The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-09-25

mently We pray. The nnal testing IS
the testing of service. Do You wc-,.
as you pray? Do YOU warm hearts
as well as benches? Do YOU make
souls 10 rejoice? Do. YOU regard
yourself not as your brothers keeper
so much as your brothers brother?
Are you true 10 Christ? Have YOU
ksennsss 10 serve the King?
WHY call We Ne Lord. Lord, and
do not the things which | say?" The
question is as timely and applicable
as IL was when il was propounded.
For there never has been time when
the church more largely was cogniz-
ant OF the ineffectualness OF lin serv-
ice and convinced OF the need for re-
sultful and helpful labor than she is
to-day.
The Protestant church is IN danger
OF becoming nriest-ridden-the worst
that can befsl the ORGANIZATION OF the
cnurch: ridden with a priesthood
shorn OF compulsory authority and
In whom the authority of the Christ
is too Drecariouslv admitted 10 re-
side. The laitv of Protestanism are
TOO largely guilty OF hiring men TO
do their work for them-at salaries
on the average that are an insult 10
the Lord whose WORK thev send their
employees 10 do-rather than OF CALI
ing leaders whose business II shall
be 70 direct the energies, rebuke the
sins, vitalize the virtues, clarity. the
thought. inspire the minds. intensity
the spiritual conceptions aud percep-
tions OF the sons OF God who are
members OF the church OF Christ.
The church of Christ is ful, OF niea
and women who have their hsmeB
upon its rolls for no better reason
than that il is politic or .proper ey
polite or profitable socially and .cona,
mercially so 10 he enlisted. And the
consequence Is that enthusiasm has
gone out of the most of the meetings
OF the. church the" gatherih gs' foe
PRAYER are generally so drv and cbld
and uninteresting that they! ane "a
distress to earnest pastors and q, rfr
Election not only upon the intelligence
and spiritual experiences, hut ALSO
upon the. gratitude of. toe, churGhs ~,
The reason for this IS not" TAR ~
seek. The laitv. ard not infrequent-
ly the clergy. bave been 10 busy seek
ing material success that" they ksve
had no time 10 serve the Lord, aftey
the manner OF the Master. The, dol
lar has supplied so many wants that
men have ceased 10 feel the pressing
need for spiritual supplies, 1t has
been declared impossible for q nation
to believe Christ disarm ana be pbe-
served against the rapacious agres-
sious Of the armed. Business nRp
have declared it impossible TO FOLLOW
Christ and succeed The, hest we
have done. till. very lately. IN the
management Of criminals has beeh
a. - xtk
OF the lex talionisLthe lowest law OF
Judaism-is rampant in the. settle
ment OF disputes between nations and
nations. society and its members. In
dividuals and their fellows, We haye
forgotten the God Of life in the ~
cellency of our livings. We have
prayed for reforms that we have
neither advanced. expected or de-
sired. We have thanked God for ,&he
might of His power while fearful, tp
trust His suficiency against the on
slaught of Satan, We. .haYe talked
brotherhood and practiced an indi-
vidualism that has brought sorrow
Where there IS no need for aught but
Joy, and strife where cooperation
would more thoroughly fulfil the
plans of God, by and with the, con-
sent-tacit or active-of the church.
The situation cannot endure. The
church must reform or relfnquish her
claim to primacy and 10 the privil-
eyes of leadership. Saying Lord.
Lord" will make her acceptable
neither TO coming generations norto
her bridegroom. Vain repetitions
are valueless TO produce results. Ac-
tion only is qualified 20 transmute
ideas into achievements. To do His
work we must do His will.
Jesus gives us a picture or the end
OF the institution or the man guilty
OF lip-service or OF lukewarm adher-
ence to the propagation OF the truth.
Not every one that saith unte~Me.
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the King
dom OF heaven. but he. that doeth the
will OF NV Father" He forecasts
thefatei OF those inslncete and paltry
Christians. who stand before Jehovah
at the great assize.
II is TO be hoped that Jesus pic
ture will not prove a photograph OF
us. II is not necessary that II should.
We shall be recreant and without ex-
cuse If IL shall so prove TO be. No
man and no church need call upon the
Lord in vain. He who hath called us
and upon whom we call Is both Will
ing and able TO perform through us
effective service for the welfare and
the salvation OF individuals and the
race. God summons US in Christ TO
supreme labor. He provides contem-
poraneously the power necessary TO
succeed. He energies and verifes
and inspires and enthuses every soul
and every society that with high de-
sire and dedicated purpose calls upon
His name.
Not Lord. Lord" but Lord, here
am I, send me-" what wilt Thou
have me 70 do?"
Brooklyn, y. Y.