Arizona republican., 1911-01-30
CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY
 ADVANTAGE OF CHURCH
The Sermon of Pastor E. N. Phillips ot
 the Christian Church Yesterday.


 "Forsake not the assembling of your 1 selves together as the manner of some is" Reading Jas. l:1-27, Text, Heb. 1925.
 Mir Phillips said:
 James. the first chapter, is senerallys to be the most practical piece of scripture in the Bible But the mat ter of church going. or the assembling of Christians together, has always seemed to be, not SD very useful or Of any very practical value IL Is, how eyer, worthy of emphasis. to say that it is only by the enthusiasm of public the pure religion may be- come most generally applied in a com munity. Two men sitting together, confirm their conclusions with firmer conviction and better practical results than could be true of them when sep arated. Truth itself, indeed, carries sense of conviction, but when backed by personality it is multiplied by ten fold power. and becomes irresistible The resolutions of a scattered com munity cannot be obtained without an assembly of its citizens. \ vel.E neceS- Sary thing. which was hay and doubt ful yesterday may become a matter Of certain and real good today, because of the resolution unanimously adopted by the assembled citizens last night. This is the practical value the Sunday aS- Sembly has on the community. Its vir- tue is found in its constant endorse ment of the best things. IL is the sane. dignified. sighted. cver-resolving process by which society passes her verdict on the race and its behavior. The community that scatters to vaude- villes. noisy resorts, excursions, and saloons on Sundays. will not unify so- cietv or make a safe and happy place in which to live church going com munity is. however, unifying in its life, and the otherwise hay doubtful vir- tues, touch life with convincing power and helpfulness. We know this well but our conduct does not always keep tally with our judgment. The Christian ministry endorses the virtues and Valu- able service of the merchant man, real estate man. banker. lawyer. doctor, and all their honest industrial life repre- sents to our city: but We assert with powerful conviction that We build in vain without the simple. sane. congre- gational life of our churches. They are not luxuries, but staples to your social welfare.
 Brethren and friends. I take occasion to affirm that the church as Jesus Christ gave it to the world is the most potent factor for good known tp man. Some one will venture a like affirma- ton in support of his favOrite lodge. Every sane man who is informed must ! endorse the work our great fratcrnal societies are doing. but after the most is said that can be said, it remains that the churches builded the charac- ter that our lodges use and appropri- ate in their humanitarian endeavors. | The church saves and reforms men and women. while the lodge uses them for
 the advancement of charitable pur- poses. If it were not for the saving church life of this country there would be a dearth of moral material for it's lodge life
 Much has been said about the church, urging that it does not provide charity funds for the needy This is a stupend-
 ous error. great by so much as its | charity funds amount to a figure little short of twenty-five millions Of dollars annually. All this is made possible by
 the regularly appointed Sunday assem- plies. The first charitable CrganiZa- | ton of the world was instituted by the | the church 1900 years ago in Jerusalem and officered by seven deacons appoint
 ed by the church. Not only have chari- ! ty and fraternalism prospered under 1 the auspices of the church and pulpit of | Christ. but aside from this. and outside
 the church jurisdiction. have count less fraternal institutions been organ | ized which have drawn their inspira- ton and life from different themes of
 the Christian pulpit. It was during
 the building of King Solomon'- temple
 designed for religious assemblies. that
 the oldest lodge in existence found tho 1 greatest impetus and inspiration for its being That is scriptural and religious
 in it's every lecture and ritual. This is more or less true of the whole family Of fraternal societies. It is safe. iT view of the history of charity and fra ternalism, to say that had Christ mol
 been born, there would have been nc Christian assembly, no pulpit of Christ and therefore no fraternal orders ol
 aggressive charity.
 The church assembly is unique, W,
 affirm, and in spite of all criticism, il
 stands alone and above all institution!
 in this world This is not a boast, bol-
 stered up by egotism or asserted fl
 a self-righteous and hollier than thOI
 manner It is an assertion dependent
 wholly upon the position the church oc
 cupies: its Sunday pulpit and it's won derful message of Christ Jesus to thu
 world. The preacher can more effect
 lively and more safely than any one els
 deliver the stirring reformator!
 message to this city and the world. N
 other man is positioned so he can d' this. The double services each Sun
 day affords an avenue for the incident
 al unfortunate to reach the boundlesl
 resources of the city's abundance. I
 is in these services the youth of you
 city see by the attendance of you great and ideal citizens the crown an' goal of their lives. Let the Christian assembly be respected and endorsed b,