The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1902-05-02
A REVIVAL NEEDED.

A REVIVAL NEEDED.
The Baptist.
1t Is with much pleasure that note
frequent reports OF "revivals 10 the
churches" Large numbers are being
baptized every month and we are In.
creasing at a rate hitherto unknown.
While this is all we'll, IL thuse who are
being added" are "the saved" l beg
to say that 10 my ju igDent, we need
a reviyal-uf "commonf honesty" and
we need 1t greatly. To be candid, l
think we need it worse than we do
anything else. A religion that does
not prompt people to live within their
means and pay what they promise
when they promise to pay it, Is not
the religion Of Christ nor will it com.
mend itself 70 decent people.
The mania Tor fast living and conse-
quent loose living, seems to have
gained complete possession Of the
public mind, and every institution,
temporal and spiritual, as we'll as the
individual, appears to be infatuated
with the craze and on the move TO
keep up with the times,' "be up-to.
date,n etc. States, city governments,
colleges, churches. preachers, deacons.
and prominept members Of churches
do not hesitate to promise what they
haven't got and what they may never
have. In many instances these
promises 20 without fulflllment to
the shame and disgrace OF the party
who did the promising. For example,
look at the history of your own
commonwealth. 1.-THE position 1t oc.
cupies is not an unsavory one then the
world outside has slandered us at an
unRodly rate. Our municipal govern.
ments are burdened, bonded and
bound to the earth In many instances
with debts that are crushing the
honest taxpayers: Property owners
either have to,lie or sell out to keep
from being baukrupted by building
"ane school houses, etc. The houses
must be "up-tO.date" whether the
schools are any account or not. In
most cases the houses represent a
debt, the interest on which is being
paid those who know that the schools
are failures.
Colleges must be "up-to date" also
and II is no uncommon thing to see
the most. pitifuI appeals Imaginable
10 their behalf->i our denominations
papers. Sometimes our strongest met
are takeu from their pulpits and "pul
in the field" to raise money to SAVE
them from utter ruin.
The churches survey the situation
and see that everything else has lief
the ground" and they decide to go too
The only way up Is to start with {
"modern" church building. Modern
means debt. A 6ne house will TAX,
the place Of discipline, piety, spiritu
ality and everything else that make
the church Of God a real force on thi
earth. The modern" building Is be
gun. the bricks are piled up" So /
the debt.
In the name OF God, ! asks, on wha
principle Of Scripture teaching
reason, or common sense, can q churc|
of God afford tu involve itself in deb
to the extent OF thousands Of dollars
1t does not earn anything. Its tin
is worth nothing. But few OF thel
have any income at all. How is th
debt to be paid? Reader, you kno
whatit means. II means humiliatio
!, to you, II you love your church.
! means the loss Of the respect OF thol
whom you owe. It means spiritu
I dearth and moral paralysis. An
, what is the good Of your ''moderI
!. building anyhow Would not . ue'
and comm0diUus house do Just as wei
Your modern" affair 10 out
harmony with the feelings and circur
stances OF large per cent. Of tho
who constitute the real strength
most chulches. IT. ID not wrong,
!. think, for people To build "moderl
: houses, n they have the money ~ pa
& for them. But what would . c0mmu'
n lty think Of Z man who would build
d "modern" home out OF moaey that b
: longsd to someb0dy elses The Quei
tlon dOes ~ 0wn ausweriag. u
y Oo6' q church afford 70 Be less honest
4 With everybody around him ''slacl
\ twiated" In This matter, the preacht
: can Afford = b 20 Ton. His sppoin
4 meots and 0ltsOundtues nurt b ~
! urdats." Other peoplSs chtldrs
lar tlair SUNDAY clOkkea every ID