The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-04-18

and Andrew, who seldom made q re-
tort Of any kind, replied:
"Ask the devil. He knows more
about 1t than do"
"And then there is the church." con-
tinued Eric, who was irritable and
nervous on this occasion, for his long
watching with Stuart had been great
strain on him. "What is it doing in
comparison with what 1t ought to do?
Stuart, you asked me quite awhile ago
why Joined the Salvation Army. I'll
tell you why. There was nowhere
else could so for the religious express
sion Of my life. st. Johns church is a
curious mixture Of workingmen and
tradesmen. and I'm not saying any
thing Of its aristocracy. for 1t hasn't
any, but IL do say, 1t, and am sorry
to have to say 1t, the whole object Of
the church before Andrew came here
to It seemed to be to meet together
for meetings which gave occasion for
a good deal Of feeling and emotion.
but never realized anything Of a prac-
teal nature in helping to relieve the
pressure Of the physical needs Of men.
The whole thing evaporated in feeling
and psalm singing and prayers that
never really got much outside the walls
Of the vestry.
"I'm not crying down the Christian
lives of the church members. There
are hundreds of them better than |
am, but the expression Of their Chris
tianity through the structure OF the
church seemed to me almost nothing.
One may be just as strong as another,
but II one Of them is using a dull AK
and the other one a sharp ax to cut
down tree the strength Of the two
men is not being equally spent so far
as getting results goes, and the man
with the sharp tool will do the best
work, not because he has more muscle,
but a better Ak. 1t came upon me
with the force of conversion that |
never could do much through the
church as an instrument. That's the
reason l went into the Salvation Ar
my. 1t represented the sacrifcial spirit
Of Christianity to me hundred times
where the church did not represent it
at all. Take the Church Of st. Peter
here In Champion. 1t is always spoken
Of In the papers as the most fashiona-
BILE church In town. Think Of that!
So The News Crier stated In giving
the account of its annual meeting.
What do those people know Of sacri-
fee or Of the spirit Of Christ, who
gave up all his riches to become poor
for the sake Of dying humanity? I'm
sitting in judgment on them. and l
shall some time be called to account
for doing 1t, but II was a Catholic
I'd be willing to sit on the hottest fire
in purgatory to say what think about
an 'aristocratic church. And this one
here in Champion is only one out Of
thousands all over the country. What
Is the church, as an institution, doing
to obey the command of Christ, to
deny itself, take up its cross. forsake
its ease and pleasure and follow him p
:, Again Eric turned In his walk and
confronted Andrew. Stuart and Rhena
watched him almost sorrowfully after
listening to Eric's outburst. Over An.
drew's jolly, good natured face erept
gray shadow Of seriousness that
showed how deeply Eric's sharp con.
demnation had pierced.
"Your question Ia larger than any an.
swer l can make without taking up
hours Of discussion" he said at last.
speaking calmly, but with evident self
control over a possible fury Of feeling
"The church today contains some of the
noblest and some Of the meanest men
and women. There is In the church the
highest. purest, most sanity devotion
to Christ and his teaching. and at the
same time there are alongside of it the
most awful seltishness and love of
ceremony. show and hypocrisy. The
scribes and Pharisees are just as much
in evidence now as when they cried
to PLATE: Cruelty him! Cruelty him!
Long ago l came to the conclusion that
the same people would nail Jesus to
the cross again II he appeared in this
generation and denounced their hypoc-
risy and selfshness as he did before.
At the same time he would have a
great army Of disciples, who would
suffer martyrdom for his sake. re-
gard the church Of today as occupying
a peculiar position In the world of
struggle between different groups of
men. There is growing feeling on
the part Of many churches that great
revolution in the methods and purpose
is at hand and that nothing will be
80 radically changed in spirit and pur-
pose as the church of Christ. The
amount Of relief for suffering that
flows out Of the organization we now
have Is no doubt enormous. Propose
to any civilized community in this
country that 1t wipe out Its churches
altogether. and the proposition would
meet with instant objection. even on
the part Of those who are most ready
to denounce the church for its useless
ness. am not attempting to answer
your question in full. Eric. OF course
II l did not believe In the church,
mean in its possibilities of sacrifice