Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1920-02-23
WHAT CONSTITUTES
THE RIGHT Church
SHOWN BY PASTOR
REV. G. W. CHESSMAN DIS
COURSES ON VITALITY IMpOR.
TANT RELIGIOUS TOPIC DUR.
ING EVENING isERViCE At BAP.
list CHURCH.

Sunday night at the Baptist Churci
Rev. G.. ". Chessman spoke on TN
subject "DoOrkcepers Text, -
~ 10 Il would rather be Il doorkeep
er in the house OF my God than /,
dWell in The ten ) OF wickednesa. lie
said;
we are accustomed to regard
doorkeeper ns the most humble piece
in the service OF God. The man "hu
cannot speak in public. teach or pray
can be Il genial welcomer At the door
This il IA splendid service and | would
NOT minimize it. Bat there is some
thing more to be said OF doorkeepef#,
When we consider the function 81
the doors of the church In larger
sense we know il 10 ne ii major and
not Il minor service. For after all
our task is to Keep the church door,
swinging inward for the receiving ana
unrtuling Of people in the things OF
God, and swinging outward that PEG
pie thus diyinely energized might
give forth in ministry in The common
life
some church doors do no HWinG
AT all. New faces are no seen in IN"
news and new names are not added
10 the roll God program Is forward
10 conquest in Christ's name and with
His spirit, but this churcn Is NOV
ing backward 10 stagnation and dealt
There Is no status quo.
Some church doors swing only in
ward. The shame OF it. An octopus
church! A Dead Sea church A self.
conferred church instead OF Chrislu-
centric church. 4 church winch t.
an end in itself instead Of Il means to
The end Of community and world SefE
ice Christ came not 10 be minis.
tered unto but 10 minister and TO give
His life as Il ransom for many.
The doors OF the church mus ~
Kept open ia the travail and pain g.
the world. The world viii hay"
glorious rebirth only uS the heart OF
the church and the hand Of the
church goes out in SaCriiicial service.
A man in an eastern ely built
sound-proof inner room To keep Odt
the wransling note Of turmoil Of IN"
hurly-burly world. The church must
never be such Il room, isolated and in
sulated from the disturbing reminders
OF the aching needs Of the common
life The world needs, reaching into
the sanctuary, constitute q challene"
OF God to His church. God speaks il
the deep hroated voice Of the world
misery,
Some church doors swing on. ward
First In war do make Il divine i'm
preston. then outward for concrctr
EXPIRE Ssion in WOrthiul service The
church is Transformation mount
where souls are baptized in the glory
OF God, but al the foot OF the mount
,hero is crying needle and he Peters
aud JameseS and Johns mus( leave
the upper glory for the valley mi:is-
try.
The outswinging doors OF the
church means today the conquest OF
all life for Christ and His kingdom |
Industry, business, politics, lnterna'
tional relations must be ChrlStlunized, |
There il no divorce between these |
and the religion OF Christ |
must be supreme in every realm OF |
life 1t is the outgoing church from
its inspiration mount that must in
wade these realms Tor their spiritual
zation. Men who are employers, own
rrS, directors OF business and indus
try tand the church has a host OF
1hem), men who are employees cana
the church has hos Ol these, too
these must 20 out in this new day rs
on Il crusade against paSanSm ana
Tor the enthronement OF Christ in tn"
places where men toll, carry on buSi
ness, produce the material NalueS oi
life. This gives no guarantee OF
lightning remaitng Of the world, bu
it is real constructive program fCr
the redemption OF this complex lie
with its manifold, glarins. Chris
1an practices.
The church to-day must have out
ward swinging doors and the losing
of its life in sacriiicial service or l.
ceases to be Christ's saving organiza
with other self-centered institutions
Minute Men Preside.
The hearty response to the men
service last night at the FIRST Meth
odiSt Church proved correct fore
east of the February thaw" y
large audience greeted the minute
men in their initial appearance. Miss
Elda Smith presided at the grand I
piano, Fred Keeler accompanied with
the violin, and jay Rullner was at his
best in directing the music. A chorus
of twenty men led in singing con
ward Christian Soldiers, My Anchu"
Holds" The Church in the Will
Wood. The Fight Is On and Marco.
ing to Zion A male quartet com.
posed OF Messrs. Wellman. RullncI,i
! .inderman and Stone sank two aeleC
tons.
l.. G. Brand was introduced rs
chairman OF the minute men, of
whom there are nine at present ~-
Judge Johnson, George 7. Hills. Dr.
Roberts, l.. c. Brand, o. Cartilage, T..
II. Pool, Warren Gladfelter. Richard
Lynch and Dr. Carter. The chairman
stated that Washinston's birthday
with Il good time for minute men 10
he on duty, and he expected o sac
the same loyal spirit in the tasks Of
today as in the days Of Lexington an
Concord, 1t Is happy day that lay
men are coming to a large participt
ton in the responsibilities of the
church.
In introducing Richard Lynch 20
speak upon My Ideal of Layman'
the chairman stated that the business
1. -.