Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-11
Baptist Church of philadelphia, was intro
duced.
The Twentieth Century Church.


The Twentieth Century Church.
DIR. Peters subject was THE Twentieth
Century Church." He said in part:
1.-THE peculiarities of our stirring times
require new methods of delivering the truth
the old truth-not new truth We live in
a time when we can not afford to part with
Ing men of our time long for the divine
and this longing can only be met by en-
phasizing the true DEFY of Christ. The
world wants Christ but not as the center
of an ecclesiasticism. a.
.The twentieth century church must have
a positive, short and simple creed, but
whatever creed that may be A will not be
laid down as the doctrinal plank over which
everybody must walk who weIld come into
the church You may call 1t broad or mar
row-Christ will be the door. The world
has most respect for the church which does
the most Christ-like deeds. The church for
the times demands practical preaching. The
preacher should be voice, not echo.
A prophet and not a parrot. Your sharpers
great sticklers for what they call Gospel
preaching as though all that Christianity
was meant to do in making the life pure
and honest was to be left undone.
1.-The twentieth century church must be
a happy church. Don't go through life
with a countenance grave enough to break
an undertaker's heart Stop twisting and
for the abridgement Of Christian liberty
and conduct. Christianity is privilege, not
a penance.
Confidence and Love-
ITO win the confidence of the world the
church must increase her labors in the
love of man. The man who is enthusiastic
about the church in It's present condition
only gives proof that he has ceased to be
a living factor in the worlds progress II
the church is willing by her silence on the
great public questions to divorce Christiani-
ty from philanthropy and reform and the
progress Of civilization she must be con-
tent to occupy small place In the history
of the future. Christ went down to the phys
ical plane where the multitude lived and
so laid hold of men and led them up to
the spiritual plane where He lived.
1.-The church for the century must above
all things have the Gethsemane purpose.
If we cease to be evangelisti0 We shall
soon cease to be evangelical. We are saved
for service. We are saved by getting out
of ourselves. Gods law is use or lose.
Under the gospel every saved soul becomes
by the great law Of influences center OF
salvation. ssiR4
ITO many the church is nothing more
than spiritual boarding house. The
church is full Of apoplectic saints packed
lack of exercise. There are twenty mil
lions of church members in the United
States, mostly sound asleep. Not until the
Christian gives himself in a sympathiZing,
sacrificing and self-forgetting. happy life of
service to his fellowman will he prove his
sincerity and furnish that evidence which
the world demands"
The meeting came to a close with the
singing of the Congregational hymn at
the conclusion Of DR.. Peters speech.
Guests Present.
Among those present were: Rev. and
Mrs. NJ Ross Fishburn. Mr. and Mrs.
Charles S. Clark Mr.. and Mrs. A. c. Stur-
tevant, Mr.. and Mrs ]. c. Ewell, Miss
Grace Ross, Prof. ]. w. Chickering, Agnes
Kirkpatrick Smith, Charles A. Smith, Mr..
and Mrs. o. NJ. Mcpherson, Mr.. and Mrs.
Benjamin P. Davis. Benjamin w. Pond,
w. H. Written. jr., Miss A. M. Durham,
Albert E. Fisher, Norton M. Little, Mrs.
w. w. Beadell, Jerome F. johnson, Mr..
and Mrs. Herbert d. Lawson, Col. and
Mrs. John Tweedale. NJ. w. Baldwin, Mrs.
w. H. Chany, Mr.. and Mrs. P. w. Coleman,
Mr.. and Mrs. George E. Walker. Mr.. and
Mrs. Wilbur Hawxhurst, Mrs. William H.
Seaman, H. H. Fulton. Mrs. II. X. Fulton.
Mrs. c. E. Lyman, S. Toner Johnson, Geo.
Roadway, Mr. and Mrs. a. S. Caywood, AL
fred Wood, Mr.. and Mrs. Chancey o. How
ard, Mr. and Mrs. II. F. Chatfield, e. L.
Morris, II. ]. Nichols, Mr.. and Mrs. H. E.
Clafiin, Mr.. and Mrs. P. c. -Claflin, Mrs.
John F. Gibson, Mrs. q. o. Abbott, Miss
BERTHE Warner Mrs. William r. King,
Miss Florence King, Mrs. George Newton,
Miss Nellie Newton, Miss Alice Tucker.
Browning. NJ. L. Leonard. Mrs. A. r. Stu
art Miss Elizabeth A. Stuart, Rev. Ed
ward Halves, Mrs David P. Craig, L. w.
Tolman, Mr. and Mrs. D. w. Montgomery,
Mrs. NJ. J. Tully, Mrs. M. r. PIERCE, Mrs.
c R. Bradbury, Helen w. Davis and Mrs.
George j. Thomas.