Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-12-15
SPEEDY LIFE ALONE
HAS APPEAL; Church
TABOO, SAYS PASTOR
BAPTIST CLERGYMAN ARRAiGNS
PRESENT DAY LAxiTY or RE.
LIGiOUS DUTY-CHARCES PEG.
PIE DO NOT WANT CHRIST.

Sunday night at the Baptist church
Rev. e. w. Chess'nan smoke on 9TH,
Slogan of the Satisfied Text Mark
"a, Let rs alone; what have we
10 do with Thee. Thou Jesu, of Naz-
arrth''
by actions if MOI by. words this
continent is SIN expressed in many
lives. Jesus rrrst is not wanted
People want immunity from His chal.
lenge 10 heroic living and shun the
church. They want 10 De- left undis-
turbed In the status Quo Let rs
alone. II Is the slogan of the salts.
nrd
Chris, calls men to deny self. 10
take mp their cross and follow Him
That IL the last thing in the world
they want to do They taboo the
religious appeal. Reading a BIZ OF
hctlon the other day a man pleads
with woman to forsake her cabara,
drinking, cigarette smoking fast iy.
iuS existence for a better life. She
told him that was the life she wanted
and no other. She would have him
let her alone in the life she found
satisfying. II was life Of sin but
pleasnrabie and exhilaratins Chas
wagner tells us of the modern com.
pie HE OF certain motrOpOlitanS It
~" Of clnbs, receptions dances. mon
ey making and spending. 1t is a
dizzy Whlrl in quest of pleasure and
8elfish entertainment. They exhibit
no desire for higher morality. n
life OF service. Well fed. clothed
and lodged they do not want to be
unfettered. liberated for a nobler pur.
pose in life We know people VINO
pass the church by for the screen
drama and the club Their actions
tell rs they want TO be left alone
with their lower satisfactions They
are not moved by the stigma Of sinful
living. II is pleasurable and the
thing they want
But the saddeet fact is that
among the circle that wears the
Christian insignia there is also heard
the slogan OF the satisfied The call
10 conservation OF life. to the enlist
lnent OF powers and money for the
cause Of Christ elici's only the re
Spouse, in action if not in words,
Let us alone
Let the cali ring out for the
changing of spasmodic church going
habits. Quote Gods word, 'Forsake
not the assembling of yourselves TO-
gether. Point out the sorry adver-
iisement OF the greatest thing in the
world that empty church benches at
81 t,,y -
ular church attendance habits to the
nurture of the spiritual life. What re.
suits In the way of respone in some
lives? Practically they say, Let us
alone. We are satisfied with our
habits. They would not change a
dinner hour they would not change
their practice OF staying home when
the weather was unpropitious.
''Let the call TO service be sounded.
The church has program the sue
cess of which depends upon the mem
her units taking their places. Show
how the church is made impotent
thru withheld cooperative labOrs,
The appeal does no, disturb the non
participation habit. IL is pleasurahle
TO be sort OF free lance evading re-
sponsibilities and pledges. They say
by actions. Let us alone They have
not the heroic stuff that urges them
to the firing line for God and an
achieving church.
Let the money question be sound.
cd, Christian discipleship means
Gods ownership, life and money.
Man Is steward The Christian han
dies the money but it belongs to
God. The bible is full ol this kind
of teaching, Yet many Christians are
crying, on the money question. Let
us alone They are not ,thing. Civ
ing proportionately or SCIENTIFICALLY.
The fact is they are giving oftimes
hut convenient change. They use
liberal sums on themselves but a mig
gardly portion on the divine enter
prise. The church today is crippled
in It's outreach for human redemption
because so many Christians want to
be left alone in their unscriptural
use of money. II was in a Jewish
synagogue that a man with an un
clean spirit cried to Jesus. Let us
alone and still in His church that
cry Is heard.
But Christ does not leave alone
lie drove the llnciean spirit our Oh
the man. he healed him of his dis
ease And Christ is bent upon doing
that today. He is a disturber of the
satisfied He comes with a sword TO
cut to the heart Of ignotla seif-con.
tent and Snug complacency. We
ought not to cry, Let us alone, but
Come IN Lord Jesus and rule in our
lives, \