The Daily Missoulian., 1909-10-25

Z tD punish Offenders. nor a court tn
protect the rights of property or the
sanctity Of the home 1t il rather
. divine power house where ideals are
implanted in the lives Of men and
women making them law-abiding and
/ upright because they love purity and
truthtulnesS, because they cherish the
nobility of womanhood and the
Sanctity 0f the home. and because
they love the truth Of God
1t is often urged against the church
as a criticism that it does not ad-
minister charity. or champion the
cause Of the oppressed. or undertake
municipal and national reform II il
not the object IF the church tn do
these things. But ii is the object of
! the church to touch men and women
with such divine power that they
each in his own sphere, will bring
about the needed in the lump: ii In
the dynamo furnishing the power to
run the worlds machinery Of advance
ment- There is already enough ma
chinery, enough organization. to make
over the world: wnat is needed IS
more power. The church il a center
and source of this power
Now how does the church do its
work of individual transformation? ?
OR how should it do this work? For
we must remember that we are deal
ing with ideals. and that Ike auv
other human institution. the church
fails To reach its ideal The work of
the church Is done hy its message
ana by its worship. Its message is
twofold one, rebuking sin and de
claring divine forgiveness. The mes
sage is to be given, also. in a two
fold way: by the voice of the pulpit
and by the consistent lives OF it's
members. Sin must be rebuked not in
pharisaicai, harsh manner. but
charitably and with the considerate-
ness; but nevertheless without COM
promise. And the message of Gods
redemptive love must be given with
never firing tenderness, and with
deepest human sympathy.
When men have been told of their
sins, and the love of God has led
them To turn to better things then
the church must bring them into clos
er touch with the ultimate source of
power by leading and instructing
them in worship. Worship is the act
OF drawing near to God; and II il the
'prerogative of the church to lead
men and help them in this most sig
hflcant of all acts. When the church
mad helped men and women TO come
face 10 face with God in reverent
worship it has fulfilled it's urinary
function. Thus ii appears that the
church is not the ultimate source of
4.
but is rather n channel through which
the divine power is liberated to enter
INTO mems lives. The ultimate source
OF power for the world of electric
energy Is the water which God lifts
by the power of his sunshine and
drops on the hills. whence it runs
downward to give it's power to the
dynamo. Similarly the ultimate
source of power in the spiritual world
Is God; and the church is the channel
through which ii runs TO transform
the hearts of men,
So after ALL what the whole world
needs is to come into closer touch
with God, To become more pure, more
thoughtful. more kind. more true and
honest. more helpful. more loving. and
1t is the function of the church to
bring men and women into lust this
transforming touch with God: know
ing that sociability. public morality,
business honor. and fairness and
Kindness in all human relations will
be brought about by the individuals
,hus touched and transformed. The
church Is like leaven which II woman.
took. and hid in three measures of
meal, till it was all leavened.