The Monroe journal., 1922-02-14
CHRIST IS LIES
POSITIVE FORCE
The Only Source for the Enlarge
ment and Enrichment of
Life i'm All Its Phases
ADJUSTMENTS FORGOTTEN
DR.. Burrell Says II Is Not the Func-
ton of the Church to Furnish
But to Enrich Them

DR.. ". r. Burrell. pastor of the
First Baptist church, preached Sun
day night on the subject of amuse-
ments without mentioning amuse-
ments al all. On the preceding Sun
day night he had preached on the
subject OF the personal attitude OF
christians toward amusements OF
one kind or another, saying that
these constitute questions which in
dividuals must TO large degree
solve for themselves. On last Sun
day night he preached on the theme
Of the position of the church, or
rather that of Christ. in relation not
only to amusements but to life itself.
The text was John 1910. the words
of Christ: Il am come that they
might have life and have 1t more
abundantly."
DR.. Burrell's plea is that when one
grasps the great fact that the prop
er incorporation of Christ in his life
will so fill and enlarge that the
phases of life known usually as
amusements will sink into their
proper place OF insignificance. 1t is
not the business of the church TO
furnish this or that form of amuse-
ment and entertainment but to throw
its whole energy into the task of the
enlargement OF life to the full pro-
portions attainable only through the
adoption OF the positive teaching OF
Christ. The christian must live on
the positive, not the negative plane.
Christ is a Positive Force.
Christ was and is the greatest pos
| tive force in the world. He knew
and taught nothing of purely mega
tive character. He came not TO re-
press or suppress any phase OF life
but to enlarge it. His Thou shalt"
everywhere supercedes the Thou
shalt not of old testament as well
as of all other religious systems. He
eyerywehere and always exhibits a
profound appreciation of the worth
and value of human life and an ap-
probation OF it's possibilities that
staggers the imagination, and gives
the lie TO every pessimistic utter
aneo. He exalts every natural i'm
pulse and seeks to direct it into chan
nels of larger usefulness. So far
from repressing these things he
weeps with those who weep and
laughs with those who laugh. A man
OF sorrows and acquainted with grief,
ne is no stranger to the festive board
and the marriage celebration. And
we are not surprised to find him not
only conniving at 1t but by the man.
ufacture OF more wine-real wine
furthering the boisterous merriment
incident TO such an occasion.
No Business to Ignore
a study of his matchelss life leads
us to a restudy of the attitude in
relation 10 the necessary and vital
part that joy and pleasure play in
the human drama. First, we gather
that it is no part of the business of
the church to attempt to repress or
ignore what Christ evidently re-
garded as fundamental to life itself.
1t is the part of fear and unbeliet
TO prohibit that which challenges our
| best to control. Christ attempted no
such thing but frankly facing what
ever difficulty there might be, set
himself TO overcome the difficulty
and turn the liability into asset He
utters no prohibition but proposes to
interpenetrate with his own life and
power all human relationships until
the evil in them sloughs off, and the
good, raised TO its highest power, re-
mains.
Thus We have no record that he
ever uttered word against the slave
traffic, the wine shops or the BROTH
| Ell, and yet such was the effect of his
life and teaching that these things
are forever impossible where his in
fluenee. predominates.
No Business to Provide Recreation
Secondly, we gather that II is no
part of the function of the church to
90 into the business of providing
recreation and amusements, nor is II
any part of its legitimate work to
provide soup kitchins and such like.
however meritorious these may be In
themselves. But II is her task to so
encourage and support every worthy
effort and TO quicken and interpene-
trate these things with the spirit of
her master as to make them valua-
bic adjuncts to her proper mission
and work and so further the purpose
OF the Master in making life more
and more abundant. Too long has
the church tentatively surrendered
TO the devil whole sides OF life that
are often it's most approachable and
helpful features.
Only when we shall have learned
the lesson that a negative attitude
toward life Is anti-christian and un.
social shall we begin to glimpse posi-
bilities Of our holy faith in enlarg-
ing life and enriching human well
being. The influence of an aggres-
siye christian life and an aggressive
church that sets itself to guide and
direct rather than to repress is sim
ply incalculable for good, and when
We shall have come to see that II is
our business TO relate the spirit and
life as well as the teachings of Christ
TO all phases of life In the individual
and the community we have learned
the secret of the uniaue ministry of