The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-12-29

less exercise In his way. II is alrost
as popular as knocking the boss The |
same Old bricks ave been used So
often that the sharp corners 49,
been worn off. They no longer iolt
the church.
Some Of The bricks thrown nv ire
critics never did jar the church. no
cause they did not, hit the mark Tha
criticism was unjustifiabie, and there
fore the church did not take tho
bricks seriously.
NO doubt the church deserved manvl
OF the Dicks that came it's way. 1t
appeared at times that the church H.
iiberately invited, them. because Il
made itself such a shining mark ON
account OF ecclesiastical stupidity or
Indifference.
At such times a good many bricks
were also thrown by people inside the
church. And the church has ALWAYS
been anGrler of these inter-
nal aSSaultS than because Of attacks
from without. Perhaps this was per
fectly natural. But the fact that
bricks were thrown by the church
people themselves proved that the
church is not dead.
II there were no readjustments
within the church excepting those that
come as g result of criticism from with
out, the would be hopeless.
IT the church made no move toward
Self-imprOvement excepting when out
side students of its work find fault
with it. then it would be a sure sign
Of ineffciency OF general debility.
There is no doubt hat the critics
inside the churc have been more
specific in their diagnosis than those
outside. largely because their study
was more intelligent and based on q
larger group Of facts.
There as no doubt that the critics
inside the~church have been more
specific in their diagnosis than those
outside, largely a their study
was moro intelligent and based on q
larger group OF facts.
He is a foolish man who wOuld de-
nounce the physician who tells him
about the disease that is slowly but
surely undermining his health and
destroying his usefulness. The truth
may not be very palatable, but it is
very necessary.
1t is unfortunate hat when it be-
comes needful to point out to he
church those things wherein it lacks,
it involves q certain amount OF pub
iicity that may seem to bring the
church into disrepute among those
whom il is desired to attract to the
church.
1t would greatly strengthen the pO-
sition of the church aInong sensible
and sincere people if it were openly
to acknowledge that it has been in
error regarding certain practices or
methods of work, but the church
should make this confession before
outsiders begin to charge it with fail
ure.r
Such an attitude on the part Of the
church would certainly disarm most
Of the criticism one hears OF the
church. The ability to discern ones
errors and the courage to confess that
one has made a mistake are the lndl-
cations Of a big sou After all, the
church Is composed Of many Dig
souled people, but they are just peo--
pie. Don't forget this.
Even the group that composed the
church in the days when Peter ana
the rest Of the disciples were III I'M
mediate control sometimes maze
mistakes. Do you recall the
system introduced by some large
hearted Christians in this company
who believed that they should hoiu
all n~ronerty in common? This COM
munistic proposition did not Work
very well. 1t bred deceit and rrauo
1t pauperized certain Of the Jerusalem
saints and was soon given up. -,
On another occasion the JEWISH
converts to Christianity DeeH III
sisting that the converts from a,ion mo-
The Gentiles should subject thelil'
selves to the same forms ana cere'
monies observed by the Jews. A gen
eral conference was held, at Whlci
the entire subject was discussed an.
it was decided that this practlce "a'
wrong and unfair and Shoulo DC us
continued. A proclamation was sen,
out to this effect. 1t would nave nesi
absurd to have insisted upon lnfaiil
bility in either Of these cases parlrc
ularly as they both had to do mere
lv with methods Of work and genera
customs. =,
The practices Of the church are '1
result Of an evolutionary process. !
is necessary for the church 20 aoap
itself to changing conditions. 10
chaan sentimentalism and often
sure sign IF laziness, when a repre-
sentative Of the church declares Una
the church is "the same y~esteluas
today and forever" and that IL cannu
change its attitude TOWARD hoo
social and religious problems. j..
II NAV be a comfortable hin I