Henderson gold leaf., 1911-07-27
Great Lecture For Henderson.

Under the auspices of the Ministers
Association a rare treat has been pro-
vided for the people OF this community
on Wednesday evening OF next week,
August the second. On this date DR.. S.
c. Gardner, OF the Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary, of Louisville, KY,
will lecture in the Methodist Episcopal
church on the subject, The Social Prob
lem and Its Relation to the Church.
| There is no well-informed person who is
not aware OF the tremendous importance
| of this subject. The church has been
one OF the most powerful agencies in the
work OF bringing the Kingdom OF God
into human society, but for more than q
generation we have been realizing that
the church has been losing in prestige
During the decade from 1890 to 1900
the rate OF increase in the membership oi
the church in this country was only one
sixteenth as great as during the first
half of the century For some time this
situation has been discussed with in
creasing alarm, and from all quarters
has come the question, "What is the
matter with the Church,
During the last few years much light
has been thrown on this problem by a
study of the social question from the
viewpoint OF the teaching of Jesus. We
are coming to see that the Church
has failed to adapt itself to the needs
and conditions of modern life. 1t has
spoken to us in the language OF the past
not OF the present. 1t has tried to cram
the modern mind with its worn out the.
Ologies and creeds. 10 has talked ol
another world to the neglect OF this one
1t has bothered itself about "saving
souls" rather than men and women.
The Church is at last realizing her mis-
take, and new era in her life is dawn
ing She is learning that the. theological,
ecclesiastical Christ she has preached is
not the Christ Of the Gospels. 1t is be
coming plain to US now that the call Ol
Jesus was not to the temple, but to the
street; not to part of life, but to all ol
life. The old pagan philosopher who
said, "Nothing human is foreign to me, y
was more nearly human than our
priests have been. Our faith in the
Church is beginning to revive since she
has given up her theology for the teach
| ing OF Jesus concerning the Kingdom o
Coda divine brotherhood in human SO,
ciety, located "on earth" Why has il
taken us so long to learn from the
Great Teacher that the social question
is a religious question? That economics
and education, good government and
good sanitation, healthful amusements
and healthful conditions OF labor az
vitality concern her interests as do the
formation OF her creeds and the admin,
istration of her ordinances?
Upon these great questions, SO vitality
related to the life OF the Church, DIR. Gar
ner is a specialist. He has studied these
problems for years, and is at present the
professor in the department OF Sociolo-
gy in the seminary named above. He is
pastor of long experience, and is one
of the most gifted speakers in his de-
nomination. At the recent meeting Ol
the Southern Baptist Convention at
Jacksonville, he preached sermon, fol
lowing the line OF the proposed lecture
and made an impression that has not
been equaled perhaps by any sermo Oh
that was preached on this occasion in
a score of years, if ever. No other man
in the country today has a message
that is of more vital interest to the
Church and the Kingdom. No one who
is interested in better world can afford
to miss the lecture. He comes withou
| charge, and out of interest in the grea
cause to which he has given his life.
J. W. MORGAN.