The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-03-18

thus prejudic,ns the world before -hcr we
should stand II good hgh' thai we Nay
do . good.
Ycur reason for remaining out oi tho
church may be that ot Biblical on aoCtr,nal
difficulty. Many G man us losing his sc-l
not beCaus, ne cannot ttleve "a CHRIST,
but because he cannot believe ~ Jonah
and the whale. More than one man has
said were u not for the "Garutu Ct Eden
and ;he neluge he would accept Jesus as
saviour. | know man who has lost h.s
religious isrvor because he could not rec
oucils the doctrine OF election with the
freedom Of the human WI and the uni
versatility of Gods grace And another
whose religious activities have been pN'
alyzed because he could not reconcile tht
possibility Of punishment OF sln with the
al mercy, all love OF God. Many such
assinIne questions are killing mems enthu
slasm for the work ot the Lord. IL those
inside of the church are influenced thus
We need not wonder that Christians out
slds Of the church question SO ioohshly.
Those same men never think of question
ing what the president and officers OF the
club, or Masonic order or Odd Fellows
organization 70 which they belong believe
about the world. whether II - round or
fiat or whether Jesus created IN slN days
or IN GOO years, OF 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 fog not demanding lnior'
nation about these questions Of the sec
ular association. vet asklnc II OF the
church, rs that these are not buIlded on
these questions. while the church II. That
rs where YOU are wrong The church II
not builded on the integrity OF the story
Of Jonah and he whale, nor behei m the
Garden Of Eden, nor even IN the iniailihll
ity Of the Scriptures, but on Jesus CHRIST
and Him cruClhed Iut You ASK, Dc
not your members believe IN these Ques.
tions" | do not know, | am sure. j
would not be surprised 20 find MANY who
do not VIII we not eNpel them les, u
we find them as indolent and good Tor
nothing rehglously as YOU are who remalp
out of tie C1nrch because OF these QUs
tions But If they love Jesus Christ with
all their hearts, mind and strength. and n
that love inspires them towards righteous
ness in private life and make them eager
for the salvation OF men, we would as
soon think OF relnQulshing our charter a.
a Christian church az 10 eNpel such cholct
souls az are they.
But fourth reason you ignore The
church of Christ II because OF dlsnke OF
certain members OF the church. Else OF
It's minister This last reason Is more prev,
alent than YOU have any idea of. and unu.
human nature - more sanCuhed than AT
present people Will separate themselves
from the church for tins reason. But y
one church fails you here II there no othei
church, no other minister where you can
worship az peace with God and man
Your duty j. 10 find such and go there.
If not Of your own denomInatonal order
then OF some other. rather than desplst
| the church universal and refuse II your
support. There Is a large difference be
tween being at odds with some especial
church and holding alooi from all churches
because not IN harmony with that one
| Ii YOU cannot walk IN sympathy with some
| one you are at fault IT YOU do not walk
| IN sympathy with some other. In Brook
| lyn no one If forced TO keep isolated from
all churches because he cannot live IN har
mony with some one church. ii you can
| not Conscientiously enter one, | repeat IT
YOU are at fault for not entering some
| other As for tins church, # YOU VIII per
! mt me 10 say H. II has been during these
| last SIX years vcrItablc haven OF refuge
| for those kinds of people We have rented
more pews TO md baptized more people
| from other denominations than those ol
| our own denOmnat tlonal faith and tram
| ing. Here are two pictures. You VIII IN
stantly detect the more pleasing TO gaZ,
! upon. Here II person absentlng hmkeu
! from all public worship, all Christian acuv,
lty because troubled over some Biblical
! and doctrlual question, or because he does
! not like the church of his early choice, and
! he ~ leading bitter selt-centerCd, lndo'
| lent existence IN consequence. Here u an
other who has similar grievance, but
oyercomes II for the Masters sake. lie
| believes the Gospel TO be the power OF God
! unto salvation. He u convinced men are
! lost without Christ He believes he ls re-
| sponsble lf the light within Lam becomes
! darkness Therefore he continues 20 be
! identified with that organization that rep
resents the kingdom OF Heaven IN the
earth.
A woman told me a while ago she 'oned
! the church because II was her duty and
! for no other reason She did not especially
! like the minister She could not digest all
| the creed She disliked some Of ITS mem
! bers and preferred the width OF the avenue
| between herself and them, but she pro-
! fessed 10 be a Christian and believed her
| place was IN the church rather than out:
| For fifteen years she renamed outside ana
| criticised 4 barren, unsatisfactory splr-
! itual life was the consequence. She en-
| tered finally for ChrIsts and her children
| sake. and the last year had been the hap
! pest and most profitable OF her existence.
! DO You believe lu Christi Would you
! honor Him. Your place ls inside the
| church OF Christ ar truly a. the soldier y
| place is inside the regiment, or the sailoT =
/ on board ship But, you cXclalm. the
! creed. the doctrines, the membership, the
! minister Well then, seek the church you
can fellowship. even though outside your
! denomination and If no such church can he
| found take 30. rself speedily TO Jesus
! Christ. Go into your closet and shut TO
! the door with your preIudIces on the out
| side Then fall upon your knees and pray
| 10 be converted all over again. Some ~
US YOU know. need TO be converted more
| than once Even the seventy tunes seven
recommended by the Master IN the Oldcn
times Let God ovcrrule your preJudces
and food your heart with His grace:
| Then 90 IN the spIrlt OF little child and
ask admttauce OF the nearest Christian
church Let nothing stand between you
! and that important obligation. That DIVINE
privilege, that necessary discipline, that
priceless JOY.
Trium phi Through Adyersiiy.