Evening journal., 1908-09-21
PASTOR HOPKINS
DEFENDS CHURCH
Continued From First Fase

Continued From First Page
church did not impart the imperfection,
II is laboring to cast It of; the world
objects to its own work In finding fault
with imperfectons in Christians, IL thus
condemns it's own proouct. Let men be
done with. this unfair criticism Of the in
sitution which more than all others Is
endeavoring TO make people better.
"Ihe church is improving al the time
Lately / read from an old minute of a
business meeting held in a Baptist
Church resolution like this: Resolved,
that our members furnish no more in
toxicating liquors at weddings, except
for those who came from distance
Imagine the need Of such an action In
Baptist Church today Why, in Pauls
time Christians. converted from Pagan
ism, became intoxicated at the celebra-
ton Of the Lords Supper Can you im-
agine such a thing now in a church or
Jesus Christi In the Church Of Corinth
fornication was committed and Paul said
to them: 'Ye are puffed up, and have not
rather mourned.' Such thing might be
committed today but not without mourn
ing and great grief to the rest Of Gods
people. This same Apostle says to some
new converts, let him that stole steal
no more" Owing TO the influence of
Christianity In our and many other
countries, such admonition is utterly un-
necessary now And yet some people are
continually telling us Of the good olo
days that are gone and are bemoaning
the present condition. do not desire
those times 20 return, ] am far better
satisfied with the PRESENT.
Cultured Ignore Church.
Sometimes the cuItered and refined
Ignore the church They claim to be able
TO get at home in their studies, from
books. all that their souls need. Such
people miss the Inspiration Of the con-
gregation that assemblies regularly in the
house of God; they also miss the lift
Of the services, and the books they read
are not saturated with thought growing
out Of and adapted 10 local conditions.
In their community Is a man who speaks
every Sunday with It's conditions well in
mind. IL is his business to apply the
truth to his hearers Sometimes men of
other professions ignore them mister
and his message because on other SUBJ
ieets than his they possess an equal
knowledge with himself He consults
them, never dreaming that he. though
having more or less knowledge Of their
work, knows as much as they. But they
do not always show him the same con-
sideration. Every preacher knows many
such men who do. the speaker remembers
now notable exception, a physician who
said he regarded IL a great privilege to
listen 10 a man speak on Sunday who
made a speciality of religion all the week.
ha
bound TO know more on this subject than
other men. This is not egotism, other
men could know as much II engaged in
the same profession. and the fact that
they become proficient in other callings
means that the major part OF their time
is spent in them. All men therefore
whose regular work makes specialization
in religion impossible, have need OF
what the minister has 10 say on this
most important Of all subjects. Every
man loses vastly who does not hear
regularly the gospel preached by a faith
full preacher. The church, in providing
this service for the community, Is abso-
lutely essential 10 the nobler making OF
its citizens
THE church deserves larger support
in every community. Every man inter
/
acter should at least be a friend of Il
and certainly every one who is favorably
inclined toward Jesus Christ, for he loves
the church we are told in the Bible, and
and Il IS the only institution concerning
which lie said The gates Of hades shall
not prevail against IT," One is in good
company who feels kindly toward the
church. When Jesus was on earth He
d .al.ra
gogue may by accommodation be so
termed. And it is one of the mightiest
arguments for urch-going today. that
even He listened TO lips Of clay expound
the old Testament.
Members Of fraternal organizations
should be friendly toward the church.
Let Il be remembered that these have
sprung into being since the church was
organized, and not before: they with
perhaps one exception. date their rise
on this side Pentecost. The church is
the inspiration Of all such modern so.
cieties. To harm It therefore Is TO cut
the top root Of fraternalism and char
ityl
"All classes Of people should he
friendly toward the church. Even those
religious sects which occasionally spend
their time in dividing IT, ought to re-
member that It was the visible church
that carried the glad tidings OF saliva
tion down through the ages. and even to
them. They had never known what sal
walton means had It not been for the
church which has been the repository of
the Bible itself
Sometimes the Salvation Army, or
mission OF some sort, is exalted above
the church because it is successful in
reclaiming occasionally a man far down
in sin. God forbid that 1 should eevr
undervalue that God-given work: but
do not people, in bringing the church into
unfavorable comparison with such in
stitutions, forget the many. many souls
Il has so fortified and strengthened that
they will never need their aid at all?
The church spends the greater part OF
its strength preventing iniquity; and
rightly 50, for an ounce of prevention
is worth a pound Of cure This is why
children should be brought In contact
with the church, and not simply its
Bible school but the preaching services
also. Many children attending only the
former drop out OF II after awhile, and
having no attachment to the latter, crift
away from all the services Of Gods
house.
Every one would be better off II vitaIly
connected with the Church OF Christ
II Is the window in the house OF human
life from which TO look out and see
heaven. John Bunyan styled the church