The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-05-16
CHURCHES MUST
TEACH RELIGION
Spiritual Need Must Not be Lost
Sight of Says Presbyter-
ian Moderator
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OPENED
Points to Fact That Membership
is at StandStill
Rev. J. =. carrow Says Societies and
Guilds Should Not Come Before
Plain Gospel.

Louisville KY, May 1G.-The Cen
oral Assembly OF the Presbyterian
church in the United States of Amer
lea opened at the Warren Avenue
Presbyterian church this morning
with sermon by the retiring Modera-
tor, Rev J. +. Carson of Brooklyn.
The doctor took his text from Hag-
gai 1.7-S-"Thus saith the Lord of
hosts: consider your ways. Go up
to the mountain, and bring wood. and
build the house; and j will take pleas
ure in it. and | will be glorined, said
The Lord"
He said i'm part:
The Prophetic can 20 the Church IL
summons To a frank and fearless
facing of actual conditions. The tenn
per of criticism is alert i'm our day.
and the church seems to be the special
object Of its attack. We are told that
IL has lest its hold upon the life of to-
day. ! would remind you that such
things have been said about the
church in every age. But, despite ali
the criticism, the church abides ana
today stands forth with as fine and
fair front to her work, with as gem
uine and generous an enthusiasm for
her work as she ever had.
Growth Disappointing.
Yet there are conditions in church
lie AMI work that call FOR serious
consideration. The tone of religious
life needs strengthening If what we
see on the surface is true to fact
there are many who keep up the out
ward semblance while the fire has
gone out on the inner altar.
The Prophetic Call to the Church is
for deeper and more genuine Christian
living; for moro OF the religious home
life, with its family altar, It's Bible
and its psalm; for more religious
training of the child in the knowledge
Of the Scriptures and in the love ot
God. for more emphasis upon the
church as the center Of religious wor
ship. a more faithful attendance up-
on the public services of the sane
tuary and upon the meetings for So
cial prayer.
The comparatively small number OF
accessions to the church on confess
sion of faith sound note of warn |
ing and appeal. The Stated Clerk Of
the General Assembly is authority for
the statement that "of our 10,O5i !
churches. S.739 or 81 per cent, report
ed no additions on confession of faith.
to- their membership. during the year
l911"
The evangelistic fire must be kim
died I'm every church. After much |
talking about "the enthusiasm of hu-
"the service of man. social
'the service of man. $50
rial ministry" and other freezing alb
stractlons. we must come back to the
Masters love of men.
Too Many Societies.
The church has become so overlaid,
If not stihed. by a congeries of socie-
lies and guilds and movements that
il is lost sight OF, except when criti-
,ised for failure to support innumer-
lble movements. Let the church 1t
self have right of way. Let church,
men. who in zeal and devotion, arc
so many movements con-
,entrate their thought and energy
mon the churches with which they
are connected and work through these
churches and the results will justify
md reward the concentration of their
interest and energy.
The spiritual function Of the church
must receive a new emphasis. Our
Danger today Is not that we will neg
ect the social and practical side OF
but that we will treat too
lightly the spiritual and mystical. The
living. beating heart of the church
lakes into its purpose and sympathy
md ministry every need of man. But
L must not be forgotten that in her
service 10 man the church has func-
ion peculiarly her own and unless she
ais that function it will not be full
Allied. That function is ministry TO
mans spiritual being. Back Of all
he unrest that disturbs our day,
whether that unrest Is revealed in the
liscontent of the poor or in the fever
sh quests of pleasure or of wealth
IN the part of the rich. is the souls
,ry for God. whether men know IL or
not. The church must answer that
'ry by bringing Christ and His love