The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-01-12

The life of St Paul Is o conspicu-
u example OF the power OF q ixed
purpose. For years he was b most
hated and feared OF all the enemies
converted to the new faith he. be-
came as ardent In its advocacy as no
had been xealous In its persecution.
The same concentration Of effort and
focusing of energy which gave us Saul,
the prosecutor gave IS also Pauf the,
apostle. Take away this power OF
concentration and he might have held
the same convictions, but they wouidl
have been powerless for either good
or i'll. A large part OF h tragedy
and pathos Of the world comes from
he existence of so many thoughtless,
p~urposeless lives. Talented men and
women fail to attain the goal to which
they aspire through too great diffu-
sion Of effort and dissipation OF en-
ergy. In the field of mechanics We
have the man who Is jack-of- all-trades
and consequently good at none. In
business we have the industrial vaga!
bond who drifts from one position to
another and never makes good In any
one. In college or university life We
have the student who comes almost TO
the n OF his college career before ho
gains any adequate idea of why he -
there and then looks back with regret
over a long array Of wasted opporta-
mites.
The only remedy for the perversiou
Of many a good and wholesome instr
tuition is the concentration of all one'a
powers and faculties upon what Is
vital and essential to the institution
itself. AS We open the doors Of our
public schools we need to remind our.
selves and those to whom We intrust
our children that a system OF instruc-
ton which stores the mind with facts.
but fails to impart strength OF wAu
and s~trenuousness Of purpose Is bar
rem. And as we open the doors OF our
Sunday schools n churches We need
to remember thai a religious institu-
ton which makes the supreme end OF
its existence anything but the culti-
grafton Of S>'igious spirit and the APP
plication ofN -. spirit to life II
sterile. !
1t is often said that the church
keeps itself too remote from human
life, that 1t does not concern Itself
sufficiently with the practical details
of everyday life. We are told that 1t
must enlarge It's function and diver
sify it's activity. 1t should champion
this philanthropy and espouse that
reform. Its ministers should become
experts In scientific agriculture or IN
NA[-A AA-f&aN--r NJ SpA. ~wt4a-A
cism d be jHst. II 10 possible that
hai1EEs-HzeRl5o sfefes y gun SC
tween religion and life, between tina
schurch and other human Institutions.
IT Is we'll FOR tho country minister to
know something OF scientinc farming
and for the city minister to Know
something of economics and sociology.
but for either of them to regard this
as the essence OF his ministry n
therefore as the supreme business OF
the church would be nothing short or
a calamity. The church has no right
to become so deeply interested in SUBJ
ordinate ends, and aims that 1t neg
lects the fathers ~business-the re.
demption OF human life and of human
society through the cultivation and
diffusion of n genuinely religious sp'c-
1t and character.
The real test OF the worth OF any
church members Is his ability to puE
first things first and keep them there.
And foremost among these first things
is the institution OF public worship.
Church attendance is the first duty to
be entered upon and the last to la
given up, for it is dynamic to them
all. With this duty fulfilled we shalt
be all the better prepared to serve IN
other departments of the associated
life of the church. This community
needs the service Of q liberal Chris
tian church. This church needs tb9
services of liberal Christian men and
women. These two needs must Da
met together or not at all. II we fail
In our duty to the church, the church
must fail in it's duty to the commu-
nifty. AS we meet together after he
vacation period can we not say This
one thing I do; by the grace Of God
and with the strength that he has
given l will do all in my power. to
make this church a more efficient &c
tor in this community anG in tho
world