Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-05-28

Is TO seek and to save that which Ii
lost; II 1t is to take away the sin o.
the world" and not merely to ''keeI
away from the sin of the world" ther
here are these great problems before
her, and some others perhaps W.
might catalogue did time permit; bui
here are these-the driving out of de
ceit and the bringing in Of the region
Of truth, truth in the inward parts
and not merely on the outward sur
face, the cleansing Of our great mod
ern cities from the power and pollu
ton Of sin, the righteous adjustment
Of the industrial injustices and differ
ences, the conversion of the heather
world and the overcoming of the pow
erful inertia, of Indifference in thu
lives of those who ought to be ablaze
with enthusiasm In the service of Their
Lord and Master. These are vast un
dertakings; they call for supreme
faith and undaunted heroism.
Now, the question Is how is it all te
be done; what Is the divine program
for accomplishing these great ends
There Ia right way and wrong way
to go about 1t, and the marvel is that
after almost nineteen centuries OF
clear teaching az to the right way We
should continuously be drifting into
the wrong way for accomplishing
these vast ends and bringing in tht
reign Of the kingdom Of God. Let us
look at the wrong way for just mo
ment in order that we may see more
clearly the right way. The wrong way
is simply to tell the world in cold, de
mandatory, belligerent tones what II
ought to do; to stand either In the
pulpit or the marketplace and with
frown on our faces tell men they mus
stop lying, must stop deceiving, must
stop vicious practices that debauch the
public morality, must stop industrial
injustices that cause great islands OF
wealth to rise beneath a chosen few
in the midst of a sea of poverty; tc
tell the heather worlds coldly and I'm
sympathetically that they must throw
aside their idols and their supersti
lions and adopt our religious ideas; tc
tell the great Indifferent world that il
is it's duty to wake up; to continually
cry aloud in nagging, whining, i'm
predatory tone against all the wrongs
Christianity ought to correct, is th'
wrong way to accomplish this great
work; 1t will never do any good, but
upon the other hand, it will do positive
harm 1t will never bring to solution
the problem. Simply to tell a man II
superior way that it Is his duty tt
do a certain thing scarcely ever 1mpels
him to do 1t; perhaps he does not fee
that it Is his duty; then to tell hin
he ought to feel it, or he is not
Christian, Is simply no argument a
all. By what power or what method
or what law, then, are we going tt
impel Christian people to the accom-
plishment of these great tasks; to en-
ter these great open doors OF oppor
tunity; to the acceptance of these vas
responsibilities? How are we going
to send thrill through the greaT
Christian army that shall send it forth
a conquering host to the mighty tasl
of bringing in the reign Of righteous
ness and peace and love and goodwill
to men? How are we going to inspire
the hearts of our own division Of this
great army to lift up the banner of the
cross and literally conquer this com
munity for Jesus Christ, and rear here
a temple for his worship and service
that shall be an abiding and enduring
force in this city's life for all time to
come? How are we going to send q
thrill of power through the splendid
machinery we have created through
the centuries that shall set it definitely
and effectively to work to the accom-
plishment Of the splendid work fol-
which it has been created? How are
the funds to carry on our great mis-
sionary enterprises to be secured with
out eternal and everlasting shame
faced begging? What is the method
by which the whole splendid Christian
machinery can be set in motion in &C
cord with the great ideals and the
overmastering mission of the Master:
/ am aware that great enterprises can
not be carried forward without splen
did financial support, but if we place
the emphasis on that side of our work
only if we make of the church only
great collection agency, a solicitor OF
funds, we will eventually defeat the
very ends for which it was porn. You
deacons and trustees of this church
do you want to make it the most sig
nally aggressive force for righteous
ness in this city? Then let me talk tc
you a moment; the prevailing impress
sion the world seems to have of dea
con In these days is that his business
is to pass the contribution box and OF
trustee that his business is to see
that there Is something for the dea
con to collect in his box. Do you want
to destroy that impression in this com
munity, at least; then you get togeth
err; there are nineteen of you; take
unto yourselves few more well-knowr
stalwart men of the congregation, max