The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-21

| of letting his house He waste. if in an, \ degree having the ability, they fan | provide to the fun for the material re 1 qufrementE of the church. No enterprise [ can proceed successfully without money l the church as little as any other. Al abundant supply of money. representing the interest and love of the people. placed at the disposal of those entrusted wiif the administration and direction of tho activities of the church, means strength and effectiveness within the bounds ol tho field where money is required. A pro vision inadequate to the demands Of the situation, means unhappiness and discom. ! fort to those charged with the responsi' | billty of directing affairs. and feebieness and ineffectiveness in the enefgies that are actually put forth. There is world of sound philosophy wrapped up in the | command of God to bring all the titnes | into the storehouse' With strength In | the house. brought there by the opera | ton of proper feelings and princtpieS, there is little wonder that the windows of heaven are opened, and rich and abundant blessing poured out.
 Gods people are letting His house lie waste when the material equipment Of the church building Is allowed to remain | in any other condition than the very best demanded by the situation and responsi- biiities of the church and the ability of its members.
 This view has been repeatedly pressed
 upon the attention of this congregation.
 with q gratifying and encouraging re-
 sponse. We are, thanks to God, rapidly
 approaching the completion of our hopes
 and plans for a better equipment in ono
 important section of the church life. We
 shall soon be able to engage in the stated
 worship of God and the dispensing of the Gospel of His grace. under circumstances of greatly increased comfort and satis- faction. But there is another department of church activity. to the needs of which we have been too much oblivious. and which imperativcly demands. and must soon have. an improved equipment.
 'T refer. of course, to the Sabbath school and society work of the church.
 ''No doubt there are many who see no necessity for improvement. Who. possi- bly, because they have neglected to inves- tigate. see no requirement. for anything ether than we have had for years To their casual observation the work seems to be proceeding with its usual evidences of effectiveness. They have no fault to find. and see no reason for any change. Such need to be reminded that no church has a right to remain content with any
 
 wider and a stronger influence should constantly be exerted. A lengthening of cords and q strengthening of stakes should characterize the activities of the church that Is honoring God. To pro- ceed in one way, with the same propor- tions of work, and no improvement of appliances. simply because it has heen done before, is to pursue a course of in- expressible folly, and to incur a vast rumiahk nf atft1t Thno~ wyh al view do not ''see the multitude" and do not realize the obligations resting upon them toward the sinful suffering race. They do not hear the Masters command,
 Give ye them to eat," but are willing to let the hungry of this world suffer without provision.
 ''0thers there doubtless are, who feel that because good and efficient work has been done under existing conditions, 1t may still be just as well done. Their po- sitlon is sound but their view narrow. Our purpose and determination is as they suggest. We will do good and efficient work under existing conditions. But we could do our work so much better, and so much easier, If the appliances were bet ter, that 1t is a sin against God to be content with present conditions. We can worship God, and win souls in a barn, or even under the open sky. But because this Is a possibility is no reason why we should not be furnished with instruments that will make our work easier and more effective. A man of genius may be able to make any number of beautiful objects with the aid of only a few tools. ham mer, saw, and jack plane will do. But I have never heard this fact pressed as au argument for deptivfng the average carpenter of the chest of tools which he mas found will make the exertion of his strength infinitely more effective. The progress of the world has been largely along the line of improved machinery for utilizing the strength of man. One man now often does the work of ten, or even of fifty in former days. No one wants to
 go back to the old days in the world of constructive energy So no church has the
 right to say to it's workers: You must continue to use this meagre and unsuited Equipment because others have, done good
 work with 1t. To persist in such a course
 Is to let the temple of God lie waste. "In the department of church life now under consideration there Is an insistent demand, not only for better equipment,
 but for more abundant manning. In
 this work the most forceful and efficient
 clements of the church life should be
 found. This Is true in our case to a
 large extent, but not yet in any church
 to the point that should be reached.
 We need the forceful, energetic, wise,
 efficient men and women of the church hore. and not always are they to be found.
 'In every congregation there are men
 of magnificent mental and moral quality,
 of high standing and wide influence, and there are women of graciousness and po- tency. who are practically limiting their
 activity in the church to twd or three hours week spent in attendance upon the public worship Their enArRv ahliitv
 and interest, the sum of the potential of
 their life, is being devoted to their pro-
 fession, their business. or tO s1ctal life. What are these doing but letting the tem-
 pie of the Lord lie waste. while they are turning every man unto his own house" ''In the pursuit of our subject, however.
 we must not forget that other and even
 more important aspect of Gods temple on earth, the spiritual house, formed out