The midland journal., 1916-07-14
A DIFFICULT TASK.
The Danger In Broadening The
Definition OF Religion.

ence to ones whole l1fe-eVery Gay
in the week and in every thought,
aim and deed-that every day is the
Lords Day and that everything is
Holy if man will but leave it so.
Everything is sacred but sin.
This is much broader concep-
ton than was formerly held. To
many people, religion has been an
experience not apart from daily life.
Work and worship have been consid-
cred alien. Few have considered
their daily acts as expressions of re-
ligion and to worship by work" has
not been a part Of the common phi
losophy of life.
But in the mind of the outsider,
the man who with-holds his support
from the church, is found deep
conviction that religion prefers to
have men and women only in the
posture of payer" This is an ar
raigment, in his opinion, for he
frankly believes that the work of the
world demands action, and to him
the church has been an organization
on the job only two hours a week.
That he is allowed to hold this mis-
conception of the function of the
church has been largely due to the
divided condition of the church it
self, and its consequent Ineffective
ness and weakness.
"Jesus worshipped in the temple
on the Sabbath and during the week
went about doing good. And if any
part of His work we were more in
cidental than the other it was his
preaching" a well known minister
has said. 1--WE are realizing more
and more that the measure of use
fulness of any church today lies not
in its building, its music, its ritual,
or even the eloquence or popularity
of its minister, but in its service to
the community. 1t must work
toward the raising of moral stand
ards, creating spirit of friendliness
and neighborliness, eradication of
class lines, and in elevating the polit
ical, educational and social ideas of
the community. None of these can
be done satisfactorily by operating
on the Sabbath only. Manifestly the
rural church is being challenged as
never before to make its organization
a working organization.
A Caution.-But let it not be
thought for a moment that "wor-
ship" is left out of this new scheme
of things On the contrary, "Wor-
ship" from being hedged in and
prescribed as praying. psalm-singing,
etc., in a church building, has come
into a larger and fuller Importance.
To work at anything which will
better the human race, with that
thought in view, mind you, is wor-
ship. 1t is glowing service" as well
as praise. Gods will for man en-
braces his growth toward perfection
in body, mind and spirit and he who
works for any one of these should
do so worshipfully. as co-worker
who loves both God and man.
The Danger.-But danger turks
within. Many people who regular
ly go to church as religious obliga
tion and who hold the church as
Holy Place in their memory and it's
services as religious expressions, are
bewildered by the demand that
their homes, their farm, and their
offices be considered as holy and that
doxy -
ship thru work" In fact some
have hypnotized themselves and con-
fused themselves so in dividing
things into sacred and secular that
they are akin to the murderer who
postponed murder because relig-
ious scruples would not allow it on
Good Friday.
The Church thru its services is an
end. but still more largely, it is a
means to an end. 1t should be a
power-house, giving the stimulus of
Gods will to all who come. We
should go often to be re-charged.
But thru the rest of the week we
should put that power to work
worship" AS one minister put it
recently. "You get new supply of
ammunition-you load up your gun
each Sunday SO that you can go out
and fight sin and ignorance the rest
of the week." 1t might be added
that much ammunition is carried out
and never used.
When the Indifferent realize that
their church is a Power House,
that its object is to furnish the cur
rent with which to build UP happy
community, they will join forces with
It. This is demonstrated in thou