South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-17
AVERAGE MAN IS
NOT CHURCHMAN
Church Has Failed to Impress
With Importance of Task,
Declares Rev. Titus.

The average man OF today is not
a churchman. He has failed to line
up with the church in its work Of
promoting the Kingdom of Christ, &"
said Rev. c. w. Titus. in his ser
mon at the First Christian church
on Sunday morning. Perhaps some
will take exception 10 this state
ment," he continued. but 1 assure
you we have TO look no further than
our own city To substantiate the
truth Of this assertion.
Assuming that we have 5000
men in this city, how many of this
number will you actually find in the
house of God engaged in divine wor-
ship at this appointed hour2 Per-
haps it would be difficult to find
500. Granting that this number may
be found, how few of these throw
their manhood and power into the
work of the church of Christ? For
some reason the average man is not
with US. Some valiant workers in
kingdom are trying to discover why
this is so.
The average man of today is not
an atheist. No longer do these fires
of enmity and hostility to the cause
of our Lord burn and drive men
into the abyss of doubt The re-
ligion of the Galilean has marched
glOriously on. Some other cause
must be found.
Perhaps the average man of to-
day holds aloof from the church be-
cause he sees so much Indifference
on the parts of members in the in
stitution. If this be true, then il is
our duty to prove that we mean real
business. / am inclined to the be-
lief that we have failed TO impress
this average man with the impor-
lance of the task before the church.
and the real significance of our mis-
sion.
Something Is Wrong.
The church has concerned itself
with hosts OF questions which in my
mind have taken the place of the
real gospel of Christ. We have been
busy about literary and historical
criticism, comparative religion
psychology, metaphysics, apostolic
succession. modernism, ritualism
sociology, social service, socialism,
finance, philanthropy, and. above all
the burning desire to build up our
own denominations. The average
man. possessing at least some intel
- ~ ~ IL
wrong with the church. He looks
with disappointment upon this
whole attitude, and decides 10 stay
cut.
The average man is not among
US because he is often very keenlN
disappointed in the quality Of tn,
ministry. Personally, 1 have al
ways felt that the biggest and rich
est souls are often found In the pull
pit; but too often the average mar
beholds the wishy -washy. back
homeless. unmanly type OF minister
No minister feels complimenteC
when confronted with the type o.
this picture in the moving pictures
Of today. The minister who 4
afraid OF sOiling his cuffs, or whC
would feel il sin 10 dirty his hands
has done a positive harm to th'
church of God. I believe the hour
has struck for a ministry that car
meet any man on common ground
and BE all man.
The average man hates mean
ness, fear moral cowardice, instabil
ity. narrow mindedness; but he ad
mires courage, kindness and broth
erly love. These. TO him. are tn,
things OF real life and must be tn
controlling passions OF the soul
When the church of Christ learns q
put the real emphasis here. ant
gets busy preaching and living thi