Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1922-12-29
NEW YEAR THOUGHTS ON
THE CHURCH AND "ME"

1 have been sitting here thinking
about my attitude toward the
church. There is not a doubt in my
mind about 1t being the greatest
moral force in the country. take
great pride in looking at its
achievements and am quick to iden-
tify myself with 1t. But at the same
time act as tho l could get along
without 1t. l usually subscribe to
the church budget as 1 know that 8
church like any business organi-
cation cannot run on guess, but
while 1 do am not as quick to pay
my church obligations as my gro
sery bill. In fact, there have been
times when 1 allowed 1t to go some
few months. 1 wonder IL my min
lister, as a self-respecting man does
not like to have his salary promptly
in order that he might meet his own
obligations. If the company for
which 1 work should hold up my
salary for three months, 1 would
soon be looking for another job. Yet
If my pastor we're to do that I would
say that he was a mercenary, after
the money, as though the bread of
heaven" would satisfy the physical
needs Of his wife and children. /
promise myself in my better mo-
ments that will pay my church OBJ
legations weekly, but the time
passes and I am soon "dunned" by
the secretary. a thing that 1 would
think reflected on my integrity in
the business world-having my ac-
count over due three months-yet
have no scruples about having the
officer come around and tell me that
1 am behind with my church ac-
count.
One year I refused to sign up an
amount for the current year. l said
l would "give what l could" OF
course it is not nice to say lied
but 1 actually did that year. 1 gave
ten dollars to the church at the end
of the year when the balance on the
budget was being raised. That sum
just about represented what l paid
for oil for my Sunday auto rides
What If l had put in the gasoline
and repairs! My wife had several
nice socials at home that year and
the refreshments for them amount
ed to more each time than my ten"
Yet l gave what l could" l will
say for my own credit that this in
ventory made me think a while and
since then l have tried to be more
considerate.
My business sense convinced me
church could not be run without
a budget and now l never pass the
committee up with the give what
/ can"
l am subject to headaches and
many evenings when l come home
from the office, my head hurts, but
good nights sleep usually rids me
of it and l am fresh and bright the
following morning for my work.
But Sunday sun seems to bring a
headache so often. 1t is strange
they never come during the week,
always wait for Sunday. I have been
wondering of late If my headaches
were as real about Sunday School
time as / imagine. II were as in
terested in the Bible Glass as l am
the desk maybe there would not be
the chronic Sunday headache. l re-
call the other night / came home
and my wife wanted to go to a
party. | had a headache and felt /
should not try it. She began to tell
me who would be there and some
things that would happen and i'm
mediately started to get ready to go,
forgetful of my headache. A few
Sundays ago / was loafing down
town, trying to get fresh air (as l
said for my headache) and met my
boy. Frank. asked him why he was
not in Sunday School. He said he
was laying OUT. / whipped him
when I got home for not going. He
whimpered out in the kitchen to his
mother that had a lot Of business
whipping him for something / would
not do myself. guess fellow
would be more consistent II he vent
along with the boy. II is not fair to
whip him for neglectiDs a duty