The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-08-25

ness by the sight of monument. so
not be suggestive OF baseness. No
man who views piece of high art
in painting or sculpture feels like
swearing in it's presence, but is rath-
er awed into a spirit of reverence by
it's silent voice. Some may look at
the church spire and curse God or
abuse his neighbor, but the ediice
is suggestive of better things.
There is no intrinsic moral force
the house is made, but as the Lord S
table is associated with the death of
Christ, so the house of worship is
associated with righteousness and
is a continual reminder of the neces-
sity of the holiness in life. Towns or
cities without church buildings would
away from it's Incorporation, the
better class of society, If Longfellow
could find a song to stir the slumber
ing pulses in the building of a ship,
there ought to be material in the
construction of the humblest house
of worship for an inspiring anthem.
The church building converts wood,
brick and stone into gospel; it
writes holiness to the Lord on all
the material of which it is composed;
it consecrates things by setting
them to holiness. A church building
is an outward confession of faith it
has all the advantages of a printed
confession with none of its objec
lions. 1t breaches to every passer-by
faith in Christ; faith in God; faith
I, in christianity; faith in the life to
come.
Fifth: The church is a necessity
| because it is the medium through
! which man finds the fullest express
sion of his religious nature. Nothing
breaks up the fountains of the deep
like the old songs of Zion; the COM
munion of the saints and the pray
ers of Gods true men and women
| The sweetness and consolation of
this fellowship is indescribable and
passeth all description. The services
of the church for the dying can
| have no substitute, not that she
holds the destiny of souls in her
hands, but that when the ministra-
lions of all friends have ceased;
when the curtains of death are clos
| ing down upon the scenes of earth;
when the pulse is sinking into the
shades of silence as the dying tones
of an evening bell, the church thru
| her servants helps place the interest
of the soul in the great hands of
| God who has promised to go with
us thru the valley of the shadow of
death.
Let a man live as he may, when
death comes, if in condition to ex-
press a choice, he prefers to pass
out of this world thru the gates of
religion, therefore as long as sin re-
mains to sting the conscience and
i death to sever the fondest ties of ma
ture, SO long will there be a demand
for the services of the church Not
only the dying, but mourners find
consolation in the last sad rites per-
formed over their dead, The church
! steps forward with funeral SER
! vice consistent with reason, full of
admonition for the living; full of
consolation for the bereaved.
The church is the great factor in
bringing souls into peace with God
Not that the church has power on
earth to forgive sins, by its minis
tiers or its rites, but she has preser-
we'd to the world that faith once for
all delivered unto the saints.
| The church is the earthen vessel
which contains the gospel of our sal
walton. The church is like a candle
placed upon stand; like city that
is set upon hill, and with high, up
lifted hands, she holds out to the
world her highest moral standing,
her sweetest life and noblest desti-
ny. 1t is in the preparation of a soul
for eternity that the church rises to
the dignity of her being, towering
grandly above all competitors or as
| sociate organizations. When all these
shall have been forgotten in the
long dark night of the past the
church will be proudly floating upon
the bosom of eternity far beyond the
| fear of reef or shoal.
believe in the church because it
| is the only institution having definite
| connection with the heavenly
| world. / believe in the church be-
| cause it is the only organization
whose purpose is missionary.
l believe in the church because it
is the great friend, advocate, uphold
ler of law in the community.
believe In the church because it
is the greatest foe to evil in the COM