Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-15

BY BISHOP w. A. GAMBLER
In "AmiePs Journal we find the
following wise observation: "Amuse-
ment, instruction, morals, are dis
tinct genres. They may no doubt be
mingled and combined, but il we
wish to obtain direct and simple eff
fects, we shall do best to keep them
apart. The well-disposed child, be-
sides, does not like mixtures which
have something of artifice and de-
ception in them. Duty claims ODE
dience; study requires application;
for amusement nothing is wanted but
good temper. To convert obedience
and application into means of amuSe-
ment is to weaken the will and the
intelligence. These efforts to make
virtue the fashion are praiseworthy
enough, but if they do honor to the
writer's, on the other hand they prove
the moral anaemia of society. When
the digestion is unspoilt, so much
persuading is not necessary to give
it a taste for bread"
These penetrating statements bear
on their face obvious truthfulness,
and they are worthy of the most
care ful preachers.
All the efforts to make amusement
a means of education, and to induce
children and youth to swallow knoWl-
edge disguised as diversion are some
thing worse than ineffective. They
are deceitful and reproduce deceit
fulness in the mind of the pupil.
knowledge made easy" to take, by
being floated in fun, yields nothing
in the way Of strengthening the men
ia! powers; it cannot strengthen the
mind, for it proceeds on the idea that
mental effort is to be reduced to a
minimum and the pain of thought
eliminated as nearly as possible from
education. Moreover, it suggests
most subtly that education is not
worth acquiring unless it can be
acquired without interrupting ones
amusement. This is to cheaper edu-
cation in the estimate of both the
teacher and the taught, and to pro-
duce frivolous disposition of mind
and a false view of life. Such a
process eXalts diversion to the SUI
preme place, and correspondingly de-
grades both the acquisition of learn
ing and the development of sintel-
lect.
But while the mingling of amuse-
ment and education is quite obpec-
tionable, the effort to make diver
sion a means of promoting religion
is indefinitely worse. Men can not
be lured into the kingdom of heaven
performances. The relation of a
human soul to a holy God is a mat
ter of the most serious and solemn
import, and any attempt to infIu-
ence that relation by appeals to the
desire for amusement is nothing short
of profanity. Men and women
cannot be converted and made good
| by grinning at God.
| nevertheless, there are those who
| would have the Church of God go
into the amusement business, and the
program which they propose they
claim to be one of progress" But
pray tell US towards what end is to
progressing? Will such a program
| harmonic with the Saviour's words
when He said, eff any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow me?''
The conditions of Christian disci-
ple-ship are serious, stern, and in
flexible. They involve less than the
crucifixion of the flesh; and that
painful process can never be carried
out in connection with pleasing d.
versions. An Intelligent human be-
| ing will not think of attempting to
go to his Calvary in giddy frame
of mind.
:. The church has no mission in the
field OF diversion. It's m ission is to
| seek and to save the lost, and such
mission does not comport with the
methods of a merry-andrew.
Inc church will point out the sports
which kill in order that the people
may be warned against diversions
that are deadly to piety. But because
N-AO CAANt I'll SOliuCIlluS dlnuSe-
ments is no more reason for it to
| go into the field Of making diver
sions for the people than its condem-
| nation of saloons and gambling
houses is ground for it's entering into
commerce. The church has nothine
to sell. 1t is a mediator of Spiritual
Things, and it's ministers are ambas-
sadors of Christ, proclaiming the Cos
| pei OF reconciliation. In it there
is no room for trading, or PLAYING
Underneath these programs OF
amusement as a means of promotine
religion and building up the church
lies the false notion that the Chris
ton religion can be patronized. This
Is false. Hotels may provide cab.
arets in order to draw guests to
them, but Christianity has nothing
to offer sinful souls but Christ and
HIS salvation. It is not seeking pa
irons, but calling sinners to repent
ance.
A church has not succeeded in its
molly and serious work when 1t has
done nothing more than draw large
crowds into what is supposed to be
it's place Of worship. Getting a
| crowd is no test of religious sue
cess; it is not infrequently the evil
| dence of defeat After the Lord haC
multiplied the loaves and fishes, {
l