The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-03-29

| to attract and win into it's fellowship
the followers of the Religion of the
Inarticulate.
1t would pronounce ordinance, rit-
ual, creed, all non-essential for ad-
mission into the Kingdom Of God or
His Church.
A life, not a creed, would be its
test; what man does, not what he
processes; what he is, not what he has.
Its object would be to promote ap-
piled religion, not theoretical religion.
This would involve it's sympathetic
interest in all of the great problems
of human life; in social and moral
problems, those of industry and bus
mess, the civic and educational prob
lens; in all such as touch, the life of
man.
AS its first concern, it would en-
courage Christian living seven days
in the week, fifty-two weeks in the
year, rather than speculation about the
hereafter.
1t would be the church of all the
people, of everyone who is fighting
sin and trying 30 establish righteous
ness; the church of the rich and the
poor, the wise and the ignorant, the
high and the Iowa true democracy.
Its ministers would be trained not
only in the seminary, but quite as
much in life, with the supreme en-
phasis on life. For it would be an i'm
portant part of the preparation of
each that he should spend months,
possibly years, working with his
hands in the fields or the shop, doing
business in the store or the Office, so
that he might not have merely lab
oratory acquaintance with the prob
lens of human life, but the practi-
cal knowledge which alone comes
from actual experience and contact
with them.
Yes, the ministry of this church
would live in vital touch with human
ity; it would understand and sympa-
thize with human difficulties, and
would exert its influence as much in
living as in preaching.
Would that l had the power to
bring 10 your minds the vision as it
unfolds before me!
/ see all UNCONVENTIONAL emphasis
set aside.
oCc iiOI
In the large cities l see great reli-
gious centers, wisely located ade-
quately equipped, strongly supported
and inspiring their members to parti-
cipation in all community matters.
In smaller places, instead of half
a dozen dying churches, competing
with each other, | see one or two
strong churches, uniting the Chris
tian life of the town; great economy
in plant, in money, in service, in lead
ership; money enough saved in this
way to support adequately home and
foreign missions.
l see the church moulding the
thought of the world as it has never
done before, leading in all great
movements as it should.
see it literally establishing the
Kingdom of God on earth.
Shall this vision be realized? The
future of the Christian Church de-
ponds on the answer Christian, men
and women give to that question.
We have been considering the de-
mand for a united Christian Church
from the point of view of the worlds
need for Christian leadership. There
is another motive, not less compelling,
urging the church on toward that end.
In The Germans and the Allies we NAV
find an analogy that makes this ne
cessitv clear.
Whatever we NAV think of the mo-
tive that actuates Germany in this
great war. there is one fact in the
German situation which commands
orr admiration-that is the perfect
co-oneration in which the whole nation
;s working every individual interest
and desire being subordinated to one
great object for which the nation, is
fighting.
The Allies. on the other hand. be-
cause of the unavoidable lack. at the
outset. of close cooperation and sub
ordination of the interests of each
to thn common interests of all have in
consequence, sacrificed hundreds of
thousands Of lives and billions of dol
lars which otherwise might have been
saved.
Do we not find a close parallel here
to the eternal welfare which is being
waged between the FORCES of evil and
tbe MANY branches of the Christian
Church? The former. like the Ger.
mans. always stand in a solid. un-