The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-06-11

Of mans moral nature. No wonder the appeal
to the soul In weak ana Inefficient while the
Image Of dollars and cents is held up between
the hcarcr and his sermon. In oldcn tincs
each member gave 10 the cause - his substance
proportion to his gratitude toward tho gvcr
Of nll good things. The modern way Is to reach
after his pockctbook regardless of the dictates
Of his conscience a - many people need 10
be reminded OF their duty TO make their re
llgion bosses of their purses, bu, forcing to a
duty is poor substitute for strcssing the atti-
tudo toward God that makes men want 20 be
liberal with their substance for the cause Of
the church
Another matter Is the growing Impression
that tho public needs to bo trapped into church
going by secular attractions. II is a good idon
that religious services should be made at
tractiye ana cntlcinR to tho people ~ is CON
slstont with its spiritual object II II well that
men and women should find In the churches
those pleasing things which they might other
wise seek for elsewhere under less spiritual
surroundings. The temptation here Is that the
spiritual mission ~ the church should become
subordlnatcd under aud buried out of sight by
tho frilh and furbolows put on TO cntrap those
not voluntarily inclined to church going. True.
they nre protected from owl Influences that
might assan them In seeking tho pleasures Of the
world away from religious influences. High class
music Bible class parties church festivals jazz
sermons, pool rooms Fymnasums, church
clnls, are an good In their way. Whatever ls
light 10 do II right 10 use In helping to wor-
ship God But beware II the result Is not that
many attend church purely because Of these
attractions, and only impatlcntly tolerate the
sermon because It is necessary evil ms part Of
the cost of their pleasures.
The only prescriptions for drawing men to
the church and doing good to their souls is the
preaching Of Jesus Christ and him crucified"
II tho preacher does not present this subject in
n telling way all other devices are vain. The
human soul longs for something more than
human to satisfy It's needs, when the man
comes along who will preach directly to the
souls Of his hearers his pcws will he well filled
sunday after Sunday. For no amusing devices
can satisfy the soul and are often Instrumental
In putting the heart Of man to sleep In "A false
security. great effort In made to get away
from the oldtlmc church method OF dealing
out doses OF religion as the parent deals out
castor oil to his children. They don't like II.
but II is for their good and they must take H.
In seeking to remove preaching from the cate
CORY OF unpleasant ana unattractive' medicines
for tho soul, we have gone too far In making
the sermon only an incident of picty. sugar
coated literally with worldly pleasures so that
the patient swallows tho dose without tasting
the bitter. Whenever the church learns that
its chief and only claim on the attention OF
humanity is the message OF tho cross. and
makes this paramount to all sensationalism,
financing and secular enticcments only then
will the power of that message be seen In win
ming and keeping souls