2~
__
wish we could make them stronger.”
There is no influence stronger than
that of woman, and by turning that
influence in the right direction she
can do more in crushing out the'
drinking habit than all other pow
ers combined. Why then should
she place the cup of temptation to
the lips of her lord ?
The Christian Intelligencer in
speaking of the invention of a new
phrase by some of a skeptical turn
of mind says: “ Those who wish to
get rid of considerable portions of
the Bible, especially of the sentences
declaring the wrath of God againsF
sin, have a remarkable facility in
the making of phrases. As a rule
the pride of the makers is on the
surface. They have told ns that
portions of the Scriptures were of
fensive to their ‘moral conscious
ness,’ and therefore cannot be true.
These portions are almost invaria-
bly in reference to the holiness and
justice of God. • Now they have
modified the phrase and talk about
their ‘ regenerated - consciousness,’
and declare that it cannot bear a
number of passages in the Bible.
How was this consciousness regen
erated, we would like to know ?
Was it by the Word and Spirit of
God ? If so, how is it that this
stream rises higher than its source ?
If now- regenerated, then these
critics have been unregenerate once,
---- that is, have been ignorant and de
praved. They have become regen
erate through the Scriptures, and
so have become qualified to sit in
judgment upon the Scriptures, and
to reject what they do not like. It
is very queer.”
A telegram from Washington
City under date of J an. 20th brings
us this good news : “ The new Chris
tian Church in this city, known as
the Garfield Memorial Church, was
dedicated to-day.” In November,
1880, the work of raising funds be
gan, and subscriptions were receiv
ed from various parts of the Uni
ted States, Canada and England.
In May, 1882, ground for the new
building was broken, and the cor
nerstone laid on the first anniver
sary of the assassination of Presi
dent Garfield. The services are to
be continued and concluded on
Tuesday evening. The attendance
to-day was large, including Gar
field’s colleagues in Congress, Presi
dent Arthur and Secretary Freling-
huysen, who sat in the circle aisle
in the body of the church. Gover
nor Bishop, in giving a history of
the Christian Church in Washing-
ton, spoke briefly of Gereral Gar
field’s connection with it, and said :
“ It is now a little more than three
years since a few members of the
church met to inaugurate the work,
in whose completion to day we re
joice.” We rejoice to know that
this house is now completed and oc
cupied by the Washington church.
Whether or not sufficient money
has been collected to rel eave the"
property from all debt we have not
at this writing learned. Now that
we have a house of worship in the
Capitol of the United States, let
those who occupy it .be dilligent in
sounding out th* ïï^üTe gôsp«l of
Christ to” the whole world.
view. As a basis of our remarks
let us hear a correspondent writing
from Chicago on this subject to the
Christian Union. Among other
things he says :
“ Thé majority of our, citizens
have little or no regard for religion.
They lead reputable lives from
habit rather than principle, and
from a habit which they have in
herited from a pious ancestry, but
transmit to their children. How
shall we reach such people with the
gospel ? How shall we make men
who are generous, kind, sympa
thetic, pure in their morals, but in
different to the Bible and to the in-
Mutions of wisdom and learning
and morals that rest upon it, see
that the best life is in Christ, and
The Disciple of Christ, Nos. 1 and that the most profound wisdom the
2 have been received. Thjis is a world has known is in the gospel of
new semi-monthly magazine of «9
32 f Christ ? This- is the problem we
would like to have some one tell us
pages devoted to “Christian Living, how to solve. _We can carry the
Learning and Literature,” edited by gospel into the homes of .want; we
Bro. S. M. Jefferson and published do not know how to carry it into
by the Standard Publishing Com the homes of wealth and culture
pany. It is a handsome and ably which line our avenues and our
boulevards. We can reaeh the poor,
edited magazine, and will doubtless and influence them to some extent;
receive the. patronage it deserves- but the rich dwell apart and quite
Both the illustration of the old beyond any influence which we can
Washington church in winch Pres. bring to bear upon them,. Is it true
Garfield worshipped and th# like ndW, as in the davs of -the Savior,
that it is easier for a camel to go
ness of Bro. A. I. Hobbs in No. 2 through the eye of a needle than
are good. The following is the table for a rich man to enter the king
of contents: The Eternal Good dom of heaven ?”
