The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1911-08-22
"Churchianity.' .
Albermarle Enterprise.

as follows: A Hindu philosopher
who IS in this country pays high
tribute To Christianity, but is in
elined to believe that something
serious is the trouble with
'Churchianity. Others than the
Hindu visitor shares this opin
ion.
Indeed. we might say their
name is legion, All over the
country both with minister and
laymm exists the belief thai
there is something radically
wrong with the church,
Ii is not difficult To see what
the Symtoms of the trouble are,
but it would not be easy 10 name
the deScaSe and It's cure. Some
of the symptoms are MS follows
Poor attendance AT church ser
vices. lack of enthusiasm on the
part OF the majority who do at
tend; lack of united efforts on
the part of denominations in
Christian work; failure to con
tribute To church enterprises.
1t is argued that poor atten;
dances on the part of church mef
bers is the result of their all alb
sorbing ideas to get rich, or to
find pleasure in automobiles and
the like. Congregations blame
their preachers when their spiri.
tual fires burn low in the church
Greed rather than Christianity
probaly explains the lack of u
nited effort on the part OF the
different denominations. With
the lack of interest in things OF
the church it is not difficult ia
see why money does not flow in.
to the church treasury.
But after all we have not got
ten at the heart of the matter
The world is slowly but surely
growing better. With the good
old times" gambling, eock-fight'
ing, the lottery, excessive drink
ing, and the like have in a meas
ure passed away. The sense OF
brotherhood is more broad in the
land than ever before. We can
not be blind to all this, but at
the same time. we are face ia
face with the proposition that W.
are living i'll an age of indliGeren
tiSn rs far as the church is con
cerned, and that the church !,
moi living up to her oppohmi-
ties.
II is one thing 70 criticlSe the
manner in which some seek pleas
urc and another to ut.Ur some
thing better Is it not possible
10 make the church sHch a vital
affair in any community as 70 at.
tract rather than rcpel.
In the fight for civic right
rousness the church has largely
stood aloof when she might have
gained prestige by being in the
thick of the struggle. OF course
the claim is made that that reli.
gion and politics will not mix
There is no need of their mixing
but politics needs to be purified
by religion.
AS to the ministry, we need
both in town and country, not Sc
much the big guns that Sc
many churches call for but big
hearted men with sense enough
to organize church forces as well
as to preach; men who will CONT
in contact with the laboring MAI
in his daily toll, teach him along
the line of his own experience,
encourage the best that is within
him, and enkindle new hopes for
the future; pastors who are
leaders of their flock in every
thing that tends toward a SociaI
uplift; above all. men of God
who are not afraid TO speak Z
good word for Jesus Christ.
These are random thoughts OF
a secular paper. They are spok
en- not in criticism OF any one
but with the desire to call atten-
ton to some of the defects and
needs of the church. Since the
church is the greatest institt
ton in the world no apology i,
necessary for speaking along TIN,
line.
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