Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1903-08-14
IMPERFECT CHURCH MEMBERS.

imperfections OF the Modern Church
Member. He is held up 10y the world
and the pulpit, too, as The chief obsta-
Gle i'm the way OF the success Of the
cause OF religion. Worldly people
point TO him and his conduct as their
excuse or reason for not going to
church, and not embracing religion.
The criticisms heaped upon him, both
from the pulpit and outside world are
scathing and hot. The lethargy in
the church, and the failure Of the prach-
ers TO win men to a better life, are all
traceable, il is said, TO the imperfect
and inconsistent church member The
failure Of revivals are laid at his door
by the ministers. All failures to at
tract and move the people is attribute
bile to the "imperfections of the church.
Now, much OF this criticism is just
All men could be better. No excuses
should be made for wilful violation ui
church vows. The inconsistent,
stumbling christian himself makes no
g :cuscs. No one, not even the minis
ter, regrets his failures and short com
ings so deeply as the poor fellow who
stumbles and falls, and who deserves
pity and help rather than denuncation.
1t should he remembered and en-
phasized that the weaknesses and inn
perfection of the church members have
been used by the devil and his friends,
from time immcmorial, as "A subterfuge
to hide behind, and an argument against
religion.
As Gimsy and worthless as this ar
gument is, it has wrought great HARM
i'm the mouths OF evil men, against the
churches. The sinfulncss or weakness
Of one man or n thousand men is nc
reason why others belize them. Would
il not be for the good of the cause il
this fact was more strongly emphasize
ed by the ministers from the pulpit?
If the time and pains taken sometimes
by the ministers and public speakers in
abusing and denouncing their owl
members. were spent denouncing theiI
critical foes would il not do more good:
OF course, open and notorious sins
should be publicly denounced, but dirty
linen should not be washed on tile
front porch, nor the front yard chosen
rs a place to whip child
Ministers have recourse, in such
cases, in their discipline and rules. II
their members violate these, then, would
it would not be better TO call them before
the church 10 answer for their sins?
There is nothing worldly men, ana the
devil too, delight in more perhaps
than to hearathe imperfections and
sinfulness of the church, held up and
exposed, and it is question whether
or not any good, but rather harm, is
not done to the outside world by sucl
exposures. Exposure there should be
of comse, but except in rare case:
would it not be best that it SHOULD
be done in the presence of the churcl
and christian people only? There ART
plenty of clubs lying around loose
and it is not necessary that the dew
should reach one from the hand OF tn,
man he wants to smite, which is Otter
the case.
After all, how shall MAJ
escape criticism? Was there ever
man who did? Not man living tina
has not some enemy who loses no OPP
portunity OF cIiticising him, or stabbin,
him in the back. Live as you ma,
some one will dislik and criticise you
The great Galilean himself, and al
the good and great who have lived af
ter him, have been denounced at some
time or other. Let no man be deterre,
or intimidated by these attacks. Neve
"a man walked so straight and true, bu
that some self-constituted detective O
the evil one, could not pick flaw il
his conduct somewhere, and at some
time. His ghoulish task should not b.
made easier by wilful disobedience OF