Evening journal., 1907-05-21
BEST THING
CHURCH DOES
Rev. DR.. Murray Summarizes
AlSWeTS Given 10 His
Letters

Il washington Heights NJ. i. Church
on Sunday the Rev. Dr. W. /. s. Muir
ray preached on the subject What is tie
Best Thing The Church is DoingY lie
enumerated several things ehc church is
accomplishing. HIS text was. Thou shalt
see the good Of Jerusalem all the days tf
thy hfe." Psalms leS: IS In part Dr. Muir
ray said:
Jerusalem was to the Jew what the
church is to us. The assurance was daqt
he should see the good. No one W IN op, n
eye can fail to see the good tie church
doing. One of my correspondents says of
the five questions this one is the most diff
hcult to answer. The church s doing good
in so many lines it is difficult TO discrim-
nate and point cut the best. The fol owirg
fairy summarizes the answers given.
The best thing tho church IS doing is
saving souls. The church is the only soul
saving institution. For this purpose tie
church has been divinely established.
There are some who doubt the divine
establishment OF the church, but Daniel
Webs.es knew il must be divine because it
had stood SO much poor preaching. and it
may also be added poor helrng" Other
institutions educate, reform and help. but
the church is the only soul saving insiitu-
ton.
Saving Souls
James, the brother Of Jesus sad: Let
him know that he which conver;eth tile
sinner from the error of his way shall
save soul from death and shall hide
multitude of sins" Another good thing
thee huroh has done is to make IL poss.b c
for all other fraternal organizations to es-
ist But FOR the church they had never
seen the Light of day. They are all found
cd on some precept or principe OF Gods
word or need of humanity and should
never be substituted for the church, but
auxiliar'es in Safeguarding humanity
One Of the best things the church is
doing is its effort to help every man to
do what is right Another wIo;e, sending
money and missionaries Ito the heather.
They may not want the churches help
but they need It. The individual or the
church so helping the hoathen is dong a
most unselnsh work for neither can ex-
pect return The reward Is in the thought
of doing good. The heather are the great
unwashed and need soap and the gos-
pei disnfectants and instructions and
those who provide them are showing a
Christ-lilIe spirit
Against Local Option
The church's battle against sin is the
greatest thing in my judgment writes cne.
Dishonesty. impurity and intemperance
have in the church a relentless foe The
great temperance cause has its greatest
champion
The local opticn movement among us
has had its leadership in members and
ministers Of the church Of God The great
est and most effective temperance crgan-
ization in bhis eoun;ry is the w c r. U
which was born of prayer offered by the
followers Of Christ. Incompetence is
mans greatest enemy and the church is
humanlty's greatest friend. Her greatost
work is not i'm codling saints but in
moving in a militant manner against sr.
Another writes out Of the fullness Of his
heart when he states. preaching the gos-
pei is thee hurch's creates wcrk. Max
ing known to all the Fatherhood Of C d
and the Brotherhood of Man. Weaving
Gods spell about the hearts Of men
Charming them so that they leave the vle
and cling TO the virtuous. Drawing men
so that sin becomes repulsve ana right.
eousness attractive. There is too much
religiosity and not enough religion; too
muoh tlnsel and not enough gold.
Training the Young
Almost all united in saying the greatest
thing the church is doing is training TIE
young.
The Sunday school work occupies a
conspicuous place in the chuIchs work
It is better TO form and Inform the young
than to reform those of ripper years who
have been left TO the dcforming Influence
OF sin. The possibilities Of the future
church are with the young of the pres
ent What wonderful things we seel The
botanist has illustrated it with a single
grain Of corn. How small in size, yet how
potent in poss biltiesl For instance he
has said that one grain of corn under fav-
oring seasons and soil for eight years
would produce during the eight years
planting bread enough to feed the world
for one year. If such possibilities are
wrapped up in so small a gem as that
In a grain Of corn what are the passibfl-
tiles Of a child trained and taught in the
way of the Lord.
Next Sunday evening closes a most sue
cessful series, when the reasons for men
not taking more active part in church
phens' Glee Club Of Wilmington High
School viii sing.