The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-03-09
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. w. NJ. REUHCACE.
Subject: True Mission of the Church.

Brooklyn. n. Y-For the first sermon
Of his pastorate of the Unity Unltar-
ian Church. the Rev. W. n. BrundaSe
took for his subject Sunday morning
1.-The True Mission Of the Church.
The text was from I. Timothy Ill:
13: "The church Of the living God"
In the course of strong sermon, list
ened to by large audience, he said:
From the conditions which prevailed
q few centuries ago. when the church
was without q rival to contest its au-
thority, to it's present condition. when
it must contend with numerous COM
petitors for the very right to exist.
humanity has taken long stride for
ward. Freedom has come to be more
than a mere name. Multitudes of peo-
ole have seriously begun to think and
act for themselves. Less and less is
the church able to live upon it's record
in the past; more and more has it be-
come manifest that it must Justify its
continued existence by the work that
1t does, by the service that it renders
to society. Unless our churches OF
every name can be brought into vital
and helpful relations to the real life
of the people, they are doomed to per-
ish. The traditions of the past cannot
save them. Their service in the past,
great though it has been, cannot JUS
fify their present existence. DO they
minister in an essential manner to the
best life of to-day? An affirmative an
swer to this question constitutes their
pply. justification. Brotherhoods, clubs,
nhilanthropic associations without,
number are competing with them' H.
braries, newspapers and perlodlcals'
and educational institutions are doing
much of the work which they once
did. work that was formerly left ex-
clusiyely to them. We find nothing IN
the origin of the church that entities
II to claim a divine right to persist.
II it persists it will be because it does
better work for society than any
other institution can do.
;. What is this work that the churches
are qualified to perform better than
other institutions? Can they feed the
hungry, clothe the naked, Visit ana
comfort the sick and sorroWlng, care
for those who are in prison, minister
to the orphan and the outcast, IN hne'
engage in all sorts Of strictly phllan-
thropic activity better than multi
tudes of existing benevolent instltu-
lions? Certainly the churches will
continue to do such work as this, be-
cause they are organizations OF those
Hho love and serve their felloWmen.
But clearer and clearer does it become
manifest that other institutions can 90
most kinds Of ofphilanthropic work as Well
rs, if not better than, the churches.
On the whole, the great fratern-
fies everywhere established in our
times can do it better. The organized
charities of our cities, the prison re-
form associations, the humane socle-
ties and others can do it better, more
economically, more effectively.
Can the churches, however, continue
to maintain themselves as centres for
the propa CATION of great dogmatic sys-
TENS or. on the other hand, as centres
of mere protest against the dogmatc
systems Of the past? I do not believe
that they can. The forum for the dls-
ussion of such systems is being rap
IDLY shifted from the pulpit to the
press. The great magazines and re-
Fiews and religious newspapers OF our
time afford a more favorable heid TOT
their discussion, while the masses OF
the people care less and less for them.
incidentally the churches will continue
ITO urge upon their people what they
believe to be true philosophy of God'
Of the universe and of man, but THIS
work alone cannot justify their con-
tinued existence.
Neither as purely sacramentarlan n
stitutions can the churches long retain
their hold upon any large numDer OF
the people, because with the growth
and extension of Lew knowledge the
claims of sacramentarianism are rap
idly becoming discredited. what is
called "the high church reaction" so
widely known is after all but a reac-
ton and cannot be permanent IN It's
influence. 1t is but a return to tne
childhood of religion, and the thinking
world demands the religion OF man.
Can the churches, however. continue
to maintain themselves as soclai cluDs,
as organizations of coDgenial people
who come together to enjoy one an
others companionship?
But when there are 50 many sOclal
clubs in every community, membership
in which can be restricted to people
of congenial tastes and kindred pur-
suits as membership in even the most
exclusive church cannot be, DO NOT
believe that the churches can long
Justify their existence as the mere COM
petitors of these clubs.
Has the church then outlived Its use
fitness and is it about to pass away!
Certainly not, if it arouses itself and'
becoming conscious of its true mission,
resolutely devotes itself ." its dis
tinctive work. This, I believe, is what
the churches can do better than any
other institution-they can and do, IN
multitudes of instances, act as great
inspiration centr.s ministerinC TO the
life of the spirit. to the life Of the
ideal, to the life Of God in the soul OF
man. They come into vital md helpful
relations with the people \ just so
as they inspire to high thinking and
feeling and loving, in just so far as
they inspire and quicken the religious
life Of the community.
Let the churches, therefore. ceaSe
regarding themselves as authoritative
ecclesiastical institutions. authorlta-
I've sacramentarian or dogmatic in
Stitutions. and become free democratic
religious societies for the propagation
.e o,,ro ond undafi]ad religion for in