The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-03-31
THE PULPIT.
A SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON eY
The REV ST. CLAIR ~sSTsR.
Subject. Church and Family"

His subject was This Church and th
Family The text was from Ephe
SLAMS v:25: Christ loved the churcl
and gave Himself for H." Mr.. Heste
said:
IL is evident 10 any one readlng IN,
accounts OF the life and words OF Jesu
Christ while on this earth that il wa
His desire and purpose TO found a SO
ciety 10 represent Him, 10 preserve Hi
memory, 10 make known and carry ou
His viii. His mission was not intend
cd 10 be meteoric in characteristics 81
across the horizon of mans yision-as
tonish and puzzle by means OF miracle,
and wonders. and then disappear
leaving the darkness as il was befor,
He came. His coming and being in
this world was intended 10 make and
actually did make a difference. a great
difference. in the views and hopes and
motives and lives of those who came
under His influence. And He planned
that the moment He inaugurated the
work He started, should not come "a
end when He withdrew from the
world. and was 10 longer present in
the flesh 10 direct and superintend It's
extension. Furthermore. il was In bis
mind that His society was not only to
continue, but also 10 grow. TO enlarge
until IL should be world wide, until all
men should have opportunity TO enter
IFS ranks. Therefore il is that we find
Him solemniy addressing His disciples
and declaring that upon their con-
fessed faith in Him as the Son OF God,
having power 10 plan and execute as
~ % 4 - aB, n
tho the gates OF he'll the combined
powers Of evil, should not prevail
against IT, They have combined
against il and attacked il again and
again, they are still in bitter opposi.
ton TO il. but there is no sign of yield
iBg.
81. Paul says: Christ loved the
church What is the proof. the evil
dence. that this assertion is true? He
founded and established it-a man does
not build a house unless he thinks that
II Will be worth something. He Sc
lected and trained and appointed Off
GERS 10 be His successors and as His
parting instructions bade them go into
all the world and preach His gospel 10
every creature. He instituted and or
love rs continual reminders. as means
by which the souls of the faithful
might be fed and refreshed Finally,
as 81. Paul says, He gave Himself for
II; as st. Luke says, He purchased il
with His own blood. This is an abso-
lutte, conclusive demonstration. Great
II love hath no man than this that he
lay down his life for his friends. and
this is what He did for His church.
Oh, yes, He loved it,. Of this there are
many and infallible proofs. But how
about ourse.yes-orr love, yours and
mine? 1t suffers by comparison? Can
your feeling for the church Of God be
described by any such words as love?
Is IL not the truth that there is indiffer.
enCe. cold, callOus indifference. on the
part OF many and positive disbelief and
opposition on the part OF many others
in their attitude toward the church? =?
ANY one Of us could name a dozen H.
lustratiors OF it. We must admit IT,
Thousands never enter a sacred edIfice
Other thousands only occasionally as
curiosity or whim moves them. There
are some here tonight who so far as
any church connection is concerned.
may he described as irregulars and
neutrals, onlookers and outsiders.
Let me ask you in all seriousness.
can You imagine that this venerable
society. established az such great
cost. even the life blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ. has no claim on your al
leeianCeE The church is the institu-
ton, the organization of Jesus Christ
IS IL putting il too strong 10 say that
10 reject ii is TO reject Him? People
who think or act in this way do not re-
tect OF they do not realize the benefit
and blessing Christianity is to a coun-
try. or the church TO the family. No
nation or society of people have ever
existed on the face of the earth with
ont some form Of religion. Statesmen.
sOvereicns. empire builders. economists
have admitted and recognized it's pow
Pr, its value. have promoted it by
nvery means at their command even
when. in some instances. they did not
believe in il because they saw the ne
cesity Of il rs a ciyiliZing refining and
improving conservating element in hui
man society. Now. religion could not
i've and do its needed work among men
without an organization TO keep il
alive and carry on the activities. You
will understand and grant the impOr-
lance Of honesty and honor in our
business and industrial life Dishon-
asty, If the general rule. would mean
tbc wreck Of our whole financial sys-
tenn. the failure Of hanks. the breach
)f trusts. the refusal OF credit. defal-
'atiOn and distress. You understand
and Will grant the desirableness OF
high character, of personal and social
purity. the great benefit OF goodness
)n the heart OF citizens OF any country
lr community. We know what IL
means 10 have desperadoes. cutthroats.
ldultercrs and thieves the controlling
element in a town or city. You under
stand and grant that il is vital TO a
people Of n state TO be able 20 get jus
ice in the courts. To be protected in
heir property rights. and vital 10 the
existence OF a state that there should
De patriotism. industry and fidelity on
he part OF those who constitute its
All these things. all these
fundamental virtues We need and
must have in order TO live together in
'eace and prosperity, the church o{
iOd is designed and persistently en-
leavors 20 produce. The church is the
actory IL j may put il that way.
whose output is virtue. honesty. purity.
iindness. fidelity. principle. impressed
md built into the characters OF her
nc cmbers. producing these things as
veil and as abundantly as our com
nercial factories and mills produce
.teel billets. cotton cloth or tin plate.
N order that these moral necessities
nay exist and continue 10 be present
md 10 affect our social. industrial.
'olltical and family life there must be
IN organization to create and train and
ring them out. There can be 10 sue.
D -