The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1955-09-24

years time every citizen is con-
fronted with more "causes'' than
most Of us can mwzxsNun
keep up with. We
are invited to H
share In many
good works: or. <
phanages, schools
for the blind.
boys towns, rs
foundations for
the study of vari- !s|
Gus diseases. =
hospitals for DR.. Foreman
crippled children. the Red Cross,
all sorts Of things. Most Of us have
to decide which we shall send our
few dollars to. and which not. But
II Christian thinks he has a right
to decide whether or not to sup.
port the church, he does aot I'm.
derstand what the church IL. Tho
central reason why the church
calls for the support Of the people
Of God 10 that It Is the ''houss Of
our God"
hsTs They Know You 7V
n those poor people IN ancient
Jerusalem pledged themselves to
support the house of God. we who
are Christians have even more
reason to do 30. For one thing, the
church Il where we really belong.
Where else In the world Is q per.
son recognized for what he is, .
child Of God7 Elsewhere you are
q statistic, a consumer. q custo.
ner. . taxpayer, q cost item. Q
voter. These may be important
facts about you. But the most Inn
portant fact about any human be-
ing Is not that he IL kin 70 the hui
man race. important though that Is.
Ths big fact Is that every human
being is made by God. for fellow.
ship With him. Every man alive u
q child Of God. Either he knows
that or he does not know II. Vast
numbers Of the human race live
n II they were orphans Of the
storrn. they live pigs Lives IKE
the prodisal in Jesus parable.
But no one win tell them they are
children of God. No one wiz tell
them Of the Fathers house. no one
viii recognize them for what they
are. Only In the house Of our God"
Here Citizens Are Trained
There ara very shortsighted
people who may tell you that
money put into support Of the
church could better be spent In
civic improvement, such as bet
ter schools or sanitation. On the
contrary, supporting the church Is
the best thing that can be done
for the betterment Of society. It
cannot be said too often: sven II
the church were only a listening
post, even II q church did moth
ing at all but hold a meeting on
Sunday, even II q church might
as well be laid fat IN ashes six
days In the week, for all the work
Il does--still, even If It did no
more than hear Gods messages
once a week. II would be doing q
great and unique thing. For the
people VINO hear those messages
and believe them would come 20
know their true relation to God
and their duty In his sight; they
would live not as animals, not a.
the ''beasts that perish but az
immortal sons and daughters Of
the Most High. Then II the church
Is more than a listening post, II II
puts its members to work, they
win be actually taught and trained
IA Christian living.
Hers Gods Will Is
Sought and Taught
Are we talking about the real
church or are we idealizing TT
Well. Of course no church Is quite
ideal. But taking the church by
and large, these things are true,
the church at its best wants them
to come true, this is what II ID
driving at. For the church Is the
only place In town where large
groups of people Join in trying to
know the viii Of God. and how to
fnd 1t and how to do It. The
church is the place where prob,
lens, personal and/or social. can
and ought to be discussed In the
light Of Gods Word and win. II ID
the place where life Is looked al
In the light Of heaven. A church
that does not Live UP TO It's high
calling is hardly worth support;
but church where there is sin.
cere effort to know what God
wants for this community and for
our part In II, church whsra
there is brave and honest oppor'
t1nity for minister and people Il
think and to study and TO SPEAK
out for God and his ways. . church
which by prayer and service keeps
the door open toward Cod, such Q
church Ia indeed a House Of God,
how can o Christian refuse to sup
port TT
(Bsssd on outlines oeyZyightea By ths
Diyisior Of c =. ,nsssss - sss
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