Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1900-02-16
A Church Combine.

0ss 4" iciiSiOn, cauuOJ 1all TO have
noticed the apparent failure OF the
so-called revival services, which
have been held at different times
In all of the denominations church
es, and this failure was not the re.
suit of church members or non
church members absenting them>
selves from such services, for pro-
Tossing christians aud the non pro-
Tossing public, were well repre-
sented on all occasions, while these
services were in continuance.
Neither did it consist in a ack of
christians who were willing to work
on these occasions. Neither did
1t consist in the ministers not
preaching plain doctrine, and az rain
the failure did not consist i'm none
being added to the church. TAX
ing all these things into consider
alton most people would naturally
suppose that the churches would
build up and become purer and
better prepared for christian work,
but it is admitted by christians
generally, that apparently there is
not as much vital Godliness, in
proportion to the growth of the
town, as there was ten years ago.
Where is the FAULT What is the
matter? ls the Almighty Arm
shortened that it cannot save, or
the ear of God heavy that it can
not hear, or Is his Willingness to
save abatedi Not as long as his
INSPIRED word says "Behold now is
the accepted time. Behold now Is
the day of salvation"
Is it that no preparation on the
part of christians is ever IN ade for
such services! Is it that the pas
tor Of the church where such ser
vices are being held, drags the gos-
pei net too near to tho tenets or
doctrines Of his particular churchf
Is it that those who come forward
for church admission, were influenc.
ed more 10y policy, respect, or fash.
ion, than with an earnest desire to
save their souls? Or finally, is it
that in this small town of about
fifteen hundred souls aud with six
different denominations of chris
tians, no united effort has been
made far many years, with n view
of reaching the unsaved church
members as we'll as the unsaved
out of the chnrchi
This is the age of com bines and
syndIcates, and federatlons IN this
material world, and men of wealth
are uniting and getting closer to-
gether and throwing their money
into great enterprises, thus using
it for the purpose of bringing to
them, persenlley and collectl vely,
larger dividends than they could
possibly expect under any other
circnmstanc ces, and it is only verify
ing the old adage, that in unity
there is strength. And are not
church syndicates and church
ombines, as much i'm order, as
worldly com bines, and in fact more
so, when we remember that
the former is of universal merit,
while tae latter is often an evil. Is
it not fact that in small towns
where there are so many different
sects, that the adversary Of souls
oftentlmes seems to be stronger
than the handful of often discour-
aged christians, who are in any
one church? Then why should not
the churches, once in while, at.
least, ifnot all the time, have a
combine aud federaIize, thus throw
ing all of their spiritual wealth
which consists chiefly in prayer
and faith with works, into one
great scheme and with united ef-
fort fight valiantly the churches
foes? The Savior of the world drew
all of the lessons which he taught
from this material universe and are
his followers in this town so unwise
as not to learn lessons from what
is happening all around us? One
more question aud l finish. Do
| the nastOrs of this TOWN want to