The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-12-11
TIE CHURCH And
THE WAGE GARNER
Using This Theme for his Ser
mon, Rev. j. b. Green
Tells Some Unyarnished
Truths About Latter-day
Church life.

The sermon of Rev. ]. B Green at
the First Cumberland Presbyterian
Church Sunday afternoon on Tine
Church and the Laboring Man, was
heard by good sized audience. Ine
sermon was an earnest, vigorous
portrayal of conditions which separate
80 largely the laboring classes from
Christianity, and suggestions as 10
remedies.
After speaking on the mission of
the church. which WAS to bring Christ
to the world and the world TO Christ,
the preacher stated that large
element of the people of the world are
not reached by the gospel; that their
attitude toward the church Is one or
indifference and neglect, and often
times positive hatred and hostility;
they regard the church as social
institution, a fashiona BILE organization
OF selfcentered pleasure seekers VINO
are out after good time and are
doing absolutely nothing for Christ.
He explained, though. That the
hostility of the laboring classes was
not against the gospel, but against
the church. They have lost respect,
ne declared. for Christ's representa-
tlyes, and they have hard aud bitter
thoughts against mis- followers. A
large element of the laDurlng classes
think of the church as an institution
OF hypocrites, the church whose GOD
given mission is TO seek and save the
poor! The church. said III Q speaker
has done the laboring classes harm, Tor
many of the oppressors of labor, who
grind down the poor, are big men In
the church and are toadied to by the
church. He did not mean to plead
for the laboring classes as innocent
parties They are not. Tney are
often sinful, for their denunciations
are often wholesale ana lndiscriml-
nate. However, IN the main they are
correct, for there are enough so-calieu
christians in this country to make III
what it ought to be Present day
christlanitv..is too formal and ofhcia!'
| instead of being vitallzing and helpfui.
What is the remedy A more thorough
organization and addition OF depart
| meuts? MOI The church Is today
organized to death, declared the
| preacher. Tie church societies come
between the lower classes and Christ.
They are too official and formal. Inc
old Bible organization. he declared,
was enough. The organizations am
committees don't strengthen tne
church they weaken and lmpoverisn
If. II the church was organized on
the New Testament plan 1t would not
need so many subsidiary agencies II
should be unlncum bered by depart
ments. Libraries and hospitals, ETC.,
are we'll enough. but they should pe
SEPARATE and distinct. The house OF
God does not need any annexes. II
needs personal and individual work.
A full gospel fearlessly preached 0j
the ministry and practiced In tn'
every day life OF the church memDer'
would come nearer to revltallzing tht
church than anything else. Practlca
christianity is what Is needed; 'h'
right living between man and man,
The family or the home is Goa alo
society to the church. II wish yo'
would understand that, said th'
preacher. You must remember tha
calling a man brother at your churcf
door and not doing 1t at your own 200
and IN every DAY life amounts 10 notn
ing. The moneyed class must be MAD
to feel the RESPONSE billy upon them
For heavy responsibility IS upon
them. Upright walk and persona
work will heal the breech. Luz
church neeos a crucified mlnis'r.
and crucihed mem bershlp Christ
work began at the cross. and 1t 10 u
be conducted ny men who have beef
on the cross The ministry and tht
church mem bers should take hru
stand to give the laborlng classes NOR
rest on Sunday. The church, with III
great influence. can eive them tni
If it tries. And it can secure shorter
working days tor them. Ths wag'
earners must nave these in order Z
obtain better opportunities to cultivat
their higher nature. The church can
get to the laboring man II he is to o
eternally at work
A plea for more consecrateo cnrls.la'
living by the church membership
closed the discourse.