The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-05-09
ESSENCE OF CHURCH GOING.
RET. DIR. BEARDSLEY,S SERMON
 ON TIMELY TOPIC.

-e- D@A. D-<- e-U -S~~ -@~ >S -0~@~.--
 ON TIMELY TOPIC
 Discussed the Causes for Decline in Att
 tendance at Chureh-MateriaI and
 Not Spiritual Age-PeopIe Don't Feel Need for Religion as fin oIden Days. At St. Thomas Episcopal church yes terday morning the rector, Rev. Will liam A. Beardsley. preached an inter- esting sermon on the topic 'The Es- isenee ot Church Going" The subject was discussed from the text Tt is more blessed to give than to receive" Acts xx. g. Rev. Dr. Beardsley said that this is very much more of a material age than in years past. and the people do not feel the need of religion now as then. The young men have differ lent environments and are offered coun- ter attractions which appeal to them more strongly than do the churches and church services. The sermon in full was:
 Act xx. s5.-"It is more blessed to give than to receive
 Let me. hasten to say that this ser mon has nothing to do with money. II would only be natural for you to 1 jump to the conclusion that money is to be its subject. from the feat that the words O. the text are associated with money through their use as one of the offertory sentences. But it is not about money that I want to speak now. I am employing those words to Suggest the subject. The Essence of lChurchgoing One inclined to be fa- cetious might say that as so much is said about money in our churches it is the essence Of church going And it does seem sometimes as if it held a larger place than it ought in the work of the church. 1 confess to feeling lit- tie annoyance as I read the church pa- pers directly after Easter at the prom thence given to the Easter offering, as if that were really regarded as the test of q good Easter am not unmindful of it's importance of what it means per- haps to the fife and work of the parish but l do feel that more is said about lit than Is necessary; that we are in danger os putting too much stress up- lon it. But this is aside from my sub ject. though of course 1t bears directly lupon 1t.
 Now, before we pass on to our sub ject, jet us hastily glance at the words of the text. They are interesting from the fact that they are quoted as our Lords words. and yet they are mo- where found among the reported say lings os our Lord. They occur in St. Pauls charge to the elders of Ephesus. He is returning from his third great missionary journey and has arrived at Mile.us. From there he send to Enhesus and summons to him the eld- CTS of the church. He wished to stop lat Ephesus. and was sorely tempted to do so. bu the was anxious to reach Jerusalem in time for the feast of Pen- tecost, and so resisted the temptation. But the boat had to stop at Miletus, which was thirty or forty miles from Ephesus and accordingly St. Paul avails himself of the opportunity to see and consult with the officials of the \ Ephesian church. A message dispatch ed to them as soon as the boat touched at Miiltus would speedily bring them down. IL was very tender and beau tiful charge which St. Paul gave to those Enhesian elders. It is said that this is the only speech recorded in the Acts of the Apostles which we can be sure that the writer heard St. Paul make. This is probably the reason why we have it somewhat in detail, and why it is so marked, as it is, with ex- pressions that are to be found in the Apostles letters. Of course St Luke employed his own diction or that of his authorities, when he was giving the abstract of speeches. St. Paul closes his address with these strong but beautiful words. And now. brethren. I com mend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you UT land to give you an inheritance among lall them which are sanetified. I have Icoveted no mans silver, or gold, or ap- lparel. Yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with Ime. I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to sup bort the weak, and to remember the word os the Lord Jesus. who said
 It is more blessed to give than to re- ceive.' When he had finished speak. ing he knelt down and prayed with them. It was a most pathetic scene, and one which nobly witnessed to their affection for Him. They were over whelmed with grief at the thought that they should see His face no more. Anc that they might not lose one look or one word before they were forced tc