Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-12

plain that David himself was not one OF
them. But Paul must surely have been
we'll acquainted with several families who
made a practice of staying at home from
church Sunday. Some did 1t, as they do
today, just because they got out of the
habit of il when they moved from the
old home church. and no one called upon
them. so they never started in to get &C
uuainted In new church. Some likely did
it because they were out of sorts with
some of the other members. 1t Is plain
to see that was vital question, for Paul
pointedly remarks: Let us consider one
another to provoke unto love and good
works. and then follows II with that
strong injunction: Not forsaking the as
sembling of ourselves together, as the
manner of some is, but exhorting one
another"
And so if Mrs. Peter did not like what
Mrs. James Mrs. John had said about
her, or the way they had looked at her
contribution to the missionary box, or X
Mrs Paul thought Mrs. Peter was too
worldly. and had no right to be teaching
the Bible class and setting herself up for
an example to the young people when she
went to questionable amusementS some
times, these Christian women had no
right to therefore absent themselves from
meeting together with the Lord in His
appointed tabernacle at His appointed
time, for the fact that others were to
meet there whom they disapproved gave
them no excuse.
Young people today are greatly affected
by this excuse. who goes to Christian
Endeavor now?' they say when asked to
GO do any of my set of girls attend?"
or "Oh. don't want to go to that church
or Sunday school any more. / wasn't
treated right by my teacher" Such eX-
cuses will not stand before God.
There Is a grave fault in many Chris
tan Endeavor Societies. and that Is their
disloyalty to the church of which they
rl,sc tny, Ey,I0 ,rr
Society is not club by itself, 1t is a di-
vision of the church. and is meant to help
along the work Of the church and1 to
promote church attendance, not to take
the place of it, The Christian Enoeavorer
who works with great zeal for his society
and then stays away from the regular
church, services is doing more harm than
good by his zeal in the work, for he will
provoke criticism at once from those who
are inclined to oppose the society. and
more than that he is breaking his pledge
which distinctly says: Il promise to sup
port my own church in every way. es-
pecially by attending all her regular Sum
day and mid-week services. unless pre-
vented by some reason which l can con-
scientiously give to my Savior And
how would some of our excuses stand?
Would 1t do to tell Him that We had to
go home to study some lessons for Mon
day which ought to have been studied
Saturday when We were off having a
good time? How would a headache do
as an excuse for not attending church
when We had gone to a symphony con-
cert with a headache just as bad the
night before? And would you like to tell
your Lord that you stayed away from
His house because you did not like an
other of His children who would be sure
to be there and make you uncomfortabl BILE
by snubbing you: or ignoring you?
Some earnest Christian Endeavor work
ers make excuse by saying they have to
attend to Christian Endeavor work, by
going to other meetings at that hour
than to their own church, but except in
rare instances where a worker holds
district office and is appointed to meet
with different societies. 1t would have
a better effect If he did his work at an
other time. and not when 1t necessitated
his staying away from his own church
1t is directly opposed to the object and
PRINCIPLES Of the United Society of Chris
tan Endeavor for a member to stay
away from church except when 1t is an
solutely necessary. Therefore. we need
never expect to commend our society If
we make practice of going home after
the meeting instead of staying to evening
service or. if the Christian Endeayor is
held on week night. of choosing TO ar
tend it instead of the regular church
prayer meeting.
Applied Truth.
d. L. Moody said II remember blaming
my mother for sending me to church on
the Sabbath. On one occasion the preach
er had to send some one into the gal
lery to wake me UP. 1 thought 1t was
hard to have to work in the field all the
week, and then be obliged to go to church
and hear a sermon 1 didn't understand
l thought I wouldn't go to church any
more when l got away from home; but I
had got so in the habit of going that |
couldn't stay away. After one or two
Sabbaths, back again to the house of God
l went. There l first found Cnrist and
have often said since: .Aother. / thank