The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1904-03-18

| when you criticise the preachers mes
/ sage that you may be criticising the
! very words that God has given him to
deliver to you.
Avoid Flippnnt Criticism.
Honor Gods representatives in the
] Christian pulpit and in the Christian
choir loft If you would honor Christ
in the church. Mr.. Champion, the
botanist, tells us that in his eXplora-
lions through Panama some of the
most beautiful flowers growing there
Immediately die and become withered,
shriveled, brownish weeds as soon as
plucked by the human hand. The
beautiful truths of the gospel as floral
treasures will lose their power to help
and serve us if with rude. irreverent
hands they are torn from the pulpit
and choir loft and submitted to harsh
and fiippant criticism. The minister
ing hands of the church service, scat
tering the good seed which may be
sown in our sinful hearts, may not be
perfect hands; but, for the time being
at least, such hands should be consid-
cred as representing the hand of God.
John McNeill the Scottish evangelist,
in late address illustrated the impor-
lance OF the respect which should be
shown in churches to Gods ministers
as his representatives. He said, Zone
of the greatest powers of spiritual
strength which came to Scotland in
the days that are gone was due en-
tirely to the respect which the Scottish
congregations gave to their Scottish
pastors" When all Edinburgh went
forth with tears and lamentations to
bury Thomas Chalmers the people did
not feel they were honoring Thomas
Chalmers so much as the Christ of
whom he was the earthly representa-
tive
"Not criticise the church music or the
minister's preaching! Why" some one
says, that is almost an impossibility. |
Some church choirs smash every law |
of musical harmony. Some ministers
are absolutely stupid. They are i'm
practicable men-men of no force, with
out any two logical, consecutive
thoughts" That is true, my brother.
discords than their musical PROJECTIONS.
Some minister's mental depth it does
not take a very long line to fathOm
But can give you this as my own per
sonal experience never entered any
church with the spirit of God in my
heart, to try to consider the leaders of
that service, Gods representatives,
without receiving great spiritual good
out of that service. In contrast to this
statement l never entered a church
building with the spirit of criticism in
my heart but found something to crit
icise about the minister and the service
before l got through with it, and, fur
thermore, when did enter service in
~. s. nit of criticism 1 always found
that / received more harm from that
service than good. If William Il. Glad
stone, with the greatest brain in all
England, could sit Sunday after Sun
day in the little church of Hawarden
and get spiritual food from young, in
experienced rectOrs who came there to
break for him the dread of life," sure
" you can afford to honor the minis
.ers of Jesus Christ as Gods represent
ltives.
Respect Gods Presence.
But behaving yourself Alright in
.hurch implies not only due respect to
Gods presence, in whose sanctuary
you assemble, and to his representa-
ives there, but also due respect to the
strangers who come in to worship with
'ou al your church affairs. 1t not only
means that we should bow before
fod's affairs and in reverential tones
ay, Our Father" but it also means
hat we should give a warm, loving,
christian welcome to Gods children
Who would sit by our side. 1t means
hat no church is a consecrated Chris
ian church unless all the men and wO-
zen alike, whether clothed in silk or
n homespun, whether rich or poor,
whether master or servant, shall be
ordially greeted with an open church
DOR and an open church pew.
Christian etiquette should run exact
? along parallel lines with social Ell
uette. Suppose am invited to your
ONE to visit for a week. Surprising
t this country house party you should
ave ten or fifteen guests, including
ONE of your own children. Suppos-
lg at this house party / should be
ude to one of your guests or make fun
your old mother because she muir
cred the kings English OF because '
be once did her own washing. What
rould you do? Would you consider I
lie one of your friends2 Would you '
ay, "WeIl, If you don't like my mother a
T my children / will turn them out of t
oors in order that you may feel lit D
lie happier?" oh, no; you would rath
II say: what is good enough for my
mother and my children is good enough
or you when you are in my house
When you are rude to my kith and kin
nd loved ones, then You dishonor me-
10 the members of congregation can )
lot honor God unless at the same time :
hey are ready to welcome and honor :
II of Gods children, no matter tO :,
What social caste they may belong. :
Honor the Church. 4
But, though Christian etiquette il
he house of God should mean much +
ow many churches are sinfully trying q
0 become the churches of class instead E
( the churches of great Christian n
Can we not, one and all
re large hearted enough to know that q
here is only one true gospel aristocra T
y, and that belongs to the noble serv. q
ng class which Jesus described when q
e said, whatsoever will be chief +
mong you, let him be your servantT h
IS you would never be rude to my
hid because you love me. so may we r