The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-10-16

4AEfC LA4GAL AAAe@A4s A44l4-F@o We Of this generation need more than the power of self-discipline. An! God, help us to see that 1t isn't the whole Of life to have this thing, or to do that thing. which gratifies the desire of the passing moment, but that a large part of life is to do something which may cost some effort, but is worth the do- ing. The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
 But now we come to the result of the proper observance of Sunday as it con- cerns the church. Of course l don't recognize Sunday as properly observed unless worship is a part of that obserV- ance What, think you, will be the ef- feet upon the church as worship be- comes more and more neglected? We'll present conditions answer that ques- tion. Do we not know how godly men have been hoping and praying for a re- ligious revival, how with upturned faces and ears attent so to say they have been looking and listening for some sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees?" It is all right to say that God will take care of His church, but God expects you and me to help Him.
 The influence of Gods church in the world depends upon its efficiency, and it's efficiency depends upon you and me. Are wo doing all we can to make it ef- ficient? Are we teaching by our exam pie that we believe that the worship of God in Gods house on Gods day is the most natural and an essential eXpres- sion of vigorous Christian life? The church isn't advancing as it ought to, and I will tell you why. We who are in it lack the enthusiasm which must be back of every successful enterprise, whether secular or religious. Apathy will kill the best cause. Zeal will bring victory to poor cause. Now, as kaye said, churchgoing is not the whole of religion, by any means, but you and I know that the church will be judged among men generally by the interest which it's members manifest in it, and certainly churchgoing is not the least important way in which that interest is manifested. Doesn't the church suffer because of the secularization of the Lords day? To ask the question is to answer it.
 But, lastly, what is the result of the proper observance of. Sunday as it con- cerns society? The neglect of anything which contributes to the strengthening of the forces which make for righteous ness is bad, but what shall be said of the neglect of that which pre- -eminently contributes to the strengthening. of those forces?'. Worship Is of no5value saYesas it gives, a man a clearer knowl- edge of God, and fits him for the sue cessful battling with the forces of evil in him and around him, save as it gives him strength to "do exploits" And will any one be so bold as to say that the present offers no, opportunity for doing exploits? He will certainly have no disposition to say it if heSis as stu. dent of current events. Wherever. we look we see our modern life defaeed by ungodliness, and it may not be without its significance that just when men everywhere are lamenting the growth of indifference to religion there should be a succession of revelations, shocking in the extreme, because of the pitifully low standard of morals which has been found to exist among men, not simply in the lower walks of life, but occupy ing positions of vast responsibility. The wanton disregard of religious obliga- tions on this day necessarily means the weakening of religion as an uplifting, enriching and refining force in society, and that means the debasing of our moral sense.
 'The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" An, yes! and right here in Gods house, and at Gods altar, is where they come to know their God. And what are the ex- ploits which men are to do? Nothing very romantic perhaps, but exploits none the less. 1 don't know of any greater exploit for men of these days to do than to assist in whatever way is possible to tone up the moral standard and lift society to a nobler plane. am not worrying so much about the quan- tity of the race as I am about the quail ity. And, judging from certain pro- nounced tendencies, I think we may well worry about that. Socety needs men, as never before, with power to
 think and do what is right; needs men of high ideals who will not "bend to mean devices for sordid end;" needs men able to rise above the tyranny of wrong and injustice, and strike mighty blows for righteousness-in short, needs men of God. Does not the proper ob- servance of this the Lords day have some bearing upon the supplying of that need? I think it does. We can't do exploits without strength. Now, our text tells us that "the people that do know their God shall be strong" Of course there is more than one way in which we gain our knowledge of God, but if worship means anything at Ell 1t means this--that through it and by means of it we gain our truest and full est knowledge of God.
 And this is the day of worship. Christian people, as you value your own individual welfare, as you value the welfare of the church, as you value the welfare of society, guard and cher ish this day. Use 1t as day of physi- cal recreation-yes, but, above all, use it as the day of spiritual recreation, the day in which to gain such knowl- edge of God as will give you strength to do exploits. o Sunday,
 "Thou art a day of mirth;
 And where the Week-days trail on ground,
 Thy flight is higher, as thy birth;