The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-02-05

! NOuhlbttnt1 uEAMtEn Tue GAuIEn Innm-
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 tenth part as much az
they ought to help Gods kingdom"
"That is a sweeping charge, Mr.. Fal-
mouth. Yet you remain in the church
and continue to preach and act under
these conditions"
II love the church." Falmouth spoke
slowly, again sinking into reverie. my
father and his were ministers. NV
mother is q saint II there ever was
one and her heart would almost break
| II she heard what have said today, for
she believes the church is Gods leaven
| In a sinful world. SO do l, but see its
need Of regenerative cleansing so clear.
ly that am torn between remaining
where am to preach the truth from
the inside and going Quito do my work
apart from the church as an institution.
| Yet where shall / 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,
ganizations that do not profess any re-
| llgious creed are no more hopeful places
] for man to stand than the place
/ where | am now. l could lead very
quiet, easy life here II 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
| alone. But Gordon"-he turned his
! face to the visitor, and the intense pas
sion OF the man shone through the
habitual gravity and culture that 9th
erwise distinguished him-T am, uu.
happily, shall say2--no, providentlally
caught up in the social whlrlwind or
the age, and | Cannot-I cannot let these
questions rest Woe is me II preach
not a whole gospel! Aud In order To-
preach it ! must go the entire length
of procluiming Christs Golden RUE
aud self denying discipleshp, knowing
fully that my people viii grow restless
nndcr It, knowing that they nre not
| willing TO take up the cross daily n
order Ia follow their Master. And ypr
/ AhAIN ~ 81 lNlNtNANA hNii'AA W. Z ilif NIt
some who have not bowed the knee Ia
Mammon Perhaps more than ! have
known God forgive me II have heou
unjust or erred In my Judgment Of the
church In this age
Gordon did not venture TO break the
silence that followed. When Falmouth
ngaln raised his head. he said. with q
rare smile:
Il envy you, Gordon. I would az
most like TO change places with You
You seem to be doing work that needs
10 be done. You are doing things
Pin writing about them. Some day
lie stopped abruptly aud then asked
"If YOU were In my place. what
course wouh you take with the mon
eyed business men In this church 10
tonch them with sense Of their re-
sponsibillty ana privilege as steward,
OF Gods wealth.
Gordon answered instantly:
"Get MS many Of them az possible C.
go down into Bowen street ana 500
how the other half lives"
Falmouth's eyes cleaned.
Il doubt II they viii 60 I'll try II
I have never been there myself Bm
7 see your point Yon think the men
and women OF this city do not know
the facts. You think a knowledge OF
the facts would teach them to do some
thing"
''Not necessarily. But the cultured
wealthy people in our churches asa
rule know absolutely nothing from per.
sonal knowledge OF the horrors Of city
life They never 20 outside the little
circle Of the respectable, comfortable
and In many cases luxurious conditions
into which they were born. l am con
vinced that II 800 Of the best business
men IN the churches OF this city could
see the things l have seen within the
last two weeks, and know the facts
that every resident In Hope House
knows like the alphabet. the present
awful wrongs would not be permitted
In the city. The Christ method was
personal familiarity with sinful con
dtions. He was Saviour because be
himself knew the sinner. The weak
ness OF the church lies In the fact that
II has dropped out so largely the per
sonal factor and exists too much for
It's own religious life In it's elaborate
church services, which In so many
cases have no other meaning than
pride and vainglOry OF the partiei
pants But ! forget myself Gordon
smiled sadly. II am not tit TO eriu'
else the ehurch-I who for so many
years dishonOred her with liz service
and formal worship"
You have as much right TO cruelse
her as any Christian II you do il in the
right spirit" Falmouth said gently
Then he added: let us have a prayer
together before you 80. We need 70
ask forgiveness for many things anu
wisdom for everything"
So the two men kneeled while 'ne
minister prayed. II was a good srohs'
sturdy prayer thiS did John Goruon
good. There was no whining, no cant
No .NasFn hanWE