El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-01-31
MODERN CHURCH
MUST SIMPLIFY
MESSAGE
Rev. 2. j. Rice Discusses It's
Mission and Ell PasO
Charities.

At the First Christian church Sun
day evening Rev. p J. Rice closed a Sc
ries of sermons he has been preaching
on: The Church in the World Today"
the theme was: The Church and the
Christian Religion" He said in part:
I have set myself TO the TASK of an
swering the question: Does the church
fairly represent Christ 10 the world?
1t is indeed a most important question
That is what the church is for and if it
- falling il is time for solemn reflee-
tioN> If the salt has lost its saltiness
whereNith shall the earth be sailed. If
the church has lost the Christian spirit
the case is a sad one indeed, for the
Christian spirit Nnust have an efficient
agency with which>to work before it
can fashion Christian character If the
church is real that agency, Tlae spirit. is
well nigh impotent until it Jan create
a new agency
Doubtless the church has always str
posed that she was representing Christ
to the world but there is no doubling
the fact that her Interpretation of
Christ has often been far from the true
one.
If the church is TO truly represent
Christ to the world she must readjust
her program to express the newly dis
covered Christ She can no longer be
simply individualistic on her program.
She must bend her back TO help carry
the load of human sorrows, poverty and
distress She must stOop TO listen to the
cry of the lowest creature and by wise
and prudent means render the needed as
sista0ce- She must learn TO give the cup
of cold water and TO visit the sick and
prisoners of the world. She must pro
claim a message OF such sterling moral
significance as will cause her men,
with all men, and in every human re-
latiOn.
The call to the church of the goth
century is a demand that she unite her
forces and simplify her message The
world has had enough of sectionaIisrn.
enough Of hair splitting dOctrinal pro-
nouncementS, enough of creeds and phil
1t now is calling for moral
and spiritual force in the world, such
as the church is capable of being. The
church is at the parting of the ways.
She must either throb with the new life
Of the spirit of Christ or dwindle into
a mere apology for dead issues.H
FL Paso Charities.
As a prelude to his sermon Rev Mr..
Rice spoke of Eel PasO's greatest imme- |
date need which he declared to be !
the adequate organization of it's char
ties" Mr.. Rice explained that though !
short time he felt qualified TO speak |
At least as an interested observer. He
said: THE situation in FL PaSo Is not 1
peculiar save in certain details l have |
no criticisms TO offer, no special CON
to serve. I cheerfully grant /
praise wherever. praise is dua But II is !
TO the most casual observer.
md TO none perhaps more than to those |
Who have been at work in the woman's !
boz 1~ 9nnr-w1
ire not being handled with any sense of i
broad grasp, and they cannot be so long 1
Is there Is no one who can come TO them |
Is trained specialist with a free hand. |
Charity in the best sense of the word /
5 no longer simply relief. II involves /
prevention work, a kind of watch care
'ver dependents that will enable them to
are for themselves. In the past thou
ands OF dollars have been worse than
# people
Ell Paso needs a trained specialist.
Who will seek out the facts and make
commentators as to means and meth
DIS Everything else will follow"
Services of Week.
On edneSday evening Rev. J. A
stout, evangelist, will be at the Chris
Ian church to tell of the work he has
ccomplished- Following the address an
mot ASSCplAOu. VIII De ISlOeIeU MI I
oout The aid society Will serve light
efreShments.
The Missionary society win meet AT
ne church Thursday afternoon
Rev. P j. Rice has announced a spe-
Ial series of sermons for young people.
be given on Sunday evenings during I
'ebruary. The subjects are as follows:
The Significance of the Young Peoples
lOvements in All the Churches" THE
Dung Women of Fl Paso;" The Young
len of FL PasO; "A Romance in Real
ife-' The morning sermons will all be
iven over TO the preparation of the lay
len's missionary convention 10 be held
the end of the month. c
The Christian church has secured /
lodges to cover the entire amount of its /
ldebtedness- At the Sunday morning i
srvice pledges were secured to the /
mount of about $500