The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-05-28
CRANKY CHURCH
N|ENBERSERNON
THE REV. DR. IRA q. MccREAKY DE-
LIVES FUNERAL DIS
COURSE OVEN CRANK.
D declares Such Persons = Destructive
Genius and IL Lost II Ho Does
Not Repent.


mons. delivered an able discourse last
night 10 large congregation on
Cranky Church Members Funeral. lie
took his text from Proverbs 2S:Is' read
Ing: Whose walketh uprightly shall be
saved; but he that perTerse IN MS ways
shall fall at once
nr. McCreary said in part:
I'VE pclleve thoroughly In the church:
It has it's faults and its defects ana
perhaps It not doing all that IT ought
!, do for the Kingdom. Yet II is divlne
given 10 IT, 1t is 10 be a training, school
for the followers of Christ. In II they
are TO associate for mutual helpt ulness;
They are 10 study together Coos Worn
lhal they may become more familiar
with themselves and with their divine
Lord. They are To grow into Ills Ike
ness But the church Is more than
training school 1t is An army. organ
lied for the conquest or the world Ils
marching orders gwen by 'tS great on
and preach the gospel TO every creature.
In obedience to these orders IT must go
forth and do everything in its power 10
bring The world TO Christ;
I'm This work or training its mem
hers and of winning the world 10 Christ
the church encounters great opnnsltion::
Against it arc arrayed the forces or
darkness. The god eff this world has
been and still is doing everything IN ms
the church. He leaves no stone untiirncc
I'd that will hinder the onward march OF
the forces OF righteousness. lie ha'n
blinded the minds of them lhat hc!ieN5
not lest the light Of The glorious go$pei
If chris, who is tho image of God.
should SHINE unto them. There are
many Strnnghnlds that resist the church;
The hearts of men are often colo ana
Indifferent to spiritual Things. ana tne
prospect OF the church is often none TOO
/ ~
vine power Is in the church. and back or
The church. The ultimate issue rs GER
rain. The time may hc long hut VIC
tory is sure To Christ every knee Shal
bow and every tongue at length CONFESS
Greatest Danger Confronting Church.
'rhe greatest danger that confronis
the church in our day IS many view -.
Is not opposition from without. Inc
real danger IL the danger within. ms
was n great danger in paul's day and IN
his farewell TO the Ephesian elders he
said: 'Of your own selves shall men
arise speaking perverse things. 10 ora"
away disciples after them.
1T often happens that the churrh , naS
among It's members some VINO are ike
those described in the text. They arc
rerversc in their ways. We may call
them cranky. for that is Cood mooeFn
word with which IN translate the "orn
'perverse' in the text. TO ms
class belongs the one whose luncraI ser
mon We have this evening.
There are funeral sermons that arc
difficult TO preach. pastor IS often
placed in An embarrassing posttior III
with them. The funeral ser
longs 70 this class What shall be said!
The departrd one belonged 10 the church.
lie had made a confession OF MS faith
In Christ. and his determination 10 I'VE
for Him. That fact ought IN be noted.
That is the very thing we are striving
n
50 it should he mentioned. But not
murh can be said in praise OF the lie
that the departed has lived. He was
pcrversc cranky. But in this particular
sermon il Is dtfGrtcn, ne ;nsrrasem
Is an unnamed one. So "" have larger
liberty. We cannot be accused Of being
"
FIRST We will notice his conduct. t!e
was pcrvcrsa. llr was hcadsirnnG. re
wanted 10 have his own way IN nearly
every case His crankinnss manifested
itself In many ways. lie usually At
tended the services a. the church. except
when things did not 60 10 suit MIN.
Then he allowed tho church N cone IN
between himself. aud his Lord. rms
cranky church mruher found fault win
the management Of tho church. with the
q rfirrrs and with III" work In general
If he vas NOT allowed To nave ms own
way there was trouble. lie must ne
FRS. nr he would do nothing. He must
hc handled always with extreme care
lie was nor Constructive" leader IN me
church, He was. rather destructive
critic. .tnd 50 he lived his lie.
Crank Has Influence.
what was his influence" He had An
influence of course. Every one has. u
u is not for good then II Is Tor evil:
There are no neutral lives: The world
is either better or worse for each one.
having lived in II. And SO this rranEE
church member had an influence. He
had an influence upon his pastor. lie
gave him many anxious and uneasy
hours. The work al the pastor was Of
ten interCcr"d with. Re also had an
influence upon the otfi"crs or the
church They found him difficult tn
handle. Some said he should be gotten
rid Of But that was not easy. Then ne
had au Influence mon the membership
If ,!ls church. Md his Influence ex-
the ,.aus,. 1T Christ somewhat INTO dis
rrnutr. His iniluenre hiudered the adj
vauc. nf tho church and til" Kingdom.
lie gave the ENEMY rhHnr" 10 hitS-
theme. His life was not III harmony
with his profession HIS misconduct
was very n"GiIrrabi"-
What was his rewards Why should
any ono live such Il NE" Th"r" must h"
>nine reason tnr It. Fcrhaps h. g"i
some ujcaSurc nut ~ II. r. the life OF
, he church as n whole - what II ought !
Ia I've thcr" would no; II" much pleasure
In il for tho cranky member. This man
Inst 10y III Worship aud in association
With ,;md'< people Tie lost. ;hc joy there
j. il the service Of christ. lie had ia
iov.i in loading others In christ. That is
!, great loss in iniS prcS"!i; lifr. Nud
81 All through this present l!fc. mis-
church member instead ~ nav
ing a reward for the kind Of llic h. va"
living. was all the time losing those
;hinCs tina, arc really worth while.
Us IL his reward when This lie is
over wr have little ia Sa?. If he cor
,iuurd ,.rayl;,. tn Ito nnh he must have
lnst tho reward Of hra%"'r. II" that is
r.ryr">r ~ his ways shat! fall n once.
That is AN awful sentences. II is Il terri
bio thing, tn lose ;hc '"ward thai God
iag prepared for ih0S" WIN i"v" him.
Lost # He Doesn't Repent.
.Eur II he did reopen: hcfnr" he reach
ad .hr end "f his earthly career. II he
f,irnrd 20 God with all his heart. his
eInS w,,;!l,i II" forgiven him and he would
10 admitted into the prrSnnr" Of the re-
deemed Rut his reward there would
moi H., all ;haI il Nigh; have been. There
IS :. hlEfnr"ur" between having an en-
franc" int" heaven. and having An
3, huudari cntranrr There is such Il
hing a. being saved yet 80 as by fire.
If the era iiv church mrmbcr rnnented
ms, hrfnrr the end came and was ac-
rcntcd hv tho LORD. he was saved as by
fire. Ilc would come practically cmrty
handed. What 4 lnss that would be.
And 80 there y warning from such
lir".
Let Va examine our lives. Let uS
farn the uIair facts IN the case II we
find in our lives tendencies toward per-
ynrseneSS or rraukineSS. let lis 80 at
once to the feet nj Christ. There was
uore or tn" spirit nf uervrrSencsS In
Him dn will give US strength n con-