The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-05-23
."WATCHMAN, WHAT OF THE NIGHT?'

Christ does not work a change in the
appetite and necessities of it's de-
Notcc then what Is there to attract
the attention and adhesion OF the av-
erage man and woman to what Is
being preached? What was the
position of the founder of the church
on each OF these matters? These II
seems TO me are grave questions Sor
the church itself to meet as II pom
ders the decline in church member
ship
These. Il seems TO me are grave
questions for the church itself 10
meet as 1t ponders the decline in
church membership.
The churches have come to be
too social, too commercial, too apol-
ogetic. By drives they fiji the edi-
fices once a year; or by sensational
ism fiji them with morbidly curious
more often. But the appeal of
spirituality alone is capable OF in
Culcating christianity and 80 chang
ing the natures and actions of men
as to bring nearer that day for which
the church was first set up.
Getting people into the church
building accomplishes precisely
nothing according to the doctrine OF
the evangelical theory Itself. one
mans heart actually touched into new
desires and determinations, out there
in the shadows of the underworld.
is worth more to the cause of the
church than thousand well
groomed people attending the serv-
ices in the fashionable editice for
appearances sake! / stake that
statement on The Book itself and
defy anyone 10 refute 1t.
II is my fixed belief that when the
church, as an organization, sets It
self the task of appealing to the
state for moral laws governing the
conduct Of men II ran up the white
flag to the devil and confessed the
impotence of it's own efforts TO ac-
complish the task for which 1t was
founded. And at that precise mo-
ment its spiritual influence and ap-
peal began, to wane.
What Il Christianity?
1t is his teaching, never impugned
or contradicted, that legal morality
and honesty are alike incapable OF
winning the great prize in the future
state. The answer TO the contro-
versal young man who pleaded "all
these things have | done from my
youth" comes ringing across the
years in utter denial OF that appar
ent contention that men can be leg
islatcd into the church and its re-
wards, or that christianity is any
| thing moro or less than a spiritual at
tainment marking an upward step
in the evolutionary character OF the
| human soul.
But because OF this long practice
on the part OF the church II Is liter
| ally fact that men are relieved OF
much OF the responsibility for their
personal acts or the individual re-
| sponsibility to reform and become
christians. The legislature. through
| ministerial activity and church in
fluence in political affairs is saving
them all the trouble. The ten
dency is TO legislate morality and
christianity into the world.
But at what n cost to the church
A decline in church membership OF
several hundred per cent In single
year!
Recently the press has been filled
with stories of a simple, illiterate
/ rtverman down on the lower reaches
OF the Mississippi river, who has at
tracted vast crowds because of his
alleged divine power to heal the sicl,
In body and mind. Pictures have
appeared showing vast multitudes
| gathering about this simple charac-
teT seeking MS curative min!stra-
| tons. He has performed wonderful
cures without the slightest material
meaDs--many OF them substantiated
| beyond all question.
The biggest question mark the
| mind OF man can conceive stands be
hind the story OF the crowds that
! flocked TO the presence OF this Iowly
| rtyerman, and that question mark
shouts a trumpet-tongued admoni-
ton to the church. When II is an
swered the psychology that moved
| the multitude will be explained and
the church will see clearly an In.
dex finger pointing its true path.
There Is present in this country a
layman OF certain denomination
who is moving vast crowds in va
rious centers OF population. Where
he appears In the pulpit land always
the pulpits are conservative, for the
denomination this layman is affili-
ated with is among the most conser-
vative and eXclusive). the audito-
rum is crowded with humanity from
the chancels rail to the outer door
and into the street, breathlessly in
terested and convinced OF a benefit
presently to be bestowed.
And the man himself breaches In
a simple. convincing way the power