed articles stimulated and
comforted me. May God bless the edi-
tor of THE Christian Advocate
After my recovery I spent -four
months in travel--located in no one
place very long.
At my request the Advocate was for
Warded to me. for l was even more anx-
ious to read it than my daily paper.
1t Is the imperative duty Of every
Methodist in this locality to economize
II necessary and take THE Christian
Advocate and I may say THE Metho-
dist Review If possible.
18th. The frequent substitution of es-
Before I attempt to criticise the pull
pit permit me to state that I consider
the pulpit ever so much better than the
pew. My brother, don't find fault with
your pastor; usually he lives nearer
God than most of his congregation.
From the days Of my boyhood until
thirty saw much OF the clergymen of
my fathers, my grandfathers and my
great-grandfather's church-the Pro-
testant Episcopal.
Since thirty I've known many, very
many Presbyterian, Congregationalists,
Baptist and Methodist preachers.
For the most part can thank God for
my acquaintance with them.
1T has strengthened my confidence in
Gods representatives in the pulpit and
encourages me to expect in the TWEEN
tieth century revival of religion, if
the pew will cooperate with the pulpit.
Oh. the mistake Of Sabbath lectures
Of cheap Sunday fireworks. Oh, the sin
of 1t and of the attempt to edify along
the lines which belong to theorists a n
connected specialists.
Oh, the blunder Of sermon which is
not a direct aim at a sinners or saints
heart Oh, the responsibility and ac-
countability of the Christian minister
who ignores duty who minifes the
greatness of his call. Oh, even the mis-
take Of persistent presentation of doc
trines which the best Of men of all ages
have differed about and will ever differ.
You may remember this passage from
the prince of India"
"Aboo- Obeidah tarried at the Thera-
~; fo1I. III
was an old one then, but he contrived to
make it new; even as at this day
though four hundred and fifty years
older than when he told it to the prin-
cess, women of white souls like hers
still listen to it with downcast eyes and
flushing cheeks-the only story which
time has kept and will forever keep
fresh and persuasive as in the begin
ming"
Brothers, really is it the only story?
Is there not a story older than the one
Aboo- Obeidah at the Therapian palace
told the beautiful Princess Irene? Is it
not purer and sweeter?
My friends in the ministry, present to
us, won't you, the old gospel story
which God has kept and will keep fresh
and persuasive, as in the beginning, the
story Of the Babe at Bethlehem. the boy
Jesus In the temple, the man Christ in
the city with the leper. OF the Saviour
of men at Calvary. Of our risen Lord
near Bethany.
We are not interested in astronomical
or geological, unproven theories or cleo
trical Illustrations; some of them wilder
than Tesla's Dreams.
We are familiar with the illustrations
from the Book of Anecdotes and have
read the history Of Rome.
Why not illustrate from nature-climb
to the mountain-top-go down into the
valley-look up at the stars-go through
the fields-look at the wild flowers
listen to the song -blrds-look at the
squirrel-watch him-study him. Give
Us pictures from these wondrous crea-
tons Of Almighty God.
Talk to us from the Bible, of the BIZ
Bile. Omit nothing. Tell us Of all its
heroes. We need to hear about them.
We have admired Gordon, old John
host Of others-men of colossal brain
and heart.
But we love and have loved ISAIAH, |
Daniel, David and many other Bible |
giants.
Do not decapitate Paul, but give us
his experience.
Do not forget Peters slump, but en-
phasize his triumph. In short, let us
have the Bible, the whole BibleAa gos-
pel-the gospel.
Read to us often from the wondrous
psalms of repentant, reformed, re-
deemed, purified man, who in the de-
rium of passion ignored allegiance to
The God he loved, violated his COM
nandments and created sorrow in heav-
IN and joy in hell. Give us the old
gospel. 1t has lost none of it's charm
Ind will, as ever, touch the heart,
Sth. The failure to make the church
attractive. Well, you inquire, what
suggestions have you to make?'
1st Have your church open from
light in the morning until ten in the
,vening.
End. Have kitchen connected with
1t least one or two of the central
churches and meals offered at cost eth
# cooked to order or regularly for table
,Oarders.
Sd. Provide attractive reading rooms
n all our centrally located churches.
supply them with our own church pa
,ers and the local and New York Papers
md all leading magazines, also checker
md chess boards.
The time may come when rum is d.
,orced from pool and billiard exercise
nd does not lubricate it; thenI would
uggest that pool and billiards be placed
/