Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-07-18
BISHOP GAMBLERS MESSAGE

church for what they seek. The
amusements than it is organized to
sell groceries. 1t exists for relig-
ious purposes only, and it alone Of
fers religion to men. When a
church abandons this sacred field
to enter the field of amusement, it
gives UP what it is set by God to 6
do and undertakes to do what it
has no fitness for.
condition of this country if the
What would be the religious
were generally adopted? Religion
would give place to folly, and the
churches, to which men have been
accustomed to go for edif1cation
and comfort, would be displaced by
secondrate halls for diversion. The
bed of both serious religion and
worthy amusement.
A Kansas newspaper gives quail
fed approval, to the folly, of the
pected in that raw and freakish
commonwealth), and is quoted as
saying:
mir. Blackman is not alone in q
in the opinion that. some radical =
step must be taken by the
churches if the powerful re-
sources in the returning soldiers
to say nothing of the youth at
home, are to be utilized Testi-
mony of this kind from ministers
and other. religious workers who
have spent some time at the
front and in the training camps
has become so frequent as to
sound commonplace"
The underlying idea upon which
such an argument rests is that the,
church must cater to men to secure
their patronage. and that Christ must
be commended to the favor of the
soldier vote by His church's offer OF
Him to the returning boys. as an en-.
PERTAINING actor, or pleasing play
wright. This is the logical outcome
of this false view of the church.
If the church enters the show busi-
ness, she must like all showmen cater
or patronage. It's wares must be ad-
vertised, and the brands offered must
abdicates her high and hold function
of the wotld, and descends to the
level of a concentrated playhouse.
1t is time to say. most empnaucally
that the church Of God is not in the
world to seek the patronage of men,
but to rebuke their sins, demand
their submission to the authority of !,
God, and to offer to penitent souls
salvation in the name of Jesus. She
has nothing to sell, least of all she
is not in the show business.
A noisy, but small, group of men
have been crying for months about
what the soldier boys" We're going
to demand of the churches upon their
such demands from the multiplied
thousands of soldiers who have all
ready returned. Those who ever
cared for religion, and not a few who
have been converted through the
ministry of consecrated chaplains
while in France have upon returning
taken their places in the churches,
just as other serious people do. The
boys are not nearly so foolish as
some of these vain takers would
But if the army with one voice,
from General Pershing down to the
most obscure private soldier, should
unite in demanding that the church
take orders from them, renounce the
high commission received from her
Lord, and enter into the amusement
business, the church would have to
tell them that she was not in the
world to take orders from men, |but
| to proclaim divine DEGREES to men
and to demand their submission to
the laws of God.
Roman armies elected Roman en-
| perors in ancient days, but neither
Christ nor his church asks the
suffrage of men, whether soldiers or
| civilians. Jesus Christ was offered
| crown on one occasion by con-
| course of people whom He had fed
! by multiplying the loaveS and fishes;
but He put the offer away with
| energy, if we may not say with con-
tempt. What cares the Lord of
heaven and earth for the tinsels that
| man can offer Him.
If there are any soldiers who vain
| ly imagine that it lies with them
| to say what the church shall be and
! do, it is time for them to understand
| that they utterly underestimate tho
| authority Of he church and overes-
| innate their own Importance. BuS
| it may be doubted if in all the army
| there is so much as corporal's guard
| who entertain any such vain and fool
( ish notion. Evidently Alvin York
| does not, and he seems to have been
very good soldier.
In connection with the discussion
of the community church." another
| lesson may be learned. 1t is this =:
| When it is undertaken to put all the
men of any community into one re-
ligiOus organization, it is necessary
so to pare down belief and qualify
conduct that the common organiza-
ton into which they have entered can
find little ground of agreement
among it's constituents, except in
some general principles of humane
efforts and social aversion. The in
evitable tendency of such a body is
in the direction of laxity of faith and
looseness of conduct. Even so good
an organization as the Young Mems
Christian Association has not entirely
escaped this danger, although it has
not assumed to displace the church
oe-4