ness, a poem, Whittier; Welsh
We believe it is as true now as
Sketches, E. T. Williams ; Pasteur in the days of our Savior, “ that it
among the “ Immortals,” Christian is easier for a camel to go through
Thought] Perpetuity of Nature, a the eye of a needle than for a rich
' poem, Butwer Lytton •, “Keep my manto.. enter....the kingdom of
Memory Green,” a poem, anony heaven.” This statement does not
mous ; Cave Tombs in Galilee, Fort involve a perishable principle, but
nightly Review ; Structure and De one that runs the entire length of
sign of the Body, W. G. Blaikie, the gospel system. But a rich man
LL. D.; The Lack of Earnestness inthe language of the Savior is one
in American Politics, The Century; who trusts in his riches, and for
Editorial Notes—The Mormon this class we have but little hope.
Question, Our Navy, Old Washing The time spent, therefore, in trying
ton Church, Anniversary of the to reach them is the next thing to
Woman’s Crusade; Biographical a violation of the injunction of
Sketch of A. I. Hobbs ; The Origin Christ not to “ cast pearl before
of Christianity, a sermon, A. I. swine, lest they trample them under
Hobbs; Book Reviews—Missouri their feet and turn again and rend
Christian Lectures; Home and you.” But the mere possession of
School Teaching, Dio Lewis' Month wealth does not constitute a rich
ly. Price $2.00 a year; 10 cts. a man in the sense of the above pass
number. Address Standard pub age, and to this class we can appeal
lishing Co., Cincinnati, Ohio.
with a greater degree of success
----------------- ♦ ■ ♦ - --------------
Seeing then that it is possible to
THE GOSPEL AMONG THE possess wealth and still be a proper
RICH.
gospel subject, and knowing that a
Just how to reach the wealthy large proportion of this class are in
class with the gospel of Christ and different to religious matters, the
thus enlist them in the work of question still remains, “How can
converting the world has always we reach such people with the gos
been with some a problem difficult of pel ?" The following may assist us
solution. We are of the opinion in answering this question :
however, tlfat the main trouble
1. By observing more simplicity.
grows out of not looking at the The very best way to do this is by
matter from a Scriptural point of restoring primitive Christianity.
z ■ •
X
We too often make the mistake
that because men occupy a high
position in a worldly sense that,
therefore, we should carry the gos
pel up to them by fashioning our
selves after the world. We forget
that wealthy men have brains as
well as money; and that many of
them, indifferent to church-going as
they are, can and do more readily
see and condemn the inconsistencies
of a mere fashionable religion
than those who profess it. Such
men usually get enough of this
world at home, and their desire for
pomp and glitter is largely gratified
in the wealthy and fashionable cir
cles of 1 ife^ Hence' when “tliey~~g(r
to the house of God, they expect to
find relief from the strain and mon
otony of a “ higher life ”—with a
keen perception and a common
sense view of religion for which
they do not always receive due
credit, they demand simplicity in
the worship of God ; and because
these things are painfully looking,-
they go away disappointed and
with resolutions to return no more.
They have spiritual natures to be
fed as well as fleshly appetites to be
gratified", and when they go to .the
house of God they do not care to be
fed on the mere crumbs which fall
from the most fashionable and cul
tured circles of worldly life. When
they see the attempt of the church
to ape the world and her consequent
lack of spirituality, both her failure
and inconsistencies become apparent«
Her ability is wholly inadequate to
attract and entertain the wealthy
and cultured from a worldly point
of view, and in the effort to <lo so
she only sacrifices the simplicity
and spirituality; and hence instead
of converting them, she disgusts
and drives them from under the in
fluence, and often not only into in
difference to the Bible, but into
, infidelity itself.
2. More practical.church work.
Before wealthy and irftluential bus
iness men can be enlisted in the
work of the church they must be
made acquainted with her practical
features. Naturally enough, under
the present system of things, they
look to the churches and their creeds
for a full crop of ecclesiastical the
ories; and to the outside benevolent
societies to feed the widow, clothe
the ophans and watch by the bed
side of the sick and dying. We do
not say that the churches are wholly
destitute of that pure and undefiled
religion which the apostle James
tells us is to visit the fatherless
and the widows in their afHction
V’
I