The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-01-12
And The Method Of Its Work
Are Essential
If The Church Is To Perform
Its Proper Function

The following article is part Of the
report given by Rev. Ira ]. Houston at
the annual meeting of the Congrega-
tional church. Some of those who
heard it felt that it should be given
wider circulation, and asked for its
publication. The Banner is glad to
give it place in its columns:
If there was ever time when Chris
tendon was called to new devotion to
high causes, it Is now. The traditions
of yesterday have failed to produce a
civilization that has right to the
name of Christian. From every source
of Christian leadership, a challenge is
being hurled at the church. Our Chris
tian extension boards are wondering
whether now the church will realize
that it must take it's task seriously,
or whether it will continue to play
with it. The prophets of today are
telling us that we have no reason to
point the finger of shame at Europe for
Jul luOulo do ICCO6ulLCu Shl
leaders-are as far from the gospel
ideals as are theirs. The news sheet
of the Federated Churches of America
declares that the world we have
known has come to an end; that new
civilization must be built upon the
ruins of civilization that had as its
foundation Christianity inadequate
ly interpreted and supported with half
heartedness. The press is active in its
declarations that the church is ignor-
ant of the fact that it is inefficient.
And why may we not expect such ac-
cusations? For Europe, founding it's
civilization upon our churchly, mega
tive, individualistic, Pharisaic inter-
probation of the positive, active, un-
selfish, social gospel, is showing us the
natural consequences of the failure to
give Christianity chance, "By their
fruits ye shall know them" To dodge
the issue, is the height of folly. Wise
religious leaders are freely acknowl-
edging the inefficiency of the course
we have followed. Reconstruction of
the church's teaching, reconstruction
of the method of work, real attempt to
apply the gospel as it is to the life of
the time-this is the cry of the states
men of the church. And we may as
we'll face the fact-the alternative to
reconstruction is failure.
We are interested tonight primarily
in our own answer to the challenge
that we must accept or be untrue to
our divine commission. How shall we
as a church and as church members
adapt ourselves to the change that is
called for, how shall we meet the de-
mand that Is laid upon us? May we
think of the problem in two phases
first, what principles must be recon
structed? Second, what adaptation
must we make in our method of work
/. At the outset, let it be said that
a mere mental recognition of the fact
that there must be a change in our
thinking, our Interpretation of the gos
pei, will not be sufficient. We must be
ready to take the consequences that
an unselfish Interpretation Of the gos
pei will call upon US to take. A mega
tive gospel will never make vital
impression upon life. Our effort musi
be vigorous, positive, social. The in
terests of the kingdom must be oul
first interest-not theoretically, but &C
tually. AS long as we make quest fol
gain the absorbing passion of our lives
we are creating the type of civiliza
tion that made Europe shambles. Al
long as we fear the self-deniel and the
sacrifice that absolute devotion to thu
spirit Of Jesus demands; as long al
we prefer the lazy routine of self-cen
tered life that has heretofore been lit
tie challenged, SO long are we opel
enemies to the cause to which we arr