The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-15
CLARION CALL MADE TO THE INDIFFERENT Dr. J. $. Foster Breaches a
 Strong Sermon URGES SPIRITUALITY Preacher Gives One of Most Unquali- fled Endorsements of Men and Re-
 ligion Forward Movement
 Yet Heard in City
URGES SPIRITUALITY

clarion call to the indifferent church. men to take new hold on the promises of God, on the church and on christian service. was delivered yesterday morn- ing by the Rev. pr. John s. Foster, pastor of the First Presbyterian church. l. was one of the most thorough sur veys of the conditions which are erlp- bling the modern church, and one of the most unqualified inducements of the Men and Religion Forward Movement that has yet been heard in Birmingham. pr. Foster called attention to "the fal- tering conduct. the lessening zeal, the ever present tendency among christian people to grow indifferent to the spirit ual realities that once constituted their delight"
 He did not assume critical or caustic attitude toward the church of God. with all the deficiencies which charae- terize her spiritually undeveloped mem bership sne hath under God wrought out whatever is morally and spiritually ben efficient in human life," he said. Every ! hope we cherish in Christ we owe to the ministrations of the church. The best people in the world are the people of | Cod
 But the preacher went into an analysis of the condition. He took for his text Gal. 57: "Ye did run well, who did | hinder you that you should not obey the truth" and first described the condl- ton which existed when these words were written to the Galatians. "In place of consistent growth and unwavering al- 1egiance to the Savior and the cross the membership of the Galatian church be- gan to reveal unchristian conduct and to lapse into state of indifference to the cause unto which they had sur rendered their lives This condition of affairs led Paul to address them a con- munication which is our epistle to the Galatians. 'Ye did run we'll he says. For a time you justified our expecta- tions, Who did hinder you that you shouldn't obey the truth?'
 "One needs only to take view of tho christian world to see undeveloped tal- ents and capacities that could, if rightly directed, transform the life of the church. Strong men are in the church but are lacking in the true spirit of the
 
 hold. Tho problems and possibilities of the church, problems that could be solved by them and possibilities that could be converted into actualities by their personal application of thought are beyond the horizon that bounds their sympathy and thinking
 Antagonism Not Intentional
 '"The majority of these do not intend to be antagonistic to the progress of Gods kingdom, they are not moving will fully and perversely against known duty. They have simply not had vison broad and spiritual enough to bring together their own strong lives and the mission of the church of God. They have eyes to see but they see not. They have not really comprehended the responsibility and the privilege which the kingdom of God thrusts upon their lives. So in every church there are men whose power and ability in the secular world are undis- puted but whose power and ability in the spiritual things which the church IS seeking to impart to the world are unfelt. They seem to think that the things of God and their talents are unrelated.
 These belong to the great class that hasn't yet taken hoid maknificent men, men who admire and love. but men who have not taken hold; men. who, if they would take hold would bring to pass many desirable revolutions. Chicago pastor in writing to the membership of his church used these sentences: Dur ing the past six years I have been tuned down by hundreds of men to whom have gone to urge some definite service. heard simply thousands of excuses and have seen almost every thing get in between men and the thing pressed for These began to run well. They gave themselves to Christ The Masters cause could reasonably expect the influence of their strong personali- ties. Yet it has not received it. What from obeying the truth?
 Duty of Membership
 "rhen our minds resort to another large class. It's membership once took hold Enthusiasm for Christ was seen controlling them. But they lost it all. In place of activity we got indifference. Some call them backsiders. Others desic nate them as having fallen from grace. The result is the same. They are not serving the kingdom without reservation. These, too, did run well for a while; what did hinder them that they should not obey the truth?
 pr. Foster pointed out some of the se- rious results of this indifference and failure. 'It is a matter of regret-to the Savior. It means too, lost motion unde . veloped energy. The church is not the efficient organization that it should be. There is scarcely church that is not in debt. In almost every church there is a failure of its business problems and it's h.asiness ability to get together
 Tt retards the progressive spirit of the church. 1t touches with baneful in- fiuence the great cause of God which iii its purity and might means souls saved from sin, saved to serve God, to create . better citizenship, to make nobler lives, to develop a strong Christian manhood.
 'I believe the first cause lies in our failure to comprehend precisely what God expects of his disciple. Christianity means more than church membership.
 Spiritual union with Christ constitutes one a Christian. The church is an or ganzation to which to unite saved souls, through which great power may be de- veloped and exterted in the affiliation