The Washington herald., 1907-06-16

And 7 will say 10 my soul, Soul thou hast much
goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat
drink, and be merry But God sad unto him,
Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required Of
thee: then whose shall those things be which thou
hast provided Luke xii.l7-s.
To men inside the church it may seem
quite natural thing that the church and
its various branch organiZatons-charity
missions. Sunday schools. choir ministers
salary, and thousand and one things
should continually call for money. lay
men, that Is, those laymen who DO not
go to church regularly, seem to find that
this constant call for money CRATES on
them. Those opposed to the church as
representing a superstition which they,
the unbelevers. in their great wisdom
have outgrown. hold this demand for
money up. to scorn, and are rather in
cllned. in their cy:dclsm. TO declare that
If 1t were not for the money contributed
by the faithful there would be little pro-
fession Of religion.
And yet. even from the laymen's point
Of view il should be easy TO perceive that
in the life OF the true Christian there are
few activities so organically related to his
life as this of money. For in the case
OF the church the giving of money. freely
and according to ones means. is pre-
eminently a sign Of faith. To be a Chris
tian is to follow implicitly and without
question the teachings Of Christ, and the
words which precede this lay sermon
show what Christ thought Of the matter.
They. il must be remembered, We're not
spoken to the multitude, but formed one
Of those parallels addressed 20 His dis
ciples, a sort Of instruction in doctrine
which the disciples were to spread abroad
throughout the world after His work was
done.
Translated into our modern speech these
verses-which express an idea that runs
all through Christs teacbing-might be
said to declare that there are no dead
heads in the Kingdom Of Heaven" They
do sometimes get into the church. and
hope through constant attendance. pi1us
eXhortation, and long-winded prayer to
ind some mercy when the day Of reckon
ing comes, but il needs no theological
gr5 duate % recognize that this spirit. the
spi-it of trying 10 cheat will never get
any one very Tar on the road to salvation.
If man really believes; desires 10 live
according 20 His way and by His word
then he Will find that parable in ST. Luke
is not a hard saying, nor the ideal IL sets
difficult Of accomplishment. The man
who IS born into the church will share
with the churchs Founder the longing
for the redemption Of the world. and no
one was ever yet redeemed without some
sacrifice on the part Of the TedeemeE
There is by far too much cynicism about
this use Of money On the church. and the
attitude OF some laymen Is similar to
that Of the old Nirginian gentleman who.
10 his disgust found q notorious skin
flint and oppressor Of the poor elected
deacon. II became the new deacon s
dgty 10 pass the plate the Sunday after
his election and the old miser smiled as
he saw the Yirginiaa holding crisp
Gve-dollsr bin in his hand lie extended
the plate
one moment. please" said the Viz
ginian. what are you going TO do with
this money!"
Lend it 10 the Lord sir, said the
deacon in an unctuous way
All reto-ted the YirEiuian. putting
the bin back in his pocket, Il prefer all
things considered 10 hand il % the Lord
myself"