The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-12-31
RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM.
Some OF the Methods by which the
Spiritually OF she People IN 20
rssaspA..

By their real ID good ~orks.
They can well boas, Of the liberal gifts which they
lay upon the altar of the Lord and they have good
% be very pad of the srca, ssrves they are
doing for the h.athen In foreign lands.
They have cause To congratulate themselves for
the .,a,ey temples which they have erected for their
ship I, the Lord our God.
Under the leadership Of great snd good nen our
peope have done these and many other things which
we're right and seeuiy ios them To do.
Bat there Il one thing far above all else Tor which
our peopl. arc especially noted. We refer 70 their
almost universal habit Of attending divine service n
sunday morning. tits . custom ~ universal as 90
astonish even the hcathen, 10 they should know the
fact.
Tho rcmai kabls attend .ncc Of cur people on di.
vine service 10 startling. II 10 claimed that the
average attendance ~ our chufches on sun.
| day morning, would range all the way rom
forty 10 two understanding grsGd to.s,
of possibiy c00 In this Christian city of
0ut OF 4 population OF a.boO Christians this
great army oi So soldiers oI tne Sloss s ,.rs s,s
mention VI the tsct in enough 10 put 70 Night
Under mo other banner could this splendid
nftuy OI LlOu WIN w kFWbOus NsStoasoss VI ~
we'll serve the Lord Our Gcd.
Thsse spiepdid results could not possibly be
brought ab,ut by any process u n'rent lroin
that which - Low adopted by tho captains o'
Ir the people we're not greatly interested In
the serv Ice, how would any feasounoie per.
SON expect oue.fiflh or ooeSixth OF the whole
Christian oomuaniy 10 urn out , 10 .sspossS Iosse
o'clock on sunday r,orping7
This intense interest on tne part OF Inc peOs
ole In no dvuot developed by the manner In
shich our public worship 70 conaueteS. sss .,
interesting part of the sorvice) was Done ~ q
way 80 ss 10 confuse the hesier or 70 sdoie
nis brain. no that he did lot know what The
preacher was doing. does apy body suppone
Shnt dcvout vor,hipers Won ID crowd the ssinc.
iuary every Sunday morning?
II the preacher did not Play for every BODY
ouicasi al his very isri. does any body believe
bst sii tho repro6stes In town would rum 70
|. sanctnnry on SundA. morning?
the prs.SSsr did not PRAY isi q. n,or. o, Soa se.
snraiIy, cou,d tho atisn lion of the nne"nosfn'
n me pTsacner did not praise tho Lord for
MS and Dc 10 ,ns nent S ~ r,sa s,a
ss,un ter. people Wouiu not break their necks
to ges there oy eleven O'Clock. Tue people, ss
: iuis, arc great for getting thing without
IN. instead Of drawing about them the skirts
~ ,n.lr sarmunts, our preachers should let
toe bestnen alone, and pay atenu0r 10
us,yhooriny sinners VINO may s,na. Se .n''snS unaS
might break up tho present i.fss at,endIlncs
II is sIne S prayers OF the righteous should turn
DO behalf oi the pour weak creatures who are
u tue mexhes Of sin. and vuo, In their In.
Iauity, 20 20 speak. sre bound by fettlrs Of
brass, che good and the pure would DO onend
I'd ~ ins hack Of altentinn 70 thense 70 r s.s, Nna
sorshipers would DO reduced.
III lh0se who are bO'ne town By the cares
r tho sfllictions which ehcOmpass them,
snouid receive attention. opmiort or encous'
might follow TO our spirituality.
m. in the pse,tiuus Of the preacher, those
sho are st the parting Of thS ways or tnose
sho may be struggling 10 return 70 the fooi
u the cross, snoGid bs remembered, the right
..sus might take Il - penona onense.
lf the iaipt hearted were encouraged 70
greater efforts tor higher ihings thoy might
presu,ne 90 The privilege VI s.sociaLing With
aGod's people," Who IN .arn might become
disxestsc at the familiarity.
n Attention should be given 70 those ABOUT
!ns Ssn .se 10
obscure from their vision even the sight Oh
inc Cross the example Of our Saviour
may 90 followed With safety. 10 leaving them
= Tns % n,s.o, ical incident that occurred on q
nigh usountsia long ago hns gone ON record.
and no such attempt " bTtoo The Lord ID now
made. We ask Tor good things. and then
Is III about the heathun for nm inheritAnoe.
wbeeeyer Nc propose 10 dispose ot inc heath.
&C. we may reasonably expect Santa Ctaus or
sonis mysterious power " NIL our stockings
With good things.
che people should work Tor the Lord ny puri:
Tying their own hearts. or that they should
soosorm 20 hi. laws. the attendance on divine
wr,,s = rnre hse m n nj vays An accapiabie
sfY. rim. 20 the Lord, yet he - more interested
In being assured thai We think well Of htm.
and thai ws want great lot of tbtugs, Tor
which we are not particularly anxious 10
work.
We have authority for saying that IN for.
mar times our Saviour was the friend OF ain-
uera and that ne came not to save the right
oous hut I'd cal siunrrs 10 rcpenta ce, but In
this age of prOgress. We need pray only Tor
Gods people ,".siOd's church" GODS min.
lstes." "uod's missionaries and AL other
good ibings.
the bread at iifa. We nesd not offend on
arighbnrn ar reduce our attendance on reiig.
ious services by bethering about those who
are haitiug between too opinions. We need
ten by the way. We nerd not aive,the 90.
ing hand To 70 outside the legitimate work
III rendering q oil. OF particulars Tor thr
things which We want would be IN wesken tho
cause and reduce che nunoer OF worshippers.
TO ex tend the iavors of the Lord 10 sny but
Goods peopie," would ne = wAate Of g0cd
things aud Injurious 10 "God's church," upon
whose services the numbers might Dc 70