The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-23
has for its definite aim the promotion OF
that Kingdom is the church OF God.
BLESSING TO HUMANITY.


aim. In 80 far as Il has beer. true To-
the teaching and life OF the Master "
has been blessing to humanity. To-day
lhere ~ no one Institution in society that
has so much influence for the betterment
of men than the Christian church. NO
man can I've In society where that M
nltnCe exists without being bettered bN
~, The home Is "A better home because
Of II, The general plane of morals y
nfted under rs influence Education ~
advanced. The political life Is purer and
the state r. safer because of the power
and influence OF the church. ART htera-
ture. life have responded, and stu re.
agency that Processes to mediate TO the
world thu life and love or Jesus Christ;
All men come under this. influence. Inc
criminal is insured justice. lie H. treated
as human All men are benefited by u.
All men may be in some measure grateful
for H. but certain IL ls that not all men
are willing 20 show their gra atltnde. There
IS true sense In which those who are
not grateful 90 the church are In the same
position that The nine We're they are
not grateful "a Jesus Christ. Why is IT.
u is not because men DO not realize Ito
benefits. The man who does not go 20
The church himself wants MS wife ana
sire To be ungrateful. Often IL ls due,
as In the case OF those who We're healed,
10 thoughtiessness. They are lost In the
joys and pleasures of home ana society
and friends and do not stop 10 think that
these blessings are in no small part due 10
the one man Of history and that the IN
yates and hands down these blessings Is
entitled 90 their aid and support
But how about that great class Of men
and women. who, a. Jesus did. go about
doing good without any affiiation with
the church OF Jesus Christ Who show
their gratitude, as we supposed the nlne
aid. by labor and toll We shall revert
TO no idle argument and say that such
men and women arr not Christians. We
leave Il 90 the church OF Rome 10 insist
that All men out Of the church are lost.
II is no part OF Protestant theology. the
statement that the church Is an arch OF
salvation. II does not deny To any man
outside the visible church the possibility
Of life lived with Jesus Christ II does
not insure this 20 any man inside its com
munion. IL in no sense Identifies the WIS.,
ible with the invisible church of God, IL
can claim nothing more for itself than
the virtue that comes from organization
and cooperate
IL has been asked. would not Christi
anity continue as an active influence in
society apart from the church. No man
can say. The answer Is impossible. be-
cause IL has never been tried. We can
only speak with certainty where there has
been experience
But let us look at the business world
today, the world Of education, the, world
Of political life. Would IL be possible to-
day 10 conduct your business without
some organization somewhere I'm the busi-
ness world? II is insisted that the stock
exchange. that has never produced one
dollar. that has never made the world
richer by one cent. Is positive necessity
TO the complicated world Of business life.
The same movement that IL taking place
I'm business is formed In the world OF edu-
cation. Small institutions OF learning
In the middle states and throughout The
land are dwindling 10 their death and the
life OF higher education centres itself in
few great institutions OF learning All
that we know, or mean or understand pE
political life centres itself about political
parties.
RELIGION AND CHRISTIANITY.
savsgery and barbarism mean isolation.
Civilization means concentration. organi-
Zation. cooperation. The thought ap-
plies TO the religions Of the world. The
savages Of Central Australia may wor-
ship I'm &c far as they worship at all.
alone and apart from one another. Yet
even here IL the gathering OF the elan.
Christianity as the highest form OF its
religions, both because of IT'S development
association. We have no reason TO be-
liexe there could be business, education or
political life without organization. We
have more reason 20 believe there could
be such a thing as Christianity.
People are organized in the church as
means TO an end. the end being the Lag
dom of God IL presents the best means
Of furthering that end and the man or wo-
man who works alone deprives themselves
Of the surest and best instruments with
person who has the kingdom OF God al
heart throw away the best tools at hand,
for realizing that kingdom
The person who does this not only Grip
Piles their own usefulness, but they de-
priVe themselves OF the inspiration and
the strength that comes from being asso-
ciated with other men.
But there are those who remain apart
from the church, because. as in the case
Of the nine, they doubt whether the
blessings OF society today are due either
10 the church or TO the influence OF the
Master We can only point 10 history.
We can only show that wnen the church
has been true TO Jesus Christ has IL been
power for righteousness and stalwart
manhood. Certainly IL IL true that the
church has received it's blessings from
that source. IL is equally true that when
the church forgetting it's head has sunk,
as Il often has into bigotry intolerance,
oppression. cruelty and sin. that society
has suffered, and the whole plane OF liv-
ing has been lowered IF il be not true
that we are today enjoying many of the
richest blessings of life because OF the
influence of Jesus Christ, then IL Is true
that the witness OF history is false and
experience Is no longer lamp 10 guide
our feet.
/ speak OF these things at this time
not because Il gives me pleasure. but from
a sense of duty. | do not forget the noble
Christian manhood and womanhood out
side the church | put the matter on the
basis OF duty 10 yourself and the cause
YOU love urge f. because OF the need
OF all men believing In the good to organ
ize themselves and work together har-
moniouslv 10 that end Vice Is organized
against 10 it's fullest extent. To all such
organization and association the church
of God should present a bold front, backed
by the sympathy and love of every man
in the community who loves righteousness
ra ther than sin
Nav cod hasten the time I'm this city
when the story of the one and the nine
shall be reversed for the one man who
does not come and give God thanks We
shall find nine who DO. May the time
come when we shall no longer blush for
the sin OF ingratitude TO God and His
church. but find how sweet and deep Is
the ioy that comes from speaking forth
. fes.t. aelN n IN A
our God Mans ingratitude is part or
mans inhumanity To man that not only
makes countless millions but the great
heart of God 10 mourn.