Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-04


assessor are true. We raise for all
cnurch, missionary and benevolent DUR
poses, Including my salary, which is
$z'ooo' the sum Of $4,000 annually.
we pay qusvtet choir $4,000 a year.
we pay an organist 5000. The flower
committee paid $1,7OO last year for
MOVERS and decorations in the church.
AT least dozen women in the church
spent 5000 apiece on flowers and deco
ratlons in the church. At least
oozen women in the church spent $500
apiece on flowers and decorations in
'neir homes for receptions and parties
ana gave less than $40 apiece to CITY
MISSIONS. This sounds like a sordid
ana gossipy string Of details, Gordon.
But am reminded of an extract from
one OF Starr Kings essays.
over against every prominent al
lo"ance for personal luxury the
celestlal 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 f1v-
ing on some errand Of mercy in a city
SO crowded with misery as this. Then
we nave right to our amusements
Otherwlse we have no right to them.
OUT are liable every moment to i'm
peachment in the court of righteous
ness and charity for our treachery to
heaven and our race
CT
strong when you consider that the
earth IS the Lords; the gold, the silver,
the time, are all his. And when look
over my 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 anv
wonder that ask, Where is the Chris
t1an d1scipleship that gives so out of
proportion to it's own qualification COM
pared with it's duty to great causes
and social needs?' Lowelrs verse
haunts me:
God bends from out the deep and saws.
gave thee of my seed to SOW;
Brlngest thou me my hundredfold?'
can look up with face aglow
And answer, Father, here is gold?"
Il am afraid the celestial record book
will not show a very heavy deposit on
the part of the luxury loving Chris
tlans of this day and generation"
"Ihen 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 a lack of WILLINGNESS
TO bear personal burdens, to carry
crosses, to walk humbly, to apply
Jesus teaching to business, politics and
amusements. There is a striking in
consistency between the church mem
bers' vows and their daily lives, espe-
clally 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 tenth part as much as
they ought to help Gods kingdom"
THAT is sweeping charge, Mr.. Fal-
mouth. Yet you remain in the church
and continue to preach and act under
these conditions.'
OK L. Az, ohm, .l " E>.,r,o,r+1, e,>o,-,
slowly, again sinking into reycric. My
father and his were ministers. NV
mother is saint if there ever was
one, and her heart would almost break
if she heard what l have said today. for
she believes the church is Gods leayen
in sinful world. So do l, but see it's
need OF regenerative cleansing so clear
ly that l am torn between remaining
where l AIN to preach the truth from
the inside and going out to do my work
apart from the church as an institution
Yet where shall l go? There are no
other institutions that are more Christ
like than the church. The labor orders
are as selfish as the church. The or
CARNATIONS that do not profess any re-
igious creed are no more hopeful places
for a man to stand than the place
where I am now. l could lead a very
quiet, easy life here if I were content
to go softly in and out, preach sermons
that would satisfy the intellectual or
aesthetic demands of my congregation
and let these problems of humanity
dAOllS. Dul, NOluOu lie luIuSu LIS
face to the visitor, and the intense pas
sion of the man shone through the
habitual gravity and culture that 9TH
erwise distinguished him-''I am, I'M
happily, shall say?-no, providentially
caught up in the social whirlwind of
the age, and I cannot-I cannot let these
questions rest Woe is me if l preach
not a whole gospel! And in order to
preach it l must go the entire length
Of proclaiming Christ's Golden Rule
and self denying disciplcship, knowing
fully that my people will grow restless
under it, knowing that they are not
willing to take up the cross daily in
order to follow their Master. And yet
there is a faithful handful. There are
some who have not bowed the knee to
Mammon. Perhaps more than 1 have
known. God forgive me if l have been
unjust or erred in my Judgment Of the
church in this age.''
TO BE CONTINUED IN NEXT
Saturday. EDITION.