The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-19
ANSWER QUESTIONS
 AT MEMS MEETING
THREE QUESTIONS AT Y. M. c. A. YESTERDAY HAD TO DO WITH CHURCH WHICH MAN OUGHT TO JOIN.

The mems meeting at the Young Men s Christian association for the past two Sundays have been given up to asking and answering several important ques- tions J. F. Jackson. general secretary of the association, has been asking the questions, and William II. Stockham, president of the Stockham Pipe and Fit tings Co.,, has been answering them. while the audience has been joining in the dls- cussion, both asking and answering some of the questions.
 The following were those under dis cussion:
 Should man join the church before he has made up his mind to live a Christian life?
 Should man join the church if there are things in it's creed he does not be- lieve?
 Isn't 1t a fact that the church don't want the poor man?
 how good ought A man be before he goes into the church?
 Can man live a Christian life outside the church?
 What church ought man to join?
 ..e last three were the topic of con yersation al the meeting yesterday aft ernoon. At the beginning of the meet Ing MT Jackson reviewed briefly last Sundays questions and answers as fol- lows: Last Sunday We decided in an- swer to the question, Should n man join the church before he has made up ! his mind to be a ChristianT that he should not join the church until he has 1 fully made up his mind to live a Chris tian life. The next question. RAould a man join the church if there are things in it's creed that he does not believer was answered and we all agreed. l believe, mat if the man has a real desire 10 go into the church and live q Christian life, that he should not let the question of creed prevent him, but should have talk with the pastor of the church of his preference on the things he does not believe and have the matter straight ened out. As to It's being a fact that the church does not want the poor man, i this is lie out of hell. The church does want the poor man as well as the rich man"
 MT. Jackson then asked MT. Stockham How good a man ought to be before he Joins the church." MT. Jackson said that goodness of man could not be meas- ured by q fixed scale, like some things but that when man, no matter whether good or bad, was where he wanted to live a better life. he should go into the church.
 "Can a man live a Christian life out side of the church?' asked MT. Jackson. "l used to enjoy seeing a man walk the tlght-rope when I was d boy" answered MT Stockham, "and l remember this man used to have a balance stick that he would use awhile, then he would put the pole up and walk without fl 1 Now werent the chances for this mans i safety great deal moro when he had the balancing rod than when he was without It? Just so In the church life; a i man may live Il Christian life outside of the church yet If he Is trying to live l upright and make his life count for most he can do so much better when he Is ] affiliated with an organized body of men who are working 10 the same end" MT. JbGkhOH llifil Hl'llAlVil'b iifiAi J l Drummond. who was one of the greatest personal workers the world has eyer 1 known. This man. said Mir. Jackson
 was a great power for Christ, but ir my mind he would have been of a great deal more service and would have had a great deal more power had he united with a church of God This. I believe i was q great mistake of his life"
 The next question. What church ought i a man to join?" Mr. Stockham said that personally he thought we ought all to l join the Methodists another said we ought i all be Baptlsts Generally speaking, D added MT. stockham I've ought to joir ] the Church of God That question oi what church keeps q lot of men from l Joining any church. Some like the forms and ceremonies of one church. another may like the good ldtime fellowship 1 of another church. It Is a matter oi i personal choice. Every man must decide 1 for himself Join tho church in which you can be of most service; where the | best part of your nature can find ex- pression.'
 1 At the close of the discussion w. l.. c. Wailes, teacher in tho Payne Institute | Augusta, Ga, spoke few minutes on | Opportunities of Service" Mir. Wales | spoke of a minister fin mining camp ] who went about among the laborers. talk l ing with them as friend. This man s secret of success in Christ's work was | not his sermons" said Mir Wales, "bui l was in going from man to man fin kind l friendly way and showing them that he
 was interested in them personally. All of us have opportunities for just such | service If we will but use them. Our | talents are going to waste. instead of being used as God intended them to be.