The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-04-08

before the convention Of Christian cit
izenship and list Of church duties
that IS never caught up with. But
question If any or all Of it is as impor
tant as some of the things I want to
discuss with you"
He paused, and his grave face light
ed up with g gleanl Of interest that
transformed his scholarly appearance
into something quite different. Gordon
sat down again.
"What do you think Of the church,
Gordon? How much Is 1t worth after
aIlf"
The question surprised Gordon.
'I'm not a judge and don't want to
be. neglected my duties to the church,
and am the last man in the world to
criticise it."
Falmouth sat silent awhile.
"The church in this city is not doing
it's duty" he said at last. 81 sometimes
question how much it is really obeying
Christ's commands. When consider
the wealth and business ability and
talent and culture in my own irdivid-
ual church alonc,eI cannot help asking
myself how much of it is really ccnse-
Grated to the uses Of the kingdom. do
rot know six men in my Own congre-
cation who accept the doctrine Of God S
ownership CT property, so plainly
taught in the Bible and by Christ.
When I preach on the subject, my peo-
Die listen in 4 half amused manner, as
il I were a theorist giving out ideas
that will network in the practical bust
ness world. There are not dozen peo-
pie in my whole parish who give one
tenth Of their income to the religious
work of the world
Glow large is your church," Gordon
asked He was growing exceedingly
interested in Falmouth's mooologue,
for the minister had talked On as if
alone
"We have 976 names on the church
roll. There are serenty-two absentees.
Over 900 resident members. There are
twenty-five men in the church worth
over $4,000, If their returns to the tax
assessor are true. We raise for all
church, missionary and benevolent pur-
poses, incluIing my salary, which is
$500, the sum of $4,000 annually.
We pay g quartet choir $4,000 a year.
We pay an organist 5000: The flower
committee paid SLIGO last year for
flowers and decorations in the church.
At least a dozen women in the church
spent $500 apiece on flowers and deco
rations in the church. At least a
dozen women in the church spent $500
apiece on flowers and decorations in
their homes for receptions and parties
and gave less than $40 apiece to city
missions. This sounds like a sordid
and gossipy string Of details, Gordon.
But I am reminded of an extract from
one Of Starr Kings essays.
"'Oyer against every prominent al
lowance for a personal luxury the
celestial record book ought to show
some entry in favor Of the cause Of
goodness and suffering humanity. For
every guinea that goes into a theater
or museum there ought to be some
twin guinea pledged for truth or fly
ing on some errard Of mercy in city
so crowded with misery as this. Then
we have a right to our amusements.
Otherwise we have no right to them,
but are liable every moment to I'M
parchment in the court Of righteous
ness and charity for our treachery to
heaven and oAr race
Rather strong, eh? But not too
strong when you consider that the
earth is the Lords; the gold, the silver,
the time, are all bis And when look
over nay list OF church members and
then read the society or business col
umns, which tell of their uses of mon
ey for luxury and amusement, is it any
wonder that ask, Where is the Chris
tian Giscipleship that gives so out Of
proportion to its own qualification COM
pared with its duty to great causes
and social needs?' Lowell's verse
haunts ne:
"God bends from out the deep and says:
I gave thee Of ny seed to SOW;
Bringest thou me my hundredfold"
Can look up with face aglow
And answer, Father, here IS gold?' ="
81 am afraid the celestial record book
will not show very heavy deposit on
the part Of the luxury loving Chris
'tians Of this day and generation"
''Then you consider that one Of the
indictments against the church Of to-
day" Gordon asked as Falmouth
raised his head and sorrowfully gazed
at picture Of the crucifXion that
hung over his desk.
Eyes, that and lack Of willingness
to bear personal burdens, to carry
crosses, to walk humbly, to apply
Jesus teaching to business, politics and
amusementS. There is q striking in
consistency between the-church mem
bers' vows and their daily lives, espe-
cially in the business and money max
ing world The Christians in our
churches are not making their money
as they ought, many of them, and they
are not giving a tenth part as much as
they ought to help Gods kingdom"
THAT is a sweeping charge, Mr.. tal-
mouth. Yet you remain in the church
and continue to preach and act under
these conditions
st love the church." Falmouth spoke
slowly, again sinking into reverie. MY
father and his were ministers. My
mother is 4 saint If there ever was
one. and her heart would almost break
if she heard what have said today, for
she believes the church is Gods leayen
in a sinful world So do I, but see its
need of regeneratiye cleansing so clear
" that I am torn between remaining
where I am to preach the truth from
the inside and going out to Go my work
apart from the church as an institution.
Yet where shall I go? There are no
other institutions that are more Christ
like than the church. The labor orders