The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-04-01

ence by and by. Inc most important
condition of both is unwillingness to be
taught The church, in its relation to the
world is as a regiment, with Jesus the
great victorious Commander, leading the
way. In relation to its membership it is as
a training school, where we are trained for
service and fitted for hyingei in time and
eternity. You'll not stay out of the
church then longer because OF this very
erroneous idea, that its members ought
to be perfect for you got the idea not
from the Word of God, but from your own
evil imagining. Even when the Master
said to His disciples, "Be perfect, as your
Father in Heaven is perfect" He really
said, be complete as He is, and when He
asked the rich young man if he would
be perfect, to follow Him, He really said.
if you will be full grown, if you would
cease to lack the one thing you now lack,
come and follow Me. The reason, then,
we want you in the church is that you may
help train us and let us help train you in
truth and righteousness. Nobody needs
the help of the church more than you, who
will not come in. If you still resist our
invitation to enter where you belong. be
more charitable toward u.s. anyway. And
if you will not ybe one of US, pray do not
obstruct our work by talking against us,
thus prejudicing the world before whom we
should stand in a good light that we may
do it good.
Your reason for remaining out Of the
church may be that of Biblical or doctrinal
difficulty. Many 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 has
said were it not for the Garden of Eden"
and the 'Deluge' he would accept Jesus as
Saviour. | know man who has lost his
religious fervor because he could not rec
ono;1o ho doctrine Of olaofinVN xxyith tho
freedom of the human will and the uni
versatility of Gods grace. And another
whose religious activities have been par
ayzed because he could not reconcile the
possibility of punishment of sin with the
all mercy, all love of God. Many such
assinine questions are Killing mems entnu-
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 foolshly.
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 believe
about the world, whether it is round or
fiat. 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 are
states of existence or fixed bodies. The
reason you give for not demanding infor-
nation about these questions of the Sec !
ular association, yet asking it of the
church. is that these are not builded on
these questions, while the church is. That
is where you are wrong. The church is
not builded on the integrity Of the story
Of Jonah and The whale. nor belief in the
Garden of Eden, nor even in the infallibil-
ity of the Scriptures, but on Jesus Christ
and Him crucifed. But you ask, do
not your members believe in these ques--
tons" I do not know, | 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 religiously as you are VINO remain
out of the church because of these ques-
tons. But if they love Jesus Christ with
ri their hearts, mind and strength, and II
ness in private life and make them eager
Tor the salvation of men. we would as
soon think of relinquishing our charter as
l Christian church as toseHpel such choice
souls as are they.
But fourth reason you ignore the
church of Christ is because of dislike of
certain members of the church. Else OF
is minister. This last reason is more prev
alent than you have any idea of, and until
human. nature is more sanctifled than at
present people will separate themselves
rom Ine cnuTcH loT tHls TedsoH' Dut a
,ne church fails you here is there no other
church, no other minister where you can
Worship at peace with God and man!
FOUR duty is to find such and go there;
f not of your own UNCONVENTIONAL order, |
hen of some other. rather than despise
he church universal and refuse it your
support. There is large difference be,
ween being at odds with some especial |
church and holding aloof from all churches |
hat
f you cannot walk in sympathy with some
me you are at fault if you do not walk
n sympathy with some other. In Brook
yn no one is forced to keep isolated from
II churches because he cannot live In har-
nony with some one church. If you can
lot conscientiously enter one, l repeat it,
-ou are at fault for not entering some
ther. AS for this church, if you will per-
nit me to say it, 1T has been during these
asst six years veritable haven of refuge
or those kinds of people. We have rented
nore pews to ind ba2tized more people
rom other denominations than those OF
UT own UNCONVENTIONAL faith and train
ng. Here are two pictures. You Will IN
family detect the more pleasing to gaze
pom. Here is person absentlng himself
rom all public worship, all Christian activ-,
,y. because troubled over some Biblical
nd doctrinal question, or because he does
OF like the church of his early choice, and
e is leading a bitter, self-centered, indo-
,nt existence in consequence. Here is an
Their who has a similar grievance, but
vercomes it for the Masters sake. He
elieves the Gospel to be the power of God
nto salvation He is convinced men are
,st without Christ He believes he is re-
ponsible if the light within LIN becomes
arkness. Therefore he continues to be
lentifed with that organization that rep
esents the kingdom of Heaven IN the
arth.
A woman told me while ago she 'oined
ne church because it was her duty and
IT no other reason. She did not especially
Ike the minister. She could not digest all
ne creed. She disliked some of its mem
ers and preferred the width of the avenue