Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-03-18

without receiving great spiritual good
out OF that service. In contrast 20 this
statement I never entered church
building with the spirit OF criticism In
my heart but found something TO crit
icise about the minister aud the service
before ! got through with II. and, fur.
thermore. when did enter service In
the spirit of criticism l always found
that received more harm from that
service than good. IL William Z. Glad
stone. with the greatest brain In all
England. could sit Sunday after Sun.
day In the little church OF Hawarden
and get spiritual food from young, In
experienced rectors who came there to
break for him the bread of life" sure
ly you can AFFORD to honor the minis
tiers OF Jesus Christ as Gods represent.
atives.
Respect Gods Presence.
But behaving yourself Alright in
church implies not only due respect to
Gods presence in whose sanctuary
you assemble, and TO his representa-
tives there. but also due respect to the
strangers who come in to worship with
you at your church affairs. II not only
means that we should bow before
Gods affairs and IN reverentiaI tones
say, Our Fathers but II also mea rs
that we should give D warm loving.
Christian welcome 10 Gods children
who would sit by our side IL means
that no church rs n consecrated Chris.
tan church unless ali the men and wo-
men alike. whether clothed IN silk or
In homespun. whether rich or poor,
whether master OF servant SHAH be
cordially greeted with an open church
door and an open church pew
Christian etiquette should run exact
~ along parallel lines with social Ell
quette. Suppose ! am invited to your
home to visit for a week. Surprising
at this country house party you should
have ten or fifteen guests. Including
some OF your own children Suppos-
ing at this house party | should be
rude to one OF your guests or snake fun
Of your old mother because she muir
dered the kings English or because
she once did her own washing What
would you dor Would you consider
me one OF your friendsf Would yor
say. well. IL you don't like my mother
or my children ] will turn them out OF
'"ors in order that you may feel a lit
tie happierT Oh, no; you would rath-
er say: what is good enough for my
mother and my children Is good enough
for you when you are In my house
When You are rude TO my kith and kin
and loved ones. then you dishonor me-"
30 the members OF congregation can
not honor God unless at the same time
they are ready TO welcome and honor
all OF Gods, children. no matter to
what socialcaste they may belong.
Honor the Church.
But. though Christian etiquette 10
the house Of God should mean much,
how many churches are slnfully trying
70 become the churches OF class instead
II the churches OF q great Christian
1emocracyt Can we DOT. one and all.
be large hearted enough to know that
there lie only one true gospel aristocra.
CT, and that belongs to the noble serv.
Ing class which Jesus described when
he said. whatsoever will be chief
among you. let him be your servantT'
As you would never be rude 10 my
child because you love me. so may we
la our church etiquette never cast a |
slur upon Gods children, May we new
er jostle or push any one away from !
usl We should all belong TO the gospel |
clan We should feel that we are all |
brothers and sisters In Christ and that. !
therefore. by the gospel Preside there |
shall be plenty OF room for all the |
members Of the gospel family.
Lastly, refined and cousecrated |
church behavior Is demonstrated as
much I'm the way q congregation dis |
perses as In the way IL assemblies. III
make social call upon you and you !
are polite and respect me, you do not |
try TO show your impatleuce even |
though l do stay little longer time |
than ] ought. You do not cape and |
yawn and take out your watch again |
and again TO look what time IL may be- |
You do not get up and go out into tho |
hall and put on your overcoat and then |
hold your hat In your hand as though |
you were ready to run away at the first |
opportunity. IL you acted thus would |
certainly take the hint and leave as
soon as possible. Neither should you |
be rude in church etiquette.
During the last part OF the sermon |
you should not be signing and turning |
around to watch the clock. During the |
last hymn and the last prayer you |
should remember that you are there TO |
sing the praises OF God. to hear his |
message or to commune with him, and |
you should not meanly steal that time |
away from him TO button up yout coat |
and FIX your wraps and put on your I
gloves. From the beginning OF the |
service TO the end you should honor |
the church. the church altar. the ser.
mon and the music. because In so do !
ing you are hOnoring Christ.
AS We began with the words, THAT |
thou mayest know how thou oughtest |
to behave myself in the house OF God" |
let us close with the psalmlst's words /
which he wrote for the temple when |
David sang. Il was glad when they |
said unto me. Let US go into the house |
or the Lord" He meant it. Let us |
prove by our actions and our observ-
auce OF church etiquette that public |
worship is not a drudgery and a repul- |
sive slavery. but a joy. happiness
and an opportunity for continuous Cos.
pei pleasure. Let us worship 1.-The Lord |
in the beauty OF holiness with refined
and consecrated church manners,
Copyright. 1904. by Louis Kiopsehl
school Children Indfautned