Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1902-08-22

Chicago. Aug. 17.-In this discourse,
the decline of churchgoing, its cause
and its remedy are discussed by Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmage with charac-
teristic vigor and directncss. The text
IS l Corinthians ii, y, "Despise We the
church of GodT
While rummaging through a book
store the other day I purchased a vol
ume with this suggestive title: "Why
Men DO Not Go to Church" In it the
author gives many blunt statements.
He asserts that in New York city alone
not more than % per cent of all the
male population are members Of the
Protestant churches. He makes this
charge against New York city, with
its millions upon millions of dollars in
vested In church architecture, with its
millions Of dollars every year layishly
expended for evangelistic work. He
makes this charge against New York
city, which Is not a heather town, but
which claims to be not only the wealth
lest but the most enlightened city In
our Christian land. The author of
that book further declared that not
more than one-half Of all the inhabit-
ants Of this country ever attend church,
BY that the author means the vast ma
jOrity Of Americans seldom set foot IN
any church building, because the most
Of the half who do attend church dc
so occasionally only.
With the startling statements Of that
book still fresh in my mind | would
like TO ask you the question which
Paul asked the nonchurchgoers OF
Corinth. The world needs precisely
the things that the church was organ
lied TO supply. 1t needs strength t.
resist temptation, it needs rules for the
guidance of life, it needs support un
der atllictiOn, sOlace in bereavement
and a hope Of heaven after death. Al
these blessings come by Christianity
1t Is therefore worth while inquirinl
what are the obstacles that keep mel
from coming into the church and oh
tanning them. So | not only want t.
lAAAAi ONA WHY AAAt Neial lluA Jul Ale "
people do not join or regularly attenC
church. but l also want to try to re
move those difficulties so that you. on
and all, will come into the fellowship
of the divine institution in which ar
numbered the great hosts of the fol
lowers Of the Lord Jesus.
An Absurd Reason.
"Well," says some one IN answer t
the words of my text, THE reason
despise the church of God is beeaus
there are certain parts Of the Bible
10 not understand. Therefore | wi
not profess to believe what | canno
comprehend" Now, my friend, sue
a statement is simply absurd. Fror
such talk one might suppose that til
only ineXplicable things in the Who'll
universe are those recorded betwee
the lids Of holy writ. Why. theT
are whole realms and cycles and un
verses Of facts in every direction "
untrayersed and unexplained Yo
cannot focus the whole heavens wit
one telescope nor span inhnity wit
1 AAG hAAAANs i u hAAEAl do W I'll u
build range of mountains from Lon
Island to England by pitching pebble
into the Atlantic ocean or try to empt
the Pacific by dipping up the watel
with sewing girls thimble as to a
tempt to build up system of scien'
or to develop a belief in the Bible u
less you are willing to accept son
things which you cannot explain.
But, though statements may be mat
in the Bible which you and cam
understand, the salient truths, the CT
vary truths the converting truths, a
all simply told truths. defy any Il
biased man to read the simple wor
Of the four gospels and remain bin
to their meaning. No man can re;
the story of the prodigal son and f;
to realize that God is represented
|, the aged father, that his own sinf
J. life is represented by the sins of t
: younger son. that repentance and pea
n are represented by the return hoI
and the divine love and forgiveness
the ring and the fatted calf and t
fathers kiss. Spiritual light and dee
, or faith will come later. So my brot
p or. as you believe in God the Faith
God the Son and God the Holy Clio
us you believe that Jesus suffered a
died upon the cross for our sins.
you believe that Christ has gone
heaven to prepare a dwelling place
those who are cleansed by his bic
), you believe all that is needed to gu
ify you to come into the church he
tablishpd on earth. This was the s.
ing belief Of the Philippian jailer,
whom Paul said, Believe on the L,
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be say
q and thy house." A man is not nee
sarily barred from the church of Je
= Christ because he does not fully und
"a stand all the Bible. He is received {
re- welcomed because he believes t
Q, God so loved the world that he q
ty his only begotten Son, that whosoe
"a believeth on him should not per
but have everlasting life"
One Pastors Experience.
- One day woman came to the n
noted minister of the south. the L
- .