The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-03-31
HAS REASONS FOR
GOING To CHURCH
And The Deduction Is That 1t Is
A Happy Privilege To
Attend
Nv President w. \. Harper. Zion
CatlPDp. y, c.

BY President w. a. Harper. Elon
College. y. {.
Recently | was asked to tell in nVe
minutes why l go 10 church. L an
glad | was requested TO discuss th4s
question rather than the more usuai
one why men do not go to church
go to church for many reasons
all of them sound ones to me.
First. my Master did. 1t was ms
custom to attend the synagogue ana
temple services regularly, though
| there were many things that occurred
in both which His soul abhorred-
which leads me to say mat no man
has the right to absent himself from
| divine worship because connecten
with il are things which he would
| prefer changed. 1t is his privilege 10
work prayerfuly for the changes oe-
| sired. but his duty is to be regular III
| his attendance. Since Christ is to US
an example in all things, ] feel hat
| must go to church in view OF His
| practice II am a Christian, it IS
my duty TO go to church II am not
a Christian, it is certainly to my ad-
vantage and best interest to DO SO.
Secondly, l go to church !
enjoy it. My experience agrees with
that of the PsalmiSt, when ne SAID.
Il was glad when they said unto me,
let us go into the house OF the LORD.
and when | have come there, and
share the fellowship Of my brethren
and friends, l feel as Peter did at the
TRANSPORTATION, when he SAID, Lord,
it is good for us to be here. Yes, L
enjoy going to church. There is no
experience of my life more enjoyable
to me than going to church to wor-
ship. and the joy of it grows with
passing years. l enjoy every feature
of the serviCe-the music, the an
nOunCements = somehow
ments at divine services are different
from Others-the prayers, the Scrip
ture reading, the sermon the offering
Yes, the Offering, too, because IT
gives me the coveted opportunity 10
show in a small way my appreciation
for the JOY the service brings my
heart.
Thirdly, l so to church because II
does for me and my life h nothing
else can. l read a great many books
and hear a great many lectures and
addresses l attend a great many re
ligiOus gatherings for the discussion o.
religious themes. l go 10 Sunday
school and try to teach. All these
things 1 enjoy; all Of them do ms
good: all Of them help me. | would
reluctantly part with any Of them. Blu
they are not to be compared with tn
uplift that comes to my heart and tn
inspiration hat stirs my o Il durinc
the regular church service. A sermon
} read in the quiet Of home oes no
touch the vital part Of me as does tn
t sacred, solemn service Of the sanctu
{ airy at the hour appointed for divin'
worship. l have never attended Sucl
2 a service and gone away without real
izing that I was a better man thar
when I came. Some may say this i
a psychological matter, but my ex
a perience teaches me it is spiritual
8 My life is poor enough as it is, but
: would be much poorer were the sa
r cred privilege Of attendance on divin
worship denied me. My life is wea
at best, but it's weakness WOu resul
in speedy disaster, unless the strengt'
e the church gives should embolden
to undertake the duties that confron
o it My life is imperfect, God know
but its imperfections without tn
cleansing power Of the church and il
worship would be manifoldly create
l simply cannot do without the churc
IT in my life.
And finally, I go to church becauS
it gives me a foretaste Of heaven A
is church all the sordid things Of lif
melt away and the spirit of God play
~joyously in the heart There is swe.
communion with the Father an
grateful absence of all cares al.d anx
cites. 1t is true the revela:or tells F,
Is there will be no temple in HEAVIER
there will be no need of one, f(
s heaven itself is a temple. and only tt
of holy and sacred associations Of tt
church and of the life e~nsendered /
. the church can have part there. ]
such an atmosphere, the atmosphel
~ of heaven, Of hope and censoIatic
and joy the peace that passeth all III
Outstanding enters the life and brin.
it close to God.
"a For these reasons I am happy to I
privileged to so to church.
nd