The courier., 1901-04-13

the centuries she has been the society
and the club for all kinds and condi-
tions OF men. BY her constitution che
is not to be an exclusive club. but her
doors are open to the rich and the poor.
to hearts owe, flowing with gladness and
Thanksgiving and to hearts that are sad
and are longing for some hope; the gen.
erous and the needy, the strong and the
weak, the lonely and the friendly. all
meet within her walls. By the consti
tuition Of this club the universal spirit
Of membership is one Of mutual
helpfulness. Loving and being loved.
serving and being served her most
loyal members have always felt that
neither in time nor in eternity could any
other club give equal opportunities or
right to service. What other club gives
80 warm a welcome to the stranger and
to the friendlees! What other club
shows such sympathy and kindness
towards the sick and the suffering. and
towards those who are struggling with
poverty? What other club offers 30
many avenues for the exercise OF every
gift and talent that any one may pos
sess! What other club sets apart q
leader who has the privilege Of entering
into the deepest sorrows and the sweet
est joys OF it's members? What other
club gives the same opportunity for in.
spi,ing and uplifting human lives in.
tellectually, morally and spiritually?
Life draws its nourishment through
two great roots-the love Of self and the
love Of others. Each kind OF love at it's
wisest and best is constantly passing
over into the other. Our smaller clubs
and our social circles are delightful
ways in which We look out for the good
OF ourselves, but is there any crganiza-
zation in the world which offers an
equal opportunity Of helping others?
Every CHI rch has set before it the DOS
sibiIity Of being the centre OF the in
terests and forces that uplift a COM
muuity. For this purpose it needs
circle Of u en- and women who give their
chief thought and care to the welfare of
their church. Such body guard is
needed even more by the down town
city church than by any other, for its
members are scattered over q wide area
and are never brought together in any
large number except through the
church. Such q church must have
constant supporters Of every line of its
work who have the power unitedly to
attract into the channels OF the church
the right share OF the spiritual earnest
ness, moral force, intellectual. financial
and social support Of all those who meet
within it's walls.
We are sometimes told that the WON.
ems clubs are drawing away from the
church those who would otherwise be
devoting their gifts to the church. II
this lie true, a double harm is being
done. And yet the club is certainly
not bad thing. and the church is not
bad thing. The clash comes because
the two interests are not considered in
their relations with one another. There
is no clear general public opinion OF the
place which each ought to hold with
reference to the other. But let any one
dwell on the immense influence OF the
church through the past centuries, and
gain some insight into its possession Of
yet greater power for the progress OF the
human race in the centuries to come,
and he must wish that the church
might receive more help from every