The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-04-06

thus preiudic1nr the world bes2Te ,whum we
do il good.
Your reason for remaining out Of the
church may he that OF Biblical or doctrinal
difficulty Many a man is losing his soul,
not because he cannot believe in Christ,
but because he cannot believe in Jonah
and the whale. More than one man his
said were it not for the Garden Of Eden"
and the DE luge' he would accept Jesus as
Saviour. I know a man who has lost his
religious fervor because he could not rec
oncile the doctrine OF election with the
freedom OF the human will and the uni
versatility OF Gods grace. And another
whose religious activities have been par
aiyzed because he could not reconcile the
possibility of punishment of sin with the
all mercy, all love of God. Many such
assinne questions are killing mems enthu-
siasm for the work of the Lord. If those
inside of the church are influenced thus,
we need not wonder that Christians out
side of the church question SO foollshlJ.
Those same men never think OF question
ing what the president and officers OF the
club. or Masonic order, or Odd Fellows
organization to which they belong beleVe
about the world, whether it is round or
fat, or whether Jesus created IN Six days
or in 5000 years, or whether the earth re,
wolves around the sun or the sun around
the earth, or whether heaven and hell al, are
states Of existence or fixed bodies. Inc
reason you give for not demanding lntor-
nation about these questions OF tne sec, Sec
ular association, yet asking. 1T OF the
church, is that these are not builded on
these questions, while the church is. That
is where you are wrong. The church ID
not builded on the integrity OF the story
of Jonah and The whale, nor belief in the
Garden of Eden, nor even in the lnialilDll,
ity of the Scriptures, but on Jesus Chr1st
and Him crucifed. But you ask, 10
not your members believe IN these quesII
tons" do not know, l am sure: l
would not be surprised to, find many who
do not. Will we not expel them? Yes, II
we find them as indolent and good for
nothing religously as you are who remain
out of the church because of these ques-
tions. But if they love Jesus Christ with
all their hearts, mind and strength. and II
that love inspires them towards righteous
ness in private life and make them eager
for the salvation of men, we would as
soon think of relinquishlng our eharter as
a Christian church as to expel such choice
souls as are they.
But a fourth reason you ignore the
church OF Christ is because OF dislike OF
certain members of the church. Else OF
alent than you have any idea OF, and until
human nature is more sanctiGed than at
present people will separate themselves
from the church for this reason. But II
one church fails you here is there no other
church, no other minister where you can
worship at peace with God and man!
Your duty is to find such and 60 there;
if not of your own denominatlonal order,
then of some other. rather thar .desplse
the church universal and refuse 1t your
support. There is a large difference pc,
tween being at odds with some especial
church and holding aloof from all cnurches
because not in harmony with tnat one.
If YOU cannot walk in sympathy with some
one YOU are at fault if you do not walk
in sympathy with some other. In Brook'
jvn no one is forced to keep isolated IRON
all churches because he cannot live IN h2r'
mony with some one church. II you cam
not conscentiously enter one, repeat IL,
YOU are at fault for not entering some
other. As for this church, If you Will per.
NIT nc to say it, it has been during these
last six years veritable haven, OF refuge
for those kinds Of people. We have renteo
more pews to ind baptized more peop.e
from other denominations than those OF
our own denominational faith and tTaiH
ING. Here are two pictures. You VIII IN.
stantly detect the more pleasing to gaze
upon. Here is person absenting himself
from all public worship, all Christian aGtiV;
ity: because troubled over some Biblical
and doctrinal question, or because he does
not like the church of his early choice, and
he is leading a bitter. self-centered, .lndo
lent existence in consequence. Here IS an.
other who has q similar grievance, 2ut
overcomes it for the Masters sake. he
believes the Gospel to be the. power OF God
unto salvation. He IS convinced men are
lest without Christ. He believes ne IS re-
snonsible if the light within LIN becomes
darkness. Therefore he continues to be
identified with that organization that rep
resents the kingdom of Heaven IN the
earth.
A woman told me while ago she :oinedi
the church because it was her duty ana
for no other reason. She did not especially
like the minister. She could not digest all
the creed. She disliked some of its men,
bers and preferred the width Of the avenue
between herself and them, but she pro.
fessed to be a Christian and believed her
place was in the church rather than out;
For fifteen years she remained outside ana
criticised, A barren, unsatisfactory spir.
itual lie was the consequence. Sne en-
tered finally for Christ's and her chlldrens
sake, and the last year had been the hap
n;est and most profitable OF her existence.
Do yon believe in Christ? Would you
honor Him! Your place is inside the
church Of Christ as truly as the soldiers
place is inside the Regiment, or the sailor
on board ship. But: you eSelaIm, ;SelaRn the the
minister. Well. then, seek the church you
can fellowship, even though outside your
denomination, and if no such ghureh can Ias1s be
found take yo:rself speedily to Jesus
Christ. Go into your closet and shut to
the door with your prejudices on the out.
side. Then fall upon your knees and pray
to be converted all over again. Some OF
rs. " you know, need TO be converted more
than once. Even the seventy times seven
recommended by the Master in the. oIdcn
times. Let God overrue your prejudices
and food your heart with His grace;
Then go in the spirit of little child ahi.;;nd and
church. Let nothing stand between you
and that important obligation. that DIVINE
privilege, that necessary discipline, that
priceless Joy.
Trium ph Through Adversely.