St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-05-14
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S1A@ RN with the kingdom of God
GMI EW on the earth | do not
lfMS &z1M now use the term in that
taza2aAAs6sAsS sense. The home, the
school, the hospital, the city MISSION
the social settlement, the Christian
state itself-all are institutions of the
kingdom of God as truly as is the
church Any particular church is but
one institution within the vast king
dom of Christ. 1t has it's own definite
function-a function fundamental to
Christian civilization and of immense
special Importance to all the nobler
elements within that civilization.
writes Albert T. Garland in the Chris
tian Work and Evangelist.
The church sometimes gets confused
as to it's mission, but the world al
ways knows what church is for and
knows how to hold the church respon-
sible for all the wickedness and mis-
cry of the world. The big world goes
on serving the devil seven days a
week, working out it's greed and cruel
form of individual iniquity and social
wretchedness, and then shakes its
black, cruel finger in the face of the
church with the insolent questions:
why don't you stop all this? What
are you good for anyway" The church,
always sensitive to the worlds criti-
cism, looks upon that filthy finger as
the judgment of God and trembles in
her sense of failure and shame. In her
confusion and fright she become hys-
terical, flies about in most ridiculous
fashion, until at last she gets herself
transformed into hydraheaded mon.
strosity, running everything from
bowling alley to dance room and
concert hall. Now at last, thank
heaven! the church has actually found
something to do, and the men of the
church as well as the ladies have a
job.
Criticism Beneath Notice.
A recent writer in the Westminster
thinks that ''in the church there is
nothing really doing" He quotes
man at the ball park who said: THE
reason why men don't 60 to church is
because you don't play ball" He also
quotes a college students objection
to entering the ministry: THE minister
seems to me like a man who sits in
the grandstand and explains the game
to the ladies'" The same writer con.
cludes that when the church has
mans job on his hands it gets
mans response" Such criticism as
this is mere childs prattle and ought
to bother no man who possesses the
sense of God and the souls worth. Is
is so intrinsically manly to sit on the
"bleachers" and yell oneself hoarse
at ball game, but thing forever I'M
worthy of man to lead a congrega-
ton in worship at the throne of grace?
1t is mans job to stand behind a
counter selling dry goods to ladies
and soft carpets for their feet and
easy chairs for them to sit in; it is
mans job to tote ladies about in auto
mobiles by day and dance with them
by night; these certainly are jobs fit
for manly men, but not the preaching
OF the everlasting gospel. The gospel
of Christ, forsooth, is worth nothing.
The blood of Christ is cheap-cheaper
than soda water and beer The great
truths of Christianity are not, indeed,
worth the attention of man who is
man. Bright and brainy certainly, and
most remarkably manly. are the men
who have made these discoveries!
Mission of the Minister.
The church should not listen to the
sheer of the world. 1t should know
its own business and be content to
stay at it. Its business is to minister
to the deepest needs of the noble
spirits God has made, and out of these
to fashion in beauty and immortal
strength new race of men upon the
earth, who shall be the salt of the
earth, and who can be trusted to go
out of the church to their businesses,
their politics, their charities, their
societies and their homes, and in all
these places work out the big and
blessed things which God commanded
them to do and which they resolve to
do, and for which they seek divine
wisdom and strength to accomplish
as they sit and pray and think to-
gether on Sunday in the church. This
is what the church is for. 1t is for
the salvation and cultivation of the
soul. 1t is for the training and en-
couragement Of men and women in
high endeavor after God and truth
and righteousness.
Let the minister stick to his own
path Let him still remain the Chris
tian scholar the preacher of truth and
righteousness, the man of God, the
counselor and friend of the people
who accept his spiritual leadership.
And let no young man go past the
ministry in search of bigger job.
1t cannot be found in the present age.
The minister's job is mans job-a