Norwich bulletin., 1921-10-17


 Sunday morning Sunday morning at the United Congregational church the sec ond in series of five upon The Church. Answering the question, What are the conditions of entrance into church mem bership? which was his topic, he said that fellowship with the mind and spirit of the Master must set the standard for all human feilowshfps, that there shall be progression, and that through this pro gressive Fellowship there shall result re- den1ptive action.
 In part he spoke as follows;
 If the church we're fraternal organi- zati0n or lodge, whose customs rites and ritual were altogether unknown to the uninitiated, the whole world would be claroring at it's doors for entrance Such, at present is the nature of hu- manity A secret is always a challenge i; an unknown quantity is always a nut to be cracked and a mystery has an elusive appeal to the curiosly inquisitive human mind We can almost say that men are of two classes-those with buttons and those without. So obvious are the badges insignia and signs, that we declare delfb- erately and sometimes proudly that we belong either to the charmed or the un- charmed.
 Man stands before every sentinel door. uttering a universal hope, Please let me in. I, too, would enter into your fellow ship in mystery Please mark that phrase, the fellowship in mystery. Is not l that the secret of the power of every l lodge fraternity. order that wiletS the ap- petite of modern man? This is the ap- l peal, this the impetus that prompts 1nil- l lions of men to clanor at the doors That they shall fellowship In the rnyste- | ries
 l How different is the church Imaginz 1 the world the whole world, knocking al | it's door for entrance!
 We can imagine it. But we do not see l it. Instead of the world besieging the l church for entrance, the church is i'm. ploring the world to enter, and one oi 1 the reasons is this: That even if the content with which the church deals i. the fnysteriousness Of God and life. yet the whole world knows everything abou l the forms of the church. For two thousand years the race has seen the church at work That work is not hid
 den secluded, secret or unknown Hymn.
 and anthems, prayers and invocations the forms for marriage and for burial baptisrls by sorinkling or immersion tn, celebration of the mass and the Eucha rist; the whole ritual for worship tn
 words Of penftence and pardon the doc l trines tenets and orders; the ministra tions of popes bishops, priests, deacon. and elders the kneeling and the bowines l-all these are the known forms of tn
 church there is nothing hidden rotbin.
 secret about them. What they expres
 may be of eternal and mysterious mo
 rent but they are the visible gestures 0
 the church. A mere form once capture-
 no longer remains mystery. And fo
 these many centuries those outside tn
 church membership as well as those in
 side, have known the customs, rules. reg
 niations, ritual that once were mysteries
 All men know what is to be done wha
 is to be sung, what is to be voiced at tn proper times, places intervals. Wha . prompted men to enter Into the grea
 historic nlysterfes-tFis of Isis and Osi1 1 is. of Mithra and Cybele of the Grea l Mother, of lodge, fraternity and Ku Klu l klan-what prompted men to enter thes
 voluntarily and desirihgly, has gone fror , the church. We may say in one sens that men know too little but in r1uc l. more practical sense that men know. to ! much, of these clothes, garments acco, terments, gestures and rnatrons Of 1T church, to be oVerpoweringly zealous fc . entrance into it's life. That is one reaso : why we have world not clamoring fc = entrance into the church, but besiesed r v 1 It; world not rushing 10 it's doors. bl a the doors irnpioring world the chury . in the posture of a suppliant. instead
 l the church in the Bosture Of suardir
 sentinel
 Now, the church has no nrogran,n
 1 that shall change the known custor = and forms of her fife intS unknov a forms and customs, in order to captu v the imagination of the gaping outsider
 secrecy is the only guarantee of her e
 istehce, then she will gladly die. r fellowship within her life is to be S . cured only by passing through subte
 ranean gates and yelled and seer
 apartments, then she will stop her e
 deavors.
 She will make no pretence of secrec
 Though she will say Behold. I show V ? a mystery :" She will not say, T " 't show it only mysteriously"
 -e Though she will say. q guard t d truth. she will not say T sec!ude i Id Ah Yes She believes in hiddeh thin, n in great mysterious truths, in eIusi 4- leadings in yelled thoughts, in males l. expect1ficies. in winding tortuous c q ] perience but to the besr of her abili
 will she make these public. not priva d 1 revealed not hid, open not secret knor ,f and understood and plain What g h. speaks in the inner chambers sine N D. proclaim upon the house-toDS And g 10 has consummate faith that though it 9s trait of man to become satisfied W Id things he frequently handles and knoV ly yet now will come to her again to fl re her great illumination of these vt n things he frequently knows and handl ,e This is her faith and, in that faith.
 holds out impIorfng hands-not asllan H. of her iInploring not ashamed of
 supplications. not ashamed that
 besieges the world to enter her doc r. And she cries back to the world Ia worlds familiar cry, giving 1t turn oh her own: Come in Come in! En g. this Fellowship in mystery"
 of Now, 1t is perfectly apparent that " man who hears that suppucation ' ns ask What must I do? What conditi, y' are imposed? What are the rules H. entrance 2" These questions are natu to and they are wise. They are the qu
 tions all of us ask, if we contemplate at ''.l new relationship. The church would LII have it different. The church will an: ,n CT as sim8ly and as greatly as she c . - The church NSIl go back to Jesus " " find His mind in the matter. This ,n what she finds. When Jesus began on ministry He sought for friends W .. whom he could work for the purpo ra He had in mind. One day as He wall nr by the shore of Gaiilee, He saw two fl r,e erTnen at their labors, casting nets i
 the sea-Siunon and Andrew. There '
 something in them He wanted. He c r ed to them, Come ye after NJ. and
 will make you to become fishers eu men" Something electric. inescapa