The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-12-06

ouH Souotitutiohs anu hlOuB the lines Oh 1ts
proposed activity, we shall increase our
own spiritual life and render the whole
church stronger organ for good Our
programme of free discussion, visitation,
and fraternity win bring us close together
and without becoming private detectives
or stirrers-up of things in general, we may
be assured that all truly Christian activity,
dictated by real desire to be useful, will.
have a moral effect. We know son ethiug
ofthe town, of the temptations OF our
young men ana boys, and that there are
no better means at our command of help
ing them than by creating counter attrac-
tons. II is not enough to dig and rake a
garden; if you do not plant, the soil will
grow weeds in proportion to its yigor. We
have no weapon save persuasion to cut
another loose from the worst evil, and no
greater duty than to set good example.
We must make the church itself clean, end
then homelike place, otherwise, however
true its principles may be, and however
DESTROYS we may be of doing some good,
we shall fail. In the first case, the retort,
physician, heal thyself'' is quite too han
dy and pertinent to escape use, and when
flung at US in that way it is about as easy
to meet as a solid shot from a big gun.
In the second case, we shall fail from lack
of the spirit of fellowship.
Our system, being democratic, can adapt
itself to almost any conditions, provided
the members of the local church are Meth
er fossilized nor Indifferent to opportunity
or duty. If a church is Indifferent it will
not want to do anything. and then, wheth.
er there are any post-mortem ceremonies
over it or not, it is pretty much dead: if it
is fossiized it will not know how to adapt
itself to peculiar conditions. But to a
church, on the whole friendly to all ad-
van ,ed thought, which is expectant and
open to new light from every quarter,
new methods must be equally welcome.
By such church, enthusiastic and alive,
what should be accomplished? What can
be done? Rather, where would one ven
ture to prophesy limits to its activity or
its lnhuenceH We are only limited in our
will. If we are only willing to let this
side of our duty, which touches both God
and mao, have quite secondary place in
our thought and effort, our rewards will
be just as limited as they deserve to be.
But then the case will be like that Of the
Israelites, when the prophet told them
they were not straitened in God but in
themselves. We know what Gods will is
in some things, at least and we believe in
divine help for those who try to do their
duty.
In conclusion allow me to lay special
stress on a few practical and inspiring
ideas:
l. Would it not be we'll to cultivate a
wholesome and reasonable faith in our
church and its ability to be something and
do something Besides, the gain will be
ours Most people have found, who have
tried it, that they can work out their own
salvation better while trying to help
somebody else to work out his. The un-
believers and critics, as a rule are not
good workers, and they are always unhap-
Ply people. The mind, having no useful
work to do, preys onitself. The difficulty
is that You can hardly talk to old church
members about the need of conversion,
and yet, you know, at bottom, this is the
prime need in these cases.,
?. We need in Christian life and work.
that faith in ourselves which we carry into
business, and which has made the enter
prise and energy of the American man the
wonder of the world. We admire VIM
snap. 1t is as good in business as in foot
ball, and as necessary to success in Christ
ian life and work. 1t is a winning ele-
ment.
8. Then we want faith in en-. This
is a matter about which can speak from
l would not part with it for
a kings ransom; for it has STAYED off
many fit of the blues" and saved me
from a constitutional tendency to pessim-
ism. l have seen naturally good men. |
who did not profess to be Christians, grow
into the Christian faith, and | have seen
bad men converted. | trust you will par
don the personal illusions here, but much |
Of our strongest faith grows out of exper- |
fence, and do not know how better to |
put the matter. | am always expecting |
men to confess discipleship, and coming |
and inevitable ,uder normal conditions. |
as breathing. People have said to me.
Are you not surprised that" this person |
or that, has confessed faith in Christ and |
Joined the church ?" And of late years
ut least, l cannot say that have felt any,
but | have had something of the feeling
from the length of time it has taken some
good men TO make up their minds. l
rhrs- IL,
would have had few disciples to bear
testimony of it for our benefit, if John
and Andrew and Peter and the rest of |
hem, had been so slow.
4. Then last and above all, we Want
aith in God, as wise and good,-an Al
mighty Father, to whom love as we'll as
obedience and rev renee is due; in a great
ind good Spirit, and in Jesus Christ the
aedeemer and guide of men.
Let but our faith be real here, and our
Ictivity correspond with it, and our church
must be what we want to see it,-progres-
i've, alivel And why cannot we have
helpful and inspiring prayer meetings, a
sunday school which our children love,
hurch services full of the charm of fra
ernity and home, young peoples So
iety which fulills the dream of its found
r? Should We be any the less happy and
seful than we areS Is not all this con-
umation to be most devoutly wishedS
hen let us reverence God and obey Him
nth cheerful heart and teach our chill
rem to love all good things, by our ex-
mple; let us follow Christ, love one an
ther, and live in charity with all men.
Pearls Found in VERMONT.