The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-04-15
Wednesday,, April Is. 1908.
Joining the Church.

We q q well considered article from our
esteemed nelghbor, the Yurkvil'e Enquirer
as to church, 9TH ,ers." But Will
some OF which we would dissent. namely;
"The justification OF themselves" In not Joln
ing the church. Our tes.im Jay wouio oe
that at least some men who ara out OF the
church are afraid 10 take the communiou uo
worthily. The penalty fer so doing 10 gres',
while there Is no specific curse PRONOUNCED
upon a man for not partaking OF the Lofo
snnner. A man outside the church may %
as conscientious as the one in the cnarcn'
and that consclentiousness on his part may
prevent his assuming the risk oftaKlng Tue
communion unworthily. This editor taxes
no stock in pleading the short comlngs o.
others as an excuse 10 stay away
from the communion.
II the rules are appli,d strictly there are
few of MS who are blameless In our thougnts'
and in our actions. And unless q man tnlnRs
he can measure up to the requirements IL
NAV be better for him not to take the rlsR
No matter how sincere the effort to live as
free from Gin as possible, yet 1t Is true that
the evil that IL In the hearts OF otners "ilie ~
able them to see faults in US. "IhouSn thou
be as chaste as Ice and as pure as snow. 'hou
shalt not escape calumny." WHAT seems u
us as wrong In others, may not do violence
u their copsciepc es. In religion eud In NOR
Ais W e cannot excel along all the lines. but
as q rule, we are so TO speak, specialists. For
1 Instance: One man, possibly IN the pulpit
m az disregard the command not to take up
On his lips the name of the Creator, except
in reverential awe. Hemay make q football
or playthlng OF the sacred name, by using IL
from half dozen times to hty
times In one half hour. This habit usually
cbars ~c,erizes the conduct OF SO called eVange
lists and pastors who neither study. nor write
their sermons. Another man, possibly IN
the pulpit, or among the high officers OF the
CD urch, may be scrupulously Careful along
the lines of violating the against
the irreverent use OF the Name. but he may
he careless in the matter Of paying his debts.
In trade or in business affairs q good brother
may not quite understand the rules OF lair
dea ling as between himself and others. In
RELIGIOUS worship these men may SIT hign
nm In the church on days OF worship, but the
Door creatures though just as conscientious,
who feel their imperfection may sit ftr back
He needs to have his hands held up, and feel
ING that need shrink from assuming 10 Sit In
pIa aces or to occupy positions hat would sub
iect him to heartless or to unjust criticism
"Despising a cheat and hating hypocrisy, they
know their own imperfections, hey have mol
the courage to place themselves where otnefs
may feel the right to oversee or 10 critieise
them unmercifully and uDjustly.
That the best men in the world are In the
church It would be needless to deny. That
there are among them plenty OF wolves IN
sheep's clothing is q self evident fact. II IN
the church The sheep and the goats were
separated, the sheep pasture would have gra'
zing ground to let. The goat pasture would
have to be enlarged. II the same division
was made out side the church there might be
In some instances vacant room in the
sheep pasture.
A hypocrite or a thief may join the church,
and sit high up in the syn agogue while an
honest man hesitates.