Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1911-03-29
Purely ImpersonaI.

Perhaps there Is no more trying In
cident in the ministry of any minister
than the occasion when he is called
upon to hold service and preach to a
mere handful of people. The church
doors are open to all who are willing
to enter, and if there is large class
of people who do not attend church
regularly, it is not because there 10
any attempt on the part of the
churches to ALLEVIATE them. They fail
to realize how important It is that
they should be present at every serv-
ice. Fer themselves, in that spiritual
graces come gradually, and come
through the church; this terrible re-
suit happens to those who are irreg-
ular in their attendance-th path is
downward; the eyes become half
closed; religion becomes merely good
conduct; hard to believe the Chris
tian verities: the souls vision is dark
ened; almost impossible to think Of
God in prayer. So, my stay-at-home
friend, consider that your regular abb
sence Injuries yourself. You are dis
tinct loser by not regularly attending
the church services. But you injure
not alone yourself, but the church by
your abseLce. The empty pew" makes
the whole edfice look bare; it chills
the enthusiasm of the minister; it
kills the interest of the visitor, and
makes everybody depressed.
The church is burdened with the re-
sponsibility of lifting the world out of
its sins and its follies and its failure
to serve Christ. In it therefore you
are to learn what the will of the Mas
ter is, and to receive power to carry
out that will in the world. She stands
for the good of souls, and ought to
have the help of every noble man and
woman. Especially ought she to have
the active influence of all her own
members, who have outwardly recog-
nized the fact that there is a life
higher than the material and inter
ests greater than those of time, and
souls more precious than bodies, and
a life that is more than meat. The
absence of any from the services him
ders the church from being an active
force There is no way of killing any
church quicker than by staying away
from divine service, and there are
thousands of men who are deliberate
ly trying to ruin the church to which
they belong simply by their lack of
interest.
A minister called upon member Of
his congregation who had been neg
lecting the church services, and went
straight up to the fireplace in the sit
ting room, and with the tongs removed
a live coal from off the fire and placed
it on the hearth, then watched it while
it turned from the red glow of heat
to a black mass. The member in ques-
ton carefully observed the proceed
ings, and then said: You need not
say a single word, sir; I'll be there
hereafter" If all who read this story
are as quick to catch the hidden mean
ing of this minister's action as the
man referred to, we may hope that 1t
will produce a similar effect.
How are we attending to our church
going? Is it irregular and spasmodic?
Have we need for more energy to Sc
cure greater regularity in this matter?
Read this article over and ponder
it we'll Then. make its substance a
matter of your own personal concern.
Ask yourself If you have done your
duty, and better, if you have claimed
your privileges in attending the
church services. Then consider if you
have discharged your obligations to
your fellow church members and to
the public at large And finally, have
you treated your minister fairly and
Justly in the matter of church attend
ance? Have you encouraged and
helped him in his arduous duties and
made his burdens lighter and his
heart glad by your interest?
81 am but one, but | am one
l can not do everything, but can do
something;
What | can do, | ought to do;
And ,,bat 7 ought IN do