The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-05-01

President Rail on the subject, The
Church." The lecturer said in part:
Tho Christian church which in the
carly centuries of it's existence suf-
fercd from persecution is today suf-
fcring from Indifference. And while
the persecution of early times made
the church vigorous and strong. the
tolerance and Indifference of the
present day have weakened 1t. We
must therefore say that a vigorous
opposition may be a favorable envir-
onment for the upbuilding and devel-
opment of the church.
The weakness of the church at the
present time may he due to the So
called h~igh-church point of view.
TIL" church has in a peculiar manner
been regarded as Il sacred institution.
around this sacred institution have
SroWn up certain sacred rights n
ceremonies. 1t is also held that SAL
Walton is tn be found only in the
church. To-day, however. we are APP
plying the praSmatic test and csti-
mating the worth of an institution not
by its origin and history but by it's
ability to- serve men and to produce
the fruits of righteousness. BY this
test, 90. the worth of the church
must he Judged.
Another thing that has weakened
the hold of ,ile church upon the lives
of men consists in the fact that re-
licion today is regarded as Il personal
matter and is not necessarily linked
up With amy ecclesiastical institution.
Where the institution ends religion
begins and religion is the souls vision
of God. The life of Tod on the soul
of man may arise apart from the
church. considered as an cc~clesiastic-
;l organization.
Work In tho Church.
Moreover, men arc asserting that
they have no time to devote to things
that are purely ecclesiastical. Many
who arc outside the church feel that
all matters pertaining to the life of
the church should he left entirely to-
tn" church members. Others feel
that there is much work to he done
outside the church. such as the estab-
lishment of Justice. righteousness.
and truth in civic life. We turn, say
they. to the kingdom of God or earth.
In a positive consideration of the
church we make the following sug-
gestion: Christianity is not a creed
or organization but the spirit of God
i'm the human heart. filling it with life
and love. 1t is the rule of God in the
life of love INC faith in the soul of
man. christianity is. moreover. So
cial in its nature. 1t is the reign of
God in all human and social relations.
Now tho church came into the world
whcn the new life which we call
Christianity arose. Jesus made no spe-
cial provision for the establishment of
the church nor did his immediate fol-
lowers give any specific directions for
its founding. But while we find no
organization in New Testament times.
the organic life was nevertheless pres
ent And from the germ sprans the
important institution. known as the
Christian church. which has through
the centuries been the source of all
the highest and best in the life of the
| nations
Functions Of the Church.
Among the many functions that the
church performs MAY he mentioned
the following:
!. 1t is an Institution that brings
a message tn man. This message is
rooted in the reply of Peter to our
Lord when he confessed. Thou art
the Christ. the Son of the living God"
When VIC say that the function of the
church consists in the message that
it brings, We do not mean to say that
this message is n of doctrine or
theory. No, the message is to be
found in the spiritual truth and in the
ideals that are brought to men in
cooperating themselves into their
plans and purposes and working
titliiS'tNCs oul III QdllH toIlOutl, Inc
placing Of the pulpit in the enter of
the church building is an indication
that christianity ono with Il mes
sage TO G From the pulpit as a
enter truth is disseminated. And
We may ask, from whence do those
deep truths and convictions of life
that fashion the souls of me- come
from? Do they come from the daily
press" Are they to be found in the
1taratnrn Tf f1,n r.n,cD M. so.
carry the message of the great poets,
for example. to the non-Christian ma
tons in order that we may transform
and r~egcnerate them" DO we obtain
our philosophy of life and our out
look on human destiny from Socrates,
Plato or Browning? NO. The one
word hat speaks to our hearts sure
and strong is the word of Co whose
message and truth the church carries
to the nations. In this word God has
spoken to mankind and made clear
his character.
Calls to Worship.
?. The church calls to worship. 1t
cultiNates reverence and meditation.
and his constitutes an important
function of the church for we stand
In danger of losing the feeling of awe
and reverence. There is a tendency
To form an intellectual and institutions
al conception of life and to lose sight
of the fact hat God reveals himself
only To the true worshipper. We
must so relate ourselves to Go by
the way of reverence hat lie ma
enter into our hearts. Ii our lives are
to he large and spacious and high
domed NO must sec God in Worship.
3: The church is one of fellowship.
1ndividualism belongs TO the lowest
and not The highest stage of life. AS
this holds true for lower forms of
organic so it also holds true for the
lower forms OF human life. Self-suf-
ficicncy and individualism are peculiar
TO the lower civilizations. The larger
and richer life arises only when men
are bound closely together i'm COM
murion and fellowship. And the
fellowship of the church rests upon
this fact. AS a historical example of
church fellowship We behold the early
Christians who in. time Of opposition
and persecution meet together for
prayer and worship. In this fellow
ship there is revealed the truth that
christianity is a great social fact and
mat 1t can survive only as men COM
mune with II another and in this
way with God. We miss the highest
and best in life by isolation and cool
calculation. The noblest things are
achieved in fellowship with our fell
lows.
Church Is One of Work.
4. The church is one of work. To
be sure there are organizations that
are working for the good of man and
the welfare Of society other than the
church. And it must also be con-
coded that the church has not always
allied itself with the practical prob
lens of life. But Notwithstanding
This the fundamental principle of our
faith lies in the fact that it is the
business of the church tn Law hold IN