The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1910-09-02
How the Non
Churcheoer Robs
Himself


0V0 WVgO - ~ ~ COUsAluOQ ~
the Bible. There 10 word u
God outside the Bible. " will freely
admit Yet the most liberal Of 10
know that the Bible h the one great
literary expression Of religious feeling
and the fountain Of Gods truth. The
man who does not know the Bible sim
ply does not know the greatest
thoughts that have ever been thought:
does not know the best words God
has ever spoken through human lips:
does not know the most inspiring.
comforting. sustaining truth Of the
ages. Now. In every church this
word Ia read and expounded. It
passes into the lives Of thousands Of
men. and makes them strong and
brave and pure. Bible men are al
most always strong men. Doctor
Parker was right when he said that
there was something about men
reared ON the Bible that differentiated
them from other men. We have ob-
served this ourselves. II In a great
pity that any man should impoverish
his mind and soul by not coming once
week to Join In the common study
and exposition Of It's transcendental
message.
Again. the non ,churchgoer shuts
himself on from those hymns and
prayers that have been the common
property OF all noble souls since the
psalmist wrote and Christian hymnol.
ogy came into being The Christian
church began with the singing Of a
hymn. Our hymns contain the noblesi
aspiration the human heart has ex.
pressed and enshrine, In words OF
beauty, set to golden music. the s0lace
and peace and promise OF the Chris.
tian faith. Once they were the com
mon property Of every man. Now.
alas! 40 many know them not. But
poor. indeed. that old age which finds
no Christian hymn singing its sweet
measures In its heart
Shut on From inspiration.
And equally deserving Of notice
with these other things Ia this: that
the man who shuts himself on from
common worship with his fellow men
10 depriving himself OF that one and
ever necessary inspiration to the en-.
thusiasm Of service and the sacriflcial
life. The author Of "Ecce Homo
was very near the truth when he
showed the world that the reason the
disciples loved their fellow-men so
ardently vas because they loved
Christ nrst Il Ia the man who In the
church confesses his love to God. and
receives the impulse Of love from
Christ Jesus. and dedicates himself
with other disciples to the life OF
| service. and receives before Christ's
altar commission" who goes forth
TO bless and preach and heal When
worship ceases even the humanitarian
instinct will pass away. Our hos.
pitfalls. colleges. reform agencies and
| settlements got their impulse from the
church. They are being conducted
| now BY men who. even u not attend.
ing church. are living on the chureh's
impslse which once reached them.
The impulse which snstains our char.
ity and works for human welfare will
wane when men cease worshiping
God. We can see II In our own nc.
Quaintances who are not ckurchgoers.
They are good. but they do not say
Lord. ] will follow thee whitherso.
ever thou goest." They are kindly.
but they do not say .Send ne" The
non-churchgoer shuts himself on from
the one dynamo OF the sacrinciai life.
We might close this editorial here.
But we would like to remind those
parents who are not taking their chil.
dren 10 the church service Of how
much they are robhing them OF future
Joy and power and comfort and tradi.
ton. We see q great throng of chill.
dren growing up In New York who
never are brought or sent to the
church services We remember our
own childhood. those bright and sun
ny mornings In the little church,
where we learned the great hymns of
the ages. where we heard the great
religious truths never to forget them.
where We came under the spell OF
music. where we looked with rapture
at the painted window through which
the light vas transmitted Into beauty,
where re sang In the choir tand every
boy and girl should be allowed In IN.
choir In every church, and learned
the choruses from the oratorios.
where We read the psalms In response
with the pastor. where we professed
Christ ~ the master Of our lire--ah
how We pity the boys and girls who
grow up with none Of these traditions
Impoverished In all memories Of IN.
soul! Parents would do well TO con
slider how easily one can rob q child
Of these sweetest rrcollections age
knows.-The Christian Work and
Evangelist