Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-01
OLD-TIZNE RELIGION

Iy ministry, as recorded in the Gospels, do
we find Him exhibiting such indignation.
Nothing else seems to have provoked him
to such a display holy wrath. His con-
duct approached almost to an act of ejecting
by force those who prOfaning God
house by peryerting it from "a house OF
prayer" to a place of merchandise" MAX
ing it's affairs counters for the coins Of
covetousness.
But the men whom the Master drove from
the Temple could have offered in defense
| Of their conduct far more plausible excuses
than can those who prOfane churches today
by unSeemly proceedings and performances
in them
Many people came to the feasts at Jeru-
salem from affair; not few from overseas
They could not bring with them and
sheep and doves for their offerings. They
were reduced to the necessity of buying
them in the city. They brought with them
foreign coins, which had to be exchanged
for current money. Hence the traders in
the temple could say that by serving the
convenience of worshippers, they were pro-
noting worship. Such a defense would have
been truly but sorry preteNt; for profanity
can never inspire piety.
But such plea would have been far more
plausible than any excuse which can be
made for the invasion of Christian Churches
today with all sorts of irreverent things.
For. this modern PROCLAMATION of places of
worship there is no conceivable eXtenuatiOn
whatsoever.
At bottom it proceeds in many instances
from the same motive of cOvetOusness which
inspired the traders in the temple at Jeru-
salem. Money is needed for the Churches
which the members will not give from lib
crafty sprung from faith. Hence all sorts Of
devices are adopted to inveigle it from 9TH
ers. The traders in the temple were making
money for themselves, while the traffckers
of day are trying to save themselves
from giving to- the service of God money
which they already have made.
Some forms of irreyerence are brought
into the Churches, however, not for money,
but out Of the common lust for entertain
ment. The shows closed on Sundays, or
they considered to be not altogether
proper diversions the day of rest and wOr-
ship. Hence, the Churches and Sunday
Schools must supply what is wanted, and
this unholy demand creates the profane
supply.
Some preachers yield to it and become
mere sensational stage-players, injecting into
their pulpit performances dashes of senti-
| ment more or less religious in order to dis
guise the utterly worldly nature of their
psuedo- preachments.
The Sunday School, most valuable in
stitution which is designed for religious in
struction, may easily degenerate into a place
! of amusement in which musical programs
and kindred things displace the work of
teaching and learning the word of God.
Children and youth may thus acquire in
the Sunday School habits of irreverence
which they carry into the services of the
Church, or, what is perhaps worse they may
! imbbe an utter distaste for worship alto
gether. Some Sunday Schools may now be
found that tend strongly to diminish at
tendance upon the preaching of the Gospel
and the ordinances of the Church. The
tragedy of such misuse and perversion Of
the Sunday School cannot be easily over
stated.
Prevalent irreverence and the decay of the
worshipful spirit tend to impair morality
and engender social disorder.
The Churches should give themselves to
| calling the people back to God; but this
! they cannot do effectively if their temples
are turned to uses which divert human
hearts from God and fix them upon fun and
feasting.
The words of King Solomon are quite ap-
plicable to many in our day, and should be
needed. keep thy foot when thou soest to
| the house of God" (Ecclesiastes y:1)