Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-05-02
Lack of
the Penitential
Note

nm Woiphip Oh tno mOoern
church 10 unny-tonsd sym
phony. but In many cases one
chord 10 lackinS-ths penitsn-
tial note. The Christianity of
many people u q complacsHt contem.
plation-not q sorrow for SIN end IN
agony Of moral aspiration. The creed
OF the multitude 10; God u In hi
heaven. all's right with the world and
U.s." This mood Of superficial con-
tentment 10 not that with which god
Illness" 10 Joined In the bsstituds and
declared to be great gain" but 10
really q state Of indifference with re-
spect to such ideas a. atonsmspt and
regeneration. Hence We ind that.
while crowds jostle one another on
the sunny way to the halls Of CaiAr
phas. or even the Temple courts, the
pathway to dark Gsthssmane tsmpts
but few--here and there q Masdalsns
or q eontrite publican whose vital
powers have burned almost 70 the
socket-and yet Jesus Christ spent
more time. at least more conCsnial
hours, with publioans thsn he did
with Phariseee. and hardly ever 70
ferred to the gadducees except TO q.
pose their shallow philosophy and
their still shallower hearts somSAsw
the Bible does strike the psnitsntial
note-somehow its promisss are most
ly to humble and contrite souls.
II IL worthy to note that two 70
nowned preachers, both Enshshmen
It happens. have lately sounded q.
warning against the spirit Of SNUG
Pharisaism which seems 70 possess
large sections of the modern church
Thus DR.. ]. H. Jowett says: Every.
thing 10 not right among ". We Are
busy. but we are not impressive. We
may interest, but We DO not con.
strain. We may tickle mons pAlatss,
but We do not make them fssl the
bitterness of sin" 30 Rev. Charles
Brown rsbukes the modern church for
its self-rightsausness and -unctsous
rectitude," for II has no outgoings of
self-denying and self-giving service 70
the people without who need help
There are churches absolutely desti-
tute of any passion in this direction"
he declares. There are muftitudee
OF our church members who do not
care. They never give a thought to
the subject. They belong to church
as they belong to a club. They pay
their seat subscriptions. they expect
their reserved place. they 60 to hear
their favorite preacher; and II ends
there"
Warning Worth HssdIne.
These warnings are needed. though
the indictment may easily be made
more severe than the facts warrant
II behooves us not 10 berate others
in respect of self-righteousness and
elder brother" unconcern for the
prodigals. whether returning or unrs-
turned, but to look into our ovn
hearts to se whether they are sepul-
chres of pride instead of sanctuariss
OF penitence. Yet we must not be un.
mindful of certain drifts of the times.
In which the leaders Of the church
are In danger Of being caught II
may be, as the Christian World (Lon-
DOM thinks, that preachers have al
lowed their personal and professional
interest in the fascinating intellectual
problems of theology and criticism 10
defect them too much from the line
OF preaching directly to the heart and
mind OF average modern congrega-
tons" II is not fair to blame only
the preachers for such loss OF the unc-
ton OF a prophetic message, for the
churches in the long run. and for the
most part. have just such preachers
as they want and as they make, and
none others. II is a time, not for
mutual misunderstanding. much less
for mutual recrimination. between
clergy and laity, but for general
searching OF heart. for prostration be-
for the cross OF Christ for confession
OF sin as we'll as confession of faith,
and for the taking Of such a dociIs
and teachable attitude before the
Master Of US all as will preserve the
church from either Pharisaic heresy
OF Sadducean self-indulgence.- Zion's
Herald, Boston, Mass.