The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1937-08-27

Why go to church, Is a guess
ton that man has asked for CEN
turtles. Most questioning concern
ing the why go" is not done be-
cause the inquirer kaows not the
answer; instead the question Is
asked because the individual Is Sc
cretly seeking an extenuation for
his conduct.
When I think Of the article in
which an anonymous writer states
the wish for some church-goer who
could convince him or her that
church attendance Is essential to
salvation, l say there can be no
such conviction. No person, Christ
ian or un-Christian, can sincerely
believe that the mere attendance
at church is necessary to the sat
isfaction of the soul. The results
Of the assembling of ourselves to-
gethera Is primarily dependent up
on the people making the church
and certainly upon the person in
search of balm for a confused
existence.
The most common argument US
ed In urging church going is not
Surely, you being Christian,
should not begrudge giving that
much time to Cod The common
and true facts Of the matter how
ever, are these:
% In any argument terms
should be perfectly explained.
What is a church? must be am
| swered. Is It a building; worship
services and sermons; stained
glass windows and crosses; a
structure Of wood and stone; a
congregation of people? Or, Is It
people bound together in their
common fellowship with God and
their desire to help further the
kingdom of God? The latter, l
believe, is Gods answer.
CD If church worship and at
tendance provoked the worship Of
God merely during the hour of
service, ] agree the time would be
wasted. In the years during which
I have taken part in the work of
Gods church, l have thus far fall
ed to discover the person who has
found that admiration of Gods
handiwork of the out-of-doors is
in itself sufficient to challenge the
character that is necessary to live
tremendously with fellowmen. No
person, weak or strong, is invul-
nerable to the associations of oth-
ers. Regardless of the fact that
in the 'body of Christ" there are
some undesirables, in that group
of Christians win be found more
high and noble ideals than in any
other body. BY the constant fell
lowship with those who have de-
voted the highest and best within
them to the truest and noblest
they know, one cannot help gain
ing power. Studying together
brings it; exchanging the relation
of problems and experiences en-
acts 1t; working together creates
it; striving for the same cause for
which Christians of other centuries
have worked strengthens it. Ev-
eryone, whether he admits IL or
not, feels the need of others COM
pany, advice, friendship and help.
A Christian cannot live success
fully without it.
90 1t is so easy to say there
are too many denominations when
we seek to argue that the church
is faulty. Even in early days,
Christians disagreed among them
selves. Some followed one leader,
some another. We have denomin-
ations because it is human nature
not to agree. The Bible gives us
in Cor. 1:1O-1S, the answer to
why there are denominations. Paul
would not have cautioned the
church had not tnis disagreeing
started then and had not he seen
it would continue. For as the
body is one and hath many MEM
bers and all the members of that
one body being many are one boz
dy, SO is Christ" we find in 1 Cor.
1912. IN denominations follow
ing Gods teachings are one,
though. they may perform their
tasks in different manners, as diff
ferently as do the hands and feet,
the eyes and ears, etc yet they
all are essential to the complete
ness of the body. Yes, all of the
large number Of ministers may be
the Lords anointedg as ALI neo-