Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-11

shown that it pays the denomination
to organize and cooperate with 9TH
ers. That was only incidental, ror
that which pays denominationally Is
secondary to that which pays in the
advancement Of Gods kingdom
throughout the world.
The Organized Sunday School Move-
ment, II entered into heartily by all
Christian people, will concentrate the
energies of the entire Christian world
on the performance Of a common task
which brings us to the real aim OF
Sunday school work, namely: teach
ing the word Of God, leading souls TO
a personal acceptance Of the Saviour,
and developing Christian character.
A thousand streamlets trickle down
the sides of the everlasting mountains
and hills and wind their way like sill
yer ribbons through the verdant val
leys. Not one Of these streamlets has
sufficient volume to turn a spindle or
carry a boat Moving forever toward
the ocean, these little streamlets join
forces and form river. The volume
of the river as 1t moves onward Is
continually augmented by new tribu-
taries. Soon 1t has grown In volume
and power sufficient to turn the great
mills which dot its banks, and long
before 1t empties into the great ocean
1t is large enough to carry on its bos-
ON great ships, bearing the commerce
of nations But for the union Of the
little streams, the factories could new
er have been turned, or the ships
borne up by their waters. There are
problems before the Christian world
which no denomination working alone,
can solve. There are foes that must
be met and put to flight, which will
require the combined strength OF all.
The task is Of such magnitude as to
call for not only the united efforts OF
all Christians, but the unreserved CO.
operation of the great bodies into
which our distinctive beliefs have d.
vided us.
Which is the stronger in America,
the intrenched interests Of the liquor
traffic, or the combined power and
concentrated energy Of the Christian
church? These great evils exist In
organized form, because the church OF
God allows 1t, and for no other rea-
son. If the Christian church were
united and properly organized, with
one stroke of its mighty arm 1t could
blot out forever from the face OF the
earth the highly organized interests
Of the liquor traffic, the gamblers, or
any other kindred evil. What would
our country be IL none Of these great
evils which distract our youth, ruin
our homes, rob honest people and
make life miserable were suffered to
exist? Let the church OF God on
platform of beliefs which are common
to the entire Christian world get to-
gether, work together, and the victory
over these great, worldwide evils will
be ours. Our Leader Is omnipotent,
and II we will but follow Him, laying
aside our wrangling, and doubtful dis
putations, we cannot fail.
The tremendous power derived from
the Uniform Lesson System and uni
form methods, Is so great and far
reaching that the human mind can
neither comprehend nor estimate 1t.
Instead Of several hundred lesson
systems, gotten up and foisted upon
the public by irresponsible men and
publishing houses, the great Sunday
school army centers its mind upon one
selection of Scripture every Sunday,
and the lesson editors everywhere
working upon the same topic, are en-
abled to give each other invaluable
help. To those who doubt the value,
or to put 1t stronger, the absolute ne
cessity Of this movement, let me make
this proposition: Disband the Inter-
national Sunday School Association
and all Of its auxiliaries, and let
whomsoever may desire select and edit
Sunday school lesson helps. What
would be the results? Well, 1t Is
needless to say the number Of lesson
makers and lesson editors would be
legion, and that in a very short time;
and everybody, everywhere, with ev-
cry kind of religious opinion imagina-
BILE, would have the right to make and
sell our Sunday school literature. Un-
der glowing titles, and apparently
harmless in make up, the unorthodox
would have their systems for the gen.
eral Sunday school world and these
of course printed as neatly as could
be, on the very finest paper, and at
the very lowest prices, would catch
some of the unwary in every denom-
ination. The results would be just
what the sainted B. F. Jacobs, when
the desire for the uniform lesson took
hold of him, saw coming to the great
Sunday school world; chaos, confus-
ion, misunderstanding, error, and ef-
forts absolutely devoid Of progress.
Not only should we fear the unortho-
dox, but since the great whisky inter-
ests of the country have been able, In
every prohibition campaign, to secure
some man, styling himself preacher,
and who Is willing to go about the
country advocating whisky interests
and trying to prove by the Bible that
1t is all right, could they not have a
system all right in every respect except
an occasional sentence which, shrewd-
ly and cunningly tries to make the
impression that the Bible does not
condemn their business, but justifes
the keeping on hand a small quantity
of the products Of their distilleries and
breweries to be taken occasionally for
the stomach's sake, and to enliven
conversation by taking from 1t every
vestige Of meaning. Have we not
heard and read the great crusade
against the acceptance Of tainted mon
ey by church institutions? If the Inter-
national Sunday School Association
were disbanded and the Uniform Les
sons dispensed with, would 1t not be
quite probable and really would 1t not
be very shrewd and cunning method
Of those who offer the churches taint-
ed money to have a splendid Sunday
- t.