Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-04-19
"The Church and Reforms"
60 NrINuEp FROM PAGE TWl

denominations. WnaC an army W
work in freeing the country from evil
and sin. There is no other organiza-
ton that can compare with the
church, for numbers and the character
of it's membership which proves con-
clusively that the church should take
the lead in the warfare against evil
and sin and in endeavoring to win men
from the bad and make them good.
It might be we'll for me to mention a
few of the most serious evils, in my
opinion, that need to be reformed. I
would name the use Of spirituous
liquors, tobacco, profanity, the abuse
of the Sabbath day, the evils growing
out of professional baseball playing.
viz, gambling, and the spending Of
time and money, that should go for
living expenses. The most difficult
question to solve in this connection,
is what means can be used to free the
community of these and kindred evils
and change mankind from bad to good.
One has recently perhaps we'll said
1.-THE church are fixing their thoughts
on the present time and.present needs,
they are thinking more of this world.
and less of the next, they; want to
make this world better and do it now,
they would avoid sin because it de-
grades character. They want right
eousness because it makes men
worthy. They do not so much think
of Gods love for righteous men, as
the reward of their righteousness, as
they think of Gods love for all men.
They are thinking of the excellence
of realizing ethical standards here
and now, and they are striving to at
tain ther:."
l have been asked the question if
the clergy should preach against these
evils from the pulpit? l would an
swer yes but perhaps not assail them
directly.
What I mean is that I would not
prosecute man for using the Sab
bath as day of recreation, I would
not prosecute a man for using profane
language. I would not think it advis-
able for the pastor to stand up in the
pulpit and say that his congregation
used the Sabbath too much as day
of pleasure and recreation, that they
used profane language, that their
time was spent in dancing and playing
whist, but would advocate the pas
tor taking such a course as to bring
these evils, and the results therefrom
forcibly to the minds of their hearers
W GDdb CA tSIIC GlIdG tIlSy WOuIu It.
form, and repent and enlist under the
banner of those who are working to
change the bad to good.
The first step toward a reforma-
tion, as to the matters / have re-
ferred to. is raising of the standard
of right thinking, right speaking and
right living, by every member of the
church. The Christian conscience
must be educated first; because judg-
ment will begin at the house of God.
The pastors and deacons of our
churches, ought to be the natural
leaders in movement of deepening
spiritual life which will be one of the
greatest agencies of reformation and
will be felt from one end of our land
to the other. I believe it is the
office of the church, and its pastors to
educate the consciences of men. It
does this for it's own members, but it
should endeavor to do this for those
outside it's membership, but who at
tend it's services regularly, by holding
up a standard or example which per-
sons outside the church may disre-
gard, but must respect.
One difficulty, is what may be
termed the "dry rot" of the church
es. So many church members who
have taken vows, which they do not
live up to and which every non-Chris-
tian attendant of their church knows
they are not living up to. In this re-
spect there is great need of reform.
To illustrate what | mean, I re-
member well when | was a boy in this
county, of an eminent divine preach
ing an eloquent sermon against the
use of Intoxicating liquors and tobac.
co. He was entertained at my father S
house, after supper he took a walk,
after time discovered that he was
seated far down in the orchard smok.
ing a big pipe.
/ Another instance that I remember
we'll was when a bright young lac
came into the presence of his mother,
who was member of the. church,
with his pockets bullying out with
marbles. ''Why johnnie, where die
you get all those marbles?" asked his
mother, ''Won them from the boys, .
answered the lad, "Why Johnnie that
is gambling and is wrong you must &c
at once and give them back to the
boys from whom you took them
"Why mamma, is that any worse thar
your winning the ice pitcher at whis
the other night?"
Another instance was where $50
was wagered upon the result of base
ball game and church member hell
the stakes, and it was commented
upon by non-Christians standing by.
Pastors must practice what they
preach and laymen must live up t,
the covenant of the church which
they solemnly accepted, when the,
joined the church, in the presence O.
non-Christians who attend church reg
ularly. if the standard of Christianit.
hoped for is to be attained.
The work of the church is no
sufficiently active and earnest, as ha
been conclusively shown in thi
county this past winter, when larg,
numbers accepted Jesus Christ a
their Saviour, the result of few day
of prayerful earnest work of a few
Christian men, backed by the activ'
work of the churches.
There are two things we need t.
remember. Many men are living OF
inherited moral and spiritual capita
and when this fails there will be a re
turn to the old sources of help. Il