Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-09-17

Ice and convinced OF the need 1or re-
.ultful and helpful labor than she Is
to-day.
The Protestant church Is in danger
Of becoming riest-ridden--the worst
that can befal the organization OF the
church; ridden with a priesthood
shorn of compulsory authority and
In whom the authority of the Christ
Ia too precariously admitted to re-
side. The laity of Professionalism are
too largely guilty of hiring men to
10 their work for them-at salaries
On the average that are an insult to
the Lord whose work they send their
employees to do-rather than OF call.
Ing leaders whose business 1t shall
be to direct the energies, rebuke the
sins, vitalize the virtues, clarity the
thought, inspire the minds, Intensity
the spiritual conceptions and percep-
lions of the sons OF God who are
members of the church OF Christ.
The church of Christ Is full OF men
and women who have their names
upon its rolls for no better reason
than that It is polite or proper or
polite or profitable socially and com.
mercially so to be enlisted. And the
consequence Is that enthusiasm has
gone out OF the most Of the meetings
Of the church, the gatherings for
prayer are generally so dry and cold
and uninteresting that they are q
distress to earnest pastors and a re-
Election not only upon the intelligence
and spiritual experience. but also
tIbon the gratitude or the church.
The reason for this Is not far to
seek. The laity, and not fnfrequent-
ly the clergy, have been so busy seek.
ing material success that they have
had no time to serve the Lord after
the manner of the Master. The dol.
lar has supplied so many wants that
men have ceased to feel the pressing
need for. spiritual supplies. 1t has
been declared impossible for nation
to believe Christ, disarm and be pre-.
served against the rapacious agrees.
sions Of the armed. Business men
have declared 1t impossible to follow
Christ and succeed. The best we
have done, till very lately. In the
management Of criminals has been
to jail or execute them. The spirit
Of the lex talionis-the lowest law OF
Judaism-is rampant in the settle
ment Of disputes between nations and
nations, society and Its members, In
iividuals and their fellows. We have
forgotten the God Of life In the ex-
cellency of our livings. We have
prayed for reforms that we have
neither advanced. expected or de-
sired. We have thanked God for the
might of His power while fearful to
rust His sufficiency against the on.
,laught of Satan. We have talked
brotherhood and practlced an indi.
vidualism that has brought sorrow
where there Is no need for aught but
10y, 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 relinquish ner
claim to primacy and to the priVil-
eyes OF leadership. Saying Lord.
Lord" will make her acceptable
neither to coming generations nor to
her bridegroom. Vain repetitions
are valueless to produce results. Ac-
ton only Is qualified to transmute
Ideas into achievements. To do His
work we must do His will.
Jesus gives us picture OF the end
Of the institution or the man guilty
Of lip-service or OF lukewarm adher-
ance to the propagation OF the truth.
mot every one that saith unto Me.
lord, Lord, shall enter into the king
dom of heaven. but he that doeth the
will of My Father" He forecasts
.he fate Of thofe insincere and paltry
Christians whj stand before Jehovah
1t the great assize.
1t is to be hoped that Jesus pic
lure will not prove a photograph OF
is. 1t is not necessary that 1t should.
We shall be recreant and without ex-
.use IL 1t shall SO prove to be. NO
nan and no church need call upon the
Lord in vain. He who hath called US
md upon whom we call is both will
ng and able to perform through us
effective service for the welfare and
he salvation Of individuals and the
ace. God summons US In Christ to
supreme labor. He provides contem-
poraneously the power necessary to
succeed. He energies and verifies
and inspires and enthuses every soul
md every society that with high de-
lire and dedicated purpose calls upon
His name.
Not Lord. Lord" but Lord, here
I'M l, send me-" What wilt Thou
have me to do?"
Prooklyn N Y