Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-02-18
(BY REV. ID. A. BLOSE.)

| clergyman referred to Is of the heroic
mould. He believes what he says, and
says fcarlessly what he believes.
| A careful perusal of his address re-
veals a misconception Of what consti-
tutes Church of Christ He seems to
think that true church is constituted
of wholly sanctified' men and women.
Now there are only two classes of peo-
pie on Garth. All are sinners. Some
are converted, and many are
not. converted sinners, ''togeth-
er with their offspring, voluntarily as
| sociated together for divine worship
and Cody living, agreeable to the
Holy Scriptures, and submitting to a
certain. form of government consti-
tute Christian church. The best of us
here are sanctified only in spots, and
these spots are "few and far between"
Sanctitication is not an act, but a work
of the Holy Spirit. Desire and posses
sion are two different things. Only the
unconsciously self-deceived, or the
spiritually proud and Pharisaic, or the
dare-devi-faced hypocrite claim to be
wholly sanctiied."
.. He is evidently mistaken as to the
,,,;, 80 tl,a al, ,,AI Tl,
church, like her Founder, is here, not
to call the righteous; but sinners to
repentance. She must go out into the
highways and lanes, and hedges, and
bring in thn halt, and blind, and lame,
morally and spiritually. Bring them
into what? The church. of course. Her
surgery and medicine are used inside,
not outside, the fold of believers. The
lowest and yilest, desiring to learn of
Christ and promising to endeavor to
do His will, have right to Christian or
dinances and sacraments. The viler the
man, the harder should the servants
of Christ labor to save him.
3. He is opposed to too much dress
ing on the part of church people, for
church attendance.
Well, suppose the dress of the back
kitchen would become the ladies'; and
blouse and Ovor-alls would befit the
gentlemen! Did not the Lord himself
order the clothing OF Moses, Aaron,
and the priests? And was not the raj
ment in which they appeared before
| the Lord beautiful and rich? Was not
the temple of Solomon built rich and
costly edltice? Some preachers voclfer-
ate against rich dresses" IN Gods
house, who would put on their best
bib and tucker" were they to receive
as guest some distinguished man of
earth. Meeting the King of Kings and
Lord of Lords in His holy place in
rags, or mother-hubbards or blouse
and over-alls, would hardly honor
| Him. And church members who build
for themselves tive-thousand, dollar
| houses, and club together and build
the Lord 5000 house, have
lost all sense of shame.
People can over-dress. But church
folks, as II rule, cannot be charged
with such sin, In this city.
4. He says that some ministers be-
long to secret societies. Well, | am not
much acquainted with the "inside
dongs' of lodges, 4 man outside of
the secret fraternlties, | take 1t for
granted, Is n, very poorly qualified
judge In such matters. After several
years of pastoral experience, | am con
strained TO confess that the church
member who Is affiliated with secret
fratcrnlties averages up very well with
his brother who is not so affiliated.
| ., He condems popular amuse-
mcnts and entertainments. The theatre.
and opera and dance, and card.party
get II red-hot,' Here he has the
hearty Amen" of most of his brother
clergymcn.
Hut, brethren, consider with me q
few hard facts, In every community
there must be pleasures. relaxatlons,
and agreeable excitement and II inno-
cent ones are not provided, resort will
be had to the criminal. Man was made
FOR enjoyment, no less than for labor;
and the state OF society should he ad-
apted TO this principle of human ma.
ture, Innocent pleasures excite modcr-
ately-produce cheerfulness of heart.
but not boisterousness of spirt-re-
fresh the mind rather than exhaust
herve-force-reour frequently and are
OF brief duratlon--send us back to our
daily duties with Increased inyigora.
tion-can be partaken OF in the pres
ehce OF the most refined and most re-
spectable-ar chastened with self.
respect-are consistent with grateful
pioty-are accompanietl always with