Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1928-02-16
GO TO CHURCH,
NEXT ST. Jay
Minister Asks People 3: hink Seri-
ously, Intelligent 4 Religious
ly About Suppoy Your Church
by Your After at Services
BY REV 4. MOSER,

NTdSLOr DOOne> AeCrOulSt CIluICHJ
1t is not the purpose of those who
are contributing articles fro m
week to week on the subject of
church going to assume a denuncia-
tory attitude toward those who have
shown an indifferent spirit with re-
ference to church going, but these
articles, appearing from time to
time, are intended to offer the ma
ture of an appeal-an appeal for Sc
rious thought along this line-an
appeal for action on the part Of
those who are not rigidly exact just
at this point. We, who write these
articles, are not scorning; we are
not condemning. On the other hand
we are appealing to you in the
light of your own welfare, the well
fare of your community, your fell
lowmen, and for the sake of Jesus
Christ, who offered Himself COM
plete sacrifice that men everywhere
may have such an opportunity, to
think seriously, intelligently and re-
ligiously about this thing. The
motive that actuates the writing Of
these papers is not a selfish motive.
We feel that we are rendering a
service to the reader, especially if
the reader is just the least bit care
less at this point. We feel, too,
that we have a good subject, a sub
ject which is most vital to the well
fare of individuals and communities.
For the sake of men and women
and boys and girls we make this ap-
peal. And for Christ's sake we
make this appeal. We want the
readers of these articles to under
stand that love is the great, the pri-
mary motive back of these appeals.
Every one knows, we presume, the
Importance of the church of Jesus
! Christ, and when | say the church
of Jesus Christ | mean to say the
church that has Christ as it's center,
in the life of a town, county, state
and nation. 1t would be a waste of
time to enter into lengthy discus
sion of this matter Ninety-nine out
of every hundred .non-church goers
candidly confess, when they are ap.
preached on the subject, that they
are not fulfilling their duty. They
frankly tell you that they know they
should go to church, and assign no
legitimate reason for their failure
to attend church. If the true reason
is that Jesus Christ is absent in the
heart, does it profit any man OF
woman to remain away from the
church for that reason? Why not
go to church and find Him precious
to the soul? Men have found Him
elsewhere, tits true, but He dwells
also in His Holy Temple. We go to
church to worship God. 1t is in the
church that He dwells. If men and
women everywhere would stop go
ing to church for period of thirty
days, the whole world would become
intensely alarmed. Why even the
man who declares in his heart there
is no God, would become tremen-
dously alarmed and agitated and
would want something done at once.
y jIG iildIi vi "Oifidll viz NSitOSi
ately stay away from Gods house,
and at the same time assigning no
legitimate reason for doing so, we
wish to state that their actions are
not consistent with their better judg-
ment. They would not have all
! mankind practise the same. They
would become alarmed if such a
condition should prevail universal
ly Then, why will men persist in
staying away from church? Why
will men not go to church?
We have in our town four
churches. If every man and woman
and boy and girl living in this town
would decide. at once to make 1t a
practice of going to church every
Sunday, our churches could con-
veniently take care of them. AS it
is, the minister's heart and other
hearts who are interested, and we
are thankful to state that there are
many who are, are made to bleed
each Sunday when we are forced to
look at the empty pews, pews placed
| in the various churches for the
service of worshiping souls. To add
to the seriousness of it, there is
Another Whose heart is made to feel
Sad Our Heavenly Father is made
to feel sad because of those empty
pews.
When God, who is ever loving and
kind and merciful, ever ready to be-
stow His blessings upon human kind
! thinks of the Indifference of the
man of the world and the apathy OF
the church member who goes not tc
His house of worship, and then wher
he thinks Of the many blessings Of
which these are the recipients from
His bountiful hand, we think HI
weeps. Yet He continues His bles
sings; yet He continues His love. Yet
What a debt we owe! We must NEE
! it sometime in the future.
! If every soul in Boone went tt
church every Sunday, God woult
bless this town in more ways thai
one. 1t is a rule without exception