Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-04
WHAT IS THE USE
OF THE CHURCH?

benefit; but they are small Things III
comparison with the superhuman en-
deaVors of the Church of the living
God; and the forces upon which such
earth-born and earth-bound enterprises
must depend, however imposing may be
their systems and however ingenious
their machinery, fade into insigniticance
when compared with the heavenly pow
ers and resources which are employed
for the upbuilding of the kingdom of
God.
The Church comprehends within the
scope of it's purpose and plans the eX-
tirpation of all vice and the propagation
of all virtue, the healing of all ills and
the promotion of every worthy interest
of mankind. Voluntary associations
which devote themselves to special re-
forms and particular schemes of relief
constantly fall back upon the ministry
! and membership of the Churches for
their support. Without the Church they
can do nothing. 1t does not and can not
follow them; but they must, and do, de-
pend upon it.
Such being the heavenly mission OF
the Church, the cry, What is the use of
the Church?' is something worse than
impudent 1t amounts to an unjust ar
raignment of the only institution that
proposes the redemption of mankind
from all sin and the only institution that
is capable of accomplishing such bless
ed result.
Let this impudently accusative ques-
ton of what is the use Of the Church!
be answered once for all, THE use OF the
church is to seek and to save the lost.
Such was the mission of the Lord OF
the church, and it can aspire to nothing
| higher than that which engaged all his
divine power.
| Hence the church will not heed the
crazy cries of those in our day who as
sumo to command and correct her, un
dertaking to contrain her to renounct
her position, contract her mission. anc
consent to exchange the service of Goo
| for what they are pleased to call "th'
service of humanity" They would have
her abandon her high calling in Chris
Jesus and give herself exclusively 10 Al
sorts of pretentious programs of so
cial betterment," improved environ
ment," and the like. They conjure hel
to rely upon eugenics rather than upon
regeneration by the Holy Spirit for the
making of a new and nobler race, anC
| to bring to bear upon man, the tret
agent stockraising eXpedients and plant
! culture devices as the most efticaciouS
means to improve the species. But she
| may not heed the voices OF these spu
| rious renovators of mankind, who have
/ framed their systems according u IH'
postulates of a materialistic philosophy
| and not according to the pattern shown
| to her by her Lord in the mount. Al
| he is in the world, so she is in the woriC
ito seek and to save that which is lost.
| Recognizing man as a being made lit
! tie lower than the angels, and not simD
! ly a little higher than the brutes, sh'
| approaches him in the attitudes of hi
nature, with saving powers from above
| and not with soothing potions from be
Meath She knows full we'll the dtSpo
| sition of a fallen and prodigal race L
| get away from the Father, provided Us
| goods may be enjoyed after His pres
| ence has been escaped; and she under
stands the excess of riot to which sucl
| departure from God leads, and the dread
| full degradation in which it ends. Hence
she refuses to spend her strength il
merely carrying more modish appare
and more wholesome food to waywarC
! souls and arranging more refined as
| sociations and elegant environments fol
! them, however good such things may
! be; she can be satisfied with nothing
! less than bringing the wanderers bacl
/ to the Fathers house, where there Is
| for them not only dread enough and Il
spare" but a banquet of love overflow
ing with heavenly joy. She believes tina
THE SOUL OF ALL IMPROVEMENT
is THE IMPROVEMENT OF THU
| SOUL" and that social progress car
never go in advance of the regeneration
of personal character by the power o.
God and it's perfection through the grac5
| of Christ the Redeemer