Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-20

dencndcnt." There are many philoso-
nbfcal vagaries, ancient and modern,
called religion. by their devotees.
Nevertheless / believe there is but one
real rplgion--that, the religion of the
ord Jesus Christ. That kind of religion
Is hard to live. And yet. it is more than
ever needed in these desperate days of
pcace. Not denominationalism, not
phiosophy. not ethics, not rituals, not
abstract theology, not man made creeds
NO, none of these, but religion, pure
and d. indebted" The church must
supply it with uuswcrving fidelity and
with winsomc fellowship. a prominent
preacher was asked what the difference
might be between the churches of today
and those of fifty or sixty years ago. He
answered that our grandfathers and
rrandmOthers tramped miles to church
Through every sort of weather, sat in
badly. heated and i'll ventilated buildings
on straight and uncomfortable pews,
and then sang the glorious hymn Of
Isaac Watts:
Come. VIC that love the Lord
And let our joys be known.
Their grandchildren choose fine Sun
days, and for preference ride in motor
cars to church. enter buildings beauti
1fulIy lighted and warmed. take their
places in we'll cushioned seats and sing,
Art thou weary. art thou languid,
Art thou sore distrest
Progress Made by Church
We smilc at that. Doctor Aubrey,
|who tells that story. says: There is
Ienough truth in it for us to feel the
Hsting. It is pleasant way of telling
Uhalf Of the truth or another way of
sayng the church of today is too soft
n. ,,,.lt lt,,,l al u r..I 4
BluggSh in its corporate life that it
Strives to arrange attractive services
inside at the cost of sacricial service
&outsidr. The church certainly has made
ruch progress since the days of our
grandfathcrS. There is still room for
Improvement, and upon the shoulders of
the elders and laymcn rests the largest
responsibility. If that be true, then
the business Of the church must be con
Euctcd in more buSinesslikc manner
plorr money is needed in every branch
bf the church's widening influence.
Famine and pestiencc hold devastated
fentral Europe and Russia in death
krip.
The church must heed and minister. |
During the war we gave our boys and
gave our money unSclfiShly to save our
country and to make the world decent
place in which to live. A one thou
Fandth part Of the money we gladly |
Fpent in winning the war, il now given
10 the church to make it an irresistible
Force, would produce many more times
fhc largest amount asked by the most |
fansulne of visionary experts of mis-
Flonary extension at home and abroad |
80 many of us know little of that |
End of giving. We whine when a
financial drive is suggested and then
IrlImnIp bpr1nSn tho nbnrpb h;II,, -
paid. We are especially fEint- hearted
Ehcn 'ChurCh finances are being
planned Timid and full of fear. VIC
NnlStIe to keep up our courage and ex-
end much energy in whiting down |
Hlr budgets. q yc Of little faith. ri
ne average church officer conducted |
MS own business in the same lacka-
aiSlrnI way he does the business Of |
0" churrh, his banker would call his |
NanN tomorrow. Implying that fiat
hahrlal statistics mean prosperity and |
can statistics failing church. Richard |
tobortS says. "Thc church is insUl- |
eht' would add. not necessarily
hSoIv"nt but more or less somnolent. |
nSt"ad of adopting some systematic
noth"d lik" the every member plan"
increase our treasury we rely upOn |
raWlnE big crowds and big collections.
IaclnS the burden very largely upon
nr altractivcncSS of our minister's =
r'arhlng or programs. And that leads !
o 10 say 1t is time long overdue for |
y" minister's to receive living wage.
We nave been talking a good deal about |
orFectlng this disgracrful lack of CO.
p'rat!on. hut the reform has not vet |
p'omr general. 80 far We have been |
pncCS
100 Generous With Criticism
IN our dealings with our ministers we
ave D"'n economical of praise and too |
encrouS with our criticisms. Many n |
H!nnSocratcd minister, who has financial |
mrn!tH IN keeping body and soul with
ual!lng distance of each other, has |
EAU ms spirit chilled by the so called |
.gadlng elder of his church, publicly |
Nv %TIh''imcS in the elders own home !
a.alN calling attention to the min
; shortcomings. The irony of it is
ust N" same leading" elder later on
rGs',IHoS rs surprise when his own children
on on ,n' Young people of the cOngrega-
JJn anh0unc" "a now and up to date
anmiS"r IS needed o, YOU sermon
TSD.irtS rSni.S II tho silent hcartachrs Of |
,'ustcra and minister's wives could |
registered there are some "church |
famaJ" fmo," VINO would be more properly |
No"o gu ratcFplIIars, because they destroy
Id , 'nan thcy support. Minister'S of |
lbrso W. w. SaF 10 you, prophets are needed .
hmbts N"SN VINO will not preach their
nnin,lor lor some positive things, never
nsr'Eng npyTEsl]Ing for the Word of God. Re.
onrar Drr mat Jesus was strong. yirilc,
Is toionus' with masculine virtues. BE
btbor, nnt' 100, as lie was. Remember
from l'HGlous experiences may differ
n ~ oUTN ana give range of liberty
oSoti I honest conscience. Don't lot YOUR
of oftb''nS tbo nUlk too large; Shun the spirit .
lestror ',1I,lElouS ,I prig or prudc. Help us
Hans u' IT." cardinal sins. of many Chris
EcDsori mmlrh are self Righteousness and
Throw JIi,,"SH' "I ,,.SH' Tn the scrap heap
BnAupntioI" I","lanIS compromises to please
Der aka members who sit in the cen
bOte. Ne''r lose the cvangClStiC
fdcnro' 'G,,on 10 the pilgrim fathers con
Hheir yoai % tnc nc reyea led word of God,
faitb II, "'"I Tor religious liberty, their
bioppors pIblIar government, those pious
ducption oIaTcd 5rEd trail for religious
bpn"onl, This year marks the Tooth |
Hhe proSShhIE OF the educational work of
iay pnd '"i on ''Tlan hurch. From the first
put faIto"rih,. "h through the 100 years, with.
ChriStion 'ng' our church has nurtured
being CnJ, SIII'scS' their COrnerStOnPS
FritffcOH Hoa d. Word. On their banners is
5ty, ond culture. citizenship. Christian
anitvv' tue greatest of these is Chris
schools nneS nnn between church and state
proparlya are carefully defined, and very
blwRvs 80 and that there shonid
tween t%o, PS the fullest co operation be-
move irte Otte'n' as both without conflict
tervice."l "'S A. an n,o ever widening sphere of