Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-01-24


moval of all sympathy between the
church up here on this street and the
tenement district is sadder than death.
Oh, my beloved"-Philip stretched out
his arms and uttered q cry that rang In
the ears of those who heard 1t and re-
NAMED with some Of them memory
for years-'these things ought not sc
to be! Where Is the Christ spirit with
us? Have we not sat In our comforta-
BILE houses and eaten our pleasant food
and dressed In the finest clothing and
gone to amusements and entertain
ments without number while Gods
poor have shlvered on the streets and
his sinful ones have sneered at Chris.
tianity as they have walked by our
church doors?
1T Is true we have given money to
charitable causes. 1t Is true the town
council has organized bureau for the
care and maintenance Of those In want,
1t Is. true members Of Calvary church,
with other churches at this time, have
done something to relieve the immedi-
ate distress of the town, but how much
have we given of ourselves to those In
need? Do we reflect that to reach souls
and win them, to bring back humanity
to God and the Christ. the Christian
must do something different from the
giving Of money now and then? he
must give part Of himself. That was
my reason for urging you to move this
church building away from this street
into the tenement district, that we
might give ourselves to the people
there. The idea Is the same In what
now propose. But you will pardon me
If first of all announce my own ac-
ton. which. | believe, Is demanded by
the times and would be approved by
our Lord"
Philip stepped up nearer the front Of
the platform and spoke with an added
earnestness and power which thrilled
every hearer. A part Of the great con.
fiict through which he had gone that
past month shone out In his pale face
and found partial utterance in his i'm
passIoned speech, especially as he
drew near the end. The very abrupt
ness Of his proposition smote the peo-
pie into breathless attention.
"The parsonage In which I am liy-
ing is large, even luxurious, dwell.
ing. 1t has nine large rooms. You are
familiar with Its furnishings. The SAL
ary this church pays me Is $1,000 q
year, q sum which more than provides
for my necessary wants. What l have
decided to do Is this: wish this church
to reduce this salary one-half and take
the other thousand dollars to the fitting
up the parsonage for q refuge for
homeless children or for some such
purpose which will commend itself to
your best Judgment. There Is money
enough In this church alone to main
tain such an institution handsomely
and not n single member Of Calvary
suffer any hardship whatever. l Will
move into q house nearer the lower
part Of the town, where l can more
easily reach after the people and live
more among them. That Is what !
propose for myself. 1t Is not because
I believe the rich and the educated do
not need the gospel or the church. The
rich and the poor both need the life
more abundantly. But I am firmly
convinced that as matters now are
the church membership through pulpit
and pew must give itself more than
In the later ages of the world 1t has
done for the sake Of winning men. The
form of self denial must take a def
mite, physical, genuinely sacrificing
shape. The church must get back to
the apostolic times In some particu-
lars and an adaptation Of community OF
goods and a sharing Of certain aspects
Of civilization must mark the church
membership of the coming twentieth
century. An object lesson In self de-
NAL large enough for men to see' q
self denial that actually gives up lux
uries, money and even pleasures-this
is the only kind that will make much
Impression on the people. l believe If
Christ was on earth he would again
call for this expression Of loyalty to
him. He would again say, so like
wise whosoever he be Of you that for
saketh not all that he hath. he cannot
be my disciple
Gall this Is what call on the men,
bers of this church to do. Do say
that you ought to abandon your own
houses and live somewhere else? No.
I can decide only for myself In a mat
ter of that kind. But this much do
say: Give ourselves in some genuine
way to save this town from Its evil
wretchedness. 1t Is not so much your
money as your own soul that the sick
ness Of the world needs. This plan has
occurred to me: Why could not every
family in this church become savior
to some other family, interest Itself In
the other, know the extent Of Its wants
as far as possible, 60 to 1t In person, let
the Christian home come into actual
touch with the UNI -Christian-in short,
become a natural savior to one family
There are dozens Of families In this
church that could do that. 1t would
take money. 1t would take time. 1t
would mean real self denial 1t would
call for all your Christian grace and
courage, but what does all this
church membership and church life
mean If not just such sacrifice? we
cannot give anything to this age of
more value than our own selves
The world Of sin and want and de-
spair and disbelief Is not hungering
for money or mission schools or char
ity balls or state institutions for the
relief Of distress. but for live. pulsing'
loving Christian men and women VINO
reach out live, warm hands. who are
willing to 20 and give themselves, VINO