Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-02-24

8Dt-t-00-.-f0 0-t-t-9 0-t-.-G&rs-sGOrs-1-GJ
N (" Your question is larger than any an
'kwer | can make without taking up
|bolrs Of discussion" he said at last,
'EDeaking calmly, but with evident self
control over a possible fury of feeling.
#'The church today contains some of the
hoblest and some of the meanest men
md women. There is in the church the
highest, purest, most sanity devotion
Mo Christ and his teaching, and at the
.Balne time there are alongside of it the
most awful seltishness and love Of
.feremony, show and hypocrisy. The
'fcribes and Pharisees are just as much
.n evidence now as when they cried
10 PLATE: Cruelty him! Cruelty him.
long ago | came to the conclusion that
be same people would nail Jesus to
be cross again if he appeared in this
Bcneration and denounced their hypoc-
.Nisy and selfishness as he did before.
40 the same time he would have a
peat army Of disciples, who would
ulTer martyrdom for his sake. | re-
ynrd the church Of today as occupying
peculiar position in the world of
truggle between different groups of
men. There is a growing feeling on
BE part Of many churches that a great
.Mevolution in the methods and purpose
at hand and that nothing will be
b radically changed in spirit and pur-
ose as the church Of Christ. The
mount of relief for suffering that
. ows out of the organization we now
ave is no doubt enormous. Propose
any civilized community in this
ountry that it wipe out it's churches
Together and the proposition would
beet with instant objection, even on
be- part of those who are most ready
denounce the church for it's useless
ess. am not attempting to answer
our question in full, Eric. OF course
/ did not believe in the church,
. bean in it's possibilities of sacrifice
would not work from it as a center.
would get out and work from some
her basis. But this is my best rea-
pm for believing in the church as a
pwer for the worlds redemptive up
# after all else has been said"
Andrew paused, and the rest listened
loughtfully. THE church is the only
ganiZation Jesus ever mentioned. He
specially loved it. 1t was not any
lrticular form or name that he loved,
lt the discipleship organized in love
one another and a common Master,
Ding forward TO conquer the world
r God. And after the trials and
lse representations Of Christ in the
4, L =,
istocratic churches have died and
G memory of their pomps and fash
n is no more, after the GOODNESS and
relessness and superficial worldliness
the church have had their time
red out, the true church will survive
G wreck Of all this agOniZing death
life and be universal representa-
pm of the crucified Lamb Of God, Civ
e its life for the needs of a suffering
d dying race. Il believe in the holy
tholic church meaning the church
iversall in the sense that l be-
We it contains the leaven that is
cessary to lcaven the whole lump.
ny, even the Salvation Army never
buld have had an existence if it had
been for the church"
DO you mean that the church had
Dwn so mean and useless that the
my had to be organized to do what
church ought to have dOne?' asked
c, with a smile.
No. | mean of course that the
ristian men and women who organ.
d the army had their nurture and
t,,t,, Al |. e.
)ther. They went out from heI
me to do n work they never could
Ne done if they had not been trained
taught at her feet"
Is not the Salvation Army as much
church as any other form of or
lization where Christian disciples
together in Christ's name?" asked
Cna.
Yes, think So" replied Andrew.
mean to prove it 10y joining both,
Stuart, looking at Rhena.
You can't join the army withou
ing up your own wishes and obey
the orders of your superior officer,
Rhena slyly.
It's one of the rules of the army
b, / understand" added Andrew
II a twinkle. that n private canno
II marry without asking the cOnsen
the commanding officer Isn't tina
Y~ Miss Rhena"
N We asked it and obtained it," salt
art "The commanding officer says
t married as soon as you recove
N your present Illness"
She doesn't, either" said Rhen
tily. Then. as Andrew and Fri
an to laugh she blushed and sale
ide the confusion: I'VE are gettin
ny from our original question
art wants to know how to spen
money. 1t seems too bad if w
t any of us tell him how"
can tell him how to use sewers
1sand," said Eric. who. after e2
ksing his own mind on the churc
stion, was once more the cain
lghtful, even attractive, man b