Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1922-09-13

/ 100 muCn competition to Try any
such method. Get this fact plainly
religion has too much competition
in this day and age to try force.
Nobody wants to have cod-liver
oil forced down him by the table
spoon. Nobody wants religion forced
down him by cod-liver oil method.
Jesus Christ Himself, while preach
ing on earth, did not use such
methods. Christ made Himself and
i His doctrine attractive. At the
sermon Oh the Mount, He produced
i commodity before He began to
preach. He filled mems stomachs
#hcfore lie began to fill their brains
with ''uplift.'
Ice, soda fountains. gasoline. etc,
may not be food absolutely essential
10 Peoples stomachs. etc, on Sunday.
but they help men to acquire sense
OF we'll being, comfortable, pleas
ing sensation which will make them
more apt to praise the Lord and
eXtol His wonders, than if left
bereft of, earthly comforts; than
if left hot, thirsty, and DISCONNECTED.
With the growth of the centuries,
inventions and discoveries have les
sered the burden of man; have made
things more obtainable. In other
words. styles in living have changed
just as radically as styles in clothes
Fad it been ice the multitude on
tho Mount had desired. do you think
Jesus Christ would have hestated
one moment in acceding to their
demands?
The day of falling mamma is past,
bat tho day Of stress and struggle
is still With us. Those whose re-
friserators and gasoline tanks are
adequate, escape the condemnation
of the "resormers." Is that what
am to understand? That those
Z who can supply their homes with
commodities sufficient for the entire
weekend, are not the ones for whom
this drive on Sunday closing laws
is in force?
Since it is the Lords day, it
must be remembered that the Lord
Himself. never Disseminated against
the unfortunate-ag against those who
possessed but little of worldly goods.
The thing for the '.reformers" of
+ ParaGould to do, is to make the
church, its societies, its services,
SO attractive, SO pleasingly convinc-
ms, that every citizen of Paragould
will voluntarily attend some re-
lisious gathering.
In this manner citizens of your
town can attend ito both spiritual
md bodily cravings without antagon-
ling anyone.
Surprising every man, woman and
child in Paragould attended church.
and that after service they refreshed
themselves with ice. ice cream, and
With breezy drives thru the open
country would people then be in
terested in Sunday closing laws?
Hardly.
so it is up to the churches to
make better citizens of people first
+ by attending to the commandments
Of the Lord; by making the Lord S
house a Sunday attraction.
Remember that Jesus performed
miracles in order to make people
believe. Who censures him now for
having put on an attraction?
I Convincing attraction has never
harmed the church The old method
Of preaching hell-fire and damna-
ton never did any good and never
will.
/ There are too many pleasant
things for people to interest them
selves in these days, ana religion
must also keep up with the styles
Give religion to people in sugar
coated pills. Disguise. the codliver
oil, and they will swallow it.
1t is to be regretted that most
kpeOple regard religion as medicine
and do not see it as the beauti-
tut thing it is. Therefore it must
be given them in pleasant doses
And as long as most people re-
gard it with apprehension, Just
so long must the church and its
servants keep on their "uppers'' to
attract the sinners"
When that has been accom-
plished, ParagoulG will havetno need
for extensive and explosive research
into ancient laws
For that matter, the ancient
laws in the Old Testament still
hold good, but does the church
follow them all? Many are out
ef-date. having been made SO by
aew rulings in the New Testament.
Let the church cooperate with
the town, with the business people,