The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-05-19

local church organization And it is
OF this three-fold or three-cornered
MISUNDERSTANDING Church and
Community that wish to speak for a
few minutes. II, question really is
as to the mission Of the 10 ,ai Broth
crhood in its own church, AMI there
can be no doubt that, if it performs
that mission properly, it will meet
all its obligations to the community
/ Il am led to make this interpreta-
tor of my subject, ana speak as 40,
by my experiences during the past
year as president of the Grinnell
Brotherhood. That experience has
convinced me that there are many
men in the congregational churches of
lowa,-men who have stood as lead
ers in the church,-who as yet have
not caught the first glimpse of the
real meaning of the profound sig
nificance of this great Brotherhood
movement. They have not even be-
gun to understand its spirit, nor COM
prehend its possibilities. So far as
the Brotherhood is concerned, they are
dead wood, retarding it's progress.
And so 1t is because l feel that there
is such a profound need of clearer
! understanding of the purpose of the
Brotherhood, that interpret my sub
ject as do.
There are number of things that
! the Brotherhood should do within the
shall pass over without comment OF
course, the Brotherhood should stand
| by the pastor and support the prayer
meeting: of course it should promote
! the cause of missions and encourage
Bible study; of course the Brother
hood should do all it can to forward
! the evangelistic work of the church.
These things are absolutely vital to
! the church and to the successful
Brotherhood. But let me warn you
against thinking that these things are
4 all that the Brotherhood should. This
4 Brotherhood must be more than a
4 prayer meeting, more than mission
airy society, more than Bible study
4 department, Or it will certainly fail
4 in the face of golden opportunity to
accomplish great things for the king
DOM
There are three things that l wish
specifically to call to your attention,
and my remarks will be brief
II Il. In the first place, | consider
that, at the present time, it is the
primary duty of the Brotherhood as an
organization. and of its members as
individuals, to get hold of the right
point of view as to the real work of
the church in this present day. And
that point of Jew, in my opinion, is
the social point of view; the social
obligations which rest upon the chris
tian church today This is pre-em-
inently social age, an age of fratern-
ity, and the church must recognize
that fact and adjust itself to it, or
lose its place as the great redemptiye
agency of civilization.
What is, indeed, the greatest in
dictment the most trenchant criticism
that is brought against the modern
church? Why, this, that in this age
of spiritual, social unrest, the church
has failed to meet its responsibilities
as social institution; that the
church, lest 1t be defiled, apparently
has kept apart from many of the
great social problems, that are clam
oring for solution. And with the
church inactive, seemingly Indifferent
men and women have been robbed OF
their birthrights, and have been
abused and oppressed, and driven
down until they have lost everything
that makes life sweet and whole
some and worth the living. And
friends, in large measure, that indict
ment is true. God help us, it is truel
But | ask you, how long shall il
remain true How long will you per
nit your church to continue to shirs
its responsibilities, and neglect the
most splendid opportunity for social
service it has ever had? Not long
/ hope And not long, think If this
II hold it to be absolutely impera
tive that the cnurch emphasize It's
function as social institution as il
never has done before. Religion is
social, or it is nothing. Jesus lived
that principle, and taught it to us bott
by deed and by word. 1t is our bust
ness to live it, too.
There may have been time wher
the purely retrospective, contempla
p tive. static method of giving expires
sion to religious faith and experience
was satisfactory and fully adequate
do not know. But that time certain
ly is not now. Religion that mean:
anything today is dynamic, positive
militant where it need be. And it il
social, as we'll And that expresses
the point of view which think ou
local brotherhood must accept ant