The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-11-30

listen 10 religion for nearly an hour
on the sands ut CoEey Island there is
nroof that religion is not dead. The
Christian religion is not dead. but men
;;Te not going to the churches for II.
Put it in books. and men will read
it: preach it in theatres. and crowd
will flock in; practice. it in social set
tIement. q labor union, hospital, asy-
lums. and waiting lists are needed.
What is the matter with the Chris
tian church that it does not impress
the world as it once did? Labor lead
ers will tell you that it is class affair
and belongs to the employers. Social
lists answer that it is the bulwark OF
the modern capitalistic organization of
society with which they are at war.
Scientific men reply that it has no love
of truth for truths sake. While the
great mass of men outside will tell you
that they are not interested. This hour
and a half each week of hymns and
nraver and sermon does not seem to
them to be a vital thing. To hear some
sneaker who can touch the heart or
head they will come, but not for the
church as church.
If the church is class organization
it's love is not Christian, for Christ's
love knows no distinctions. II the
church, as socialists claim, is merely
poulticing wooden legs in its charity,
then it has TO love Of fundamental
Christian brotherhood. If the love OF
truth is wanting its love Of God is q
sham. What the church needs. II
there is much or little in this criticism,
is not multiplication OF its philanthropy
les. nor concentration Of them into
few that would compete with the state
and stamp their character more firmly
on the world, but a filing of the church
itself, of you and me who do spend
this hour here on Sunday ard have as
sumed membership in the church with
the love of Christ. go.
Let me try to tell you what that
love is A man once went to Chrlst
with the question, who is my neigh
Dor? But the Master gave no answer.
He was not interested in knowing or
showing who our neighbors are. What
He showed that man was how he
might become neighbor. He, told
that man the story of the good Sa-
maritan aud said to him and to us
"Go thou and do likewise. Do not
stand there asking who is thy neigh
bors, Be on the lookout for some one
to whom thou canst show mercy ana
goodness and so become a nelghbor"
You can put no man outside the field
Of your mercy. Even though man
may hate you, and be your enemy,
Jesus says the great duty for you is
to seek him and do him good. II ne
rejects you and will have none OF
your mercy and goodness. your efforts
should not end. You can at least pray
for those who despitefully use you
and persecute you.
A member Of a certain parish once
told me that while he wanted the
church to reach the poor, he did not
want the poor to attend the same serV-
ice that he attended or sit in the same
service that he attended or sit in the
same seat because they were too odor-
ferrous. I suppose this person stands
in his modern temple and exclaims:
"God, I thank Thee that am not as
other men are-unlaundered and un-
washed, even as that poor man yonder.
I bathe every morning, wear two
collars a day and use patent prepara-
tionS for my teeth and face" Such
cleanliness is as near godliness as the
Pharisee in the Masters story OF the
publican was near the kingdom OF
God. Suppose that man is unwashed
and his presence is disagreeable, the
thing for you to consider is not what
he is, but how you may become neigh
bors to him. Introduce yourself. Be
come his friend. Show him the ex-
ample of cleanliness and goodness. and
the time will come when you can make
him clean and Godlike.
On the night before He died He laid
aside His robes and washed the apos-
ties feet, to show men that the great
est is he who serves the most. and
that no service, however menial, is
too low for even divinity. Whom do
YOU and I love to honor? The man
who serves or the man who rules:
Whom do we initiate? Those who
lead in business and society or
those who serve? Until the men and
women in our churches honor the
Christ as He who serveth, not by
singing hymns and saying creeds, but
giving and doing likewise, the church
may give money generously and en-
ploy costly choirs and pulpit orators,
but it will not impress the world.
And then for those without there
must be goodness Of heart. That the
Christian church is undergoing the
severest fire of criticism since the
early days is manifest to anyone who
reads. Much of the criticism is just
but much of it is unfair and one
sided. Some requires that the church
should listen patiently and acknowl-
edge what is just. and to those who
hate her should she return good for
evil, blessing for cursing, beneficence
and intercession for persecution. No
heart that is susceptible to the divine
can long withstand the love that seek
eth not her own.
A picture has been on exhibition in
England and has strongly appealed
to the Imagination of men. 1t is en-
titled, "Is it nothing to you, all ye
that pass by?' Christ stands on ped
estal before st. Paul's, as he stood
before Pilates palace, with hands tied
over head crowned with thornS. While