The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-06-08

poor are uiamed TOR the chtirch-s tntidplify
The church ought to be on the firing line
where the need is greatest. Instead it is
too often found in the rear, caring for the
wounded, no do bit, aud occasionally urg.
ing back the frightened or forward the
straggers. The crowded districts where
the streets are full of bo and girls are
the church's responsibility. To betake it,
self TO the suburbs and leave these children
in the streets. saloons and tenements is to
offend Gods little ones And the Master
SAID about such one that it J. bette that
milestone were hanged about his neck
and he was drowned in the depth of the
sea.
The second hing | want o think about
this morning with you is the church's op.
portunlty to help the children OF oir
streets
This opportunity is orly limited by the
number of men and women who are will
ing to take real interest in the cnudren
aud by the space YOU have to use Give
these children a chance to get OH. of the
streets and away from the bad influences
into wholesome environment of real
warm'blooded people and good books and
amusements and fun giving rccrCat tions
and the" will come to the church in
stampede. Their hunger for ennobling
friendships is one of the most pathetic
things | have found in my ministry. and
also one of the most inspiring
Oh! the splendid opportunity for you all
to fulfill your responsibility for these bows
and girls OF our streets il here In the
boys Cubs is the chance for YOU Young
men to preach the gospel to our lads, not
by speaking sermons. but by manfosting
to slcm through your many sympathy
AMI interest, your courage and your truth
fulneSs. YOUR honor and your uprightness
the Christ you love and follow. Christ
may be preached to these b6vs with the
hn. ,yIT nt.I Al
carpenters tools and the football teams
with more power than bv sermons from a
pulpit. In the sewing school is the chance
tor YOU voun2 women to preach Christ not
by words OF religion but by your beautiful
friendship for the lilt.c -''', who come in
eager to receive that Which their homes
are uuab,e to give them. Ia the Sunday.
school Is the chance for you Young men
and young women, and older ones, too. to
gather once week "A little group about
YOU and lead them through the wonderful
story OF Him who came to earth to be our
servant and yet was King Eternal, and
then through the alchemy of the influence
OF your lie. move them to love honesty,
purity. goodness. man. Christ and God
Nor will | admit the oder peoples chance
to preach the living Christ. There comes
before me the picture OF scene in n men 3
club IN certain parish house where
professor OF political economy met in
perfectly natural way brakeman on the
Pennsylvania road, and both men came to
see that great labor problem more clearly,
and had more Of the Christ tolerance than
ever before. And | know of women who
have found through the Girls Friendly So
clety the chance to preach the living Christ
so effectively that girls have risen up and
called them blessed among women"
The few hours given to such work in a
single year seem very powerlass beside the
nf har ,,l IL.
both day and night, week in and week out,
IN vacations as in working or school days
But. thank God, a mans life is not an
equilibrium OF forces, a resultant of houses
and environments. In every soul is the
thirst for righteousness which can be
aroused by bringing it face to face with
righteous HE. There is a contapion in
goodness as there is in badness. Arouse
those dormant faculties in every soul, and
they. with Chrst's help, will counteract
all the influences of house and street,
This Is the opportunity of the church to-
day IN our crowded cities. BY meeting it
the church will find, what every individual
VINO has so met opportunity finds, that it
gets by giving and has a firmer hold than
ever on the realities of truth and life
Call such service what you will-though
] personally hate the trite phrase institu.
tonal, for | am pleading Tor work alto.
gether personal, the touch ,of life on life
but you must believe that the church
which assumes this responsibility and
meets this opportunity is following the ex.
ample of the Master. When Christ came
to earth to lift men up to God He took the
form OF a common man. He might, We
say, have gathered the Jewish nation int,
some great plain and revealed His mission
in the sight of all with such glory that all
must bow the knee before Him. He might
nave come with angels straight from heav.
en- and swept men irresistibly into His
train. What He did resembled neither of
these, but Soir is the way for us to follow.
He was among men as a servant. By His
life of service, now with sermons, now
with deeds but always with life spread.
ing contagion of love- courage, hope,
maniness, sincerity, He, the servant. so
profoundly touched the hearts of men that
men have risen up and crowned Him King
of Kings and Lord of Lords.