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February 19, 1913] T H E I
SEVEN WAYS TO KILL A CHUBCH.
1. Don't come, stay at home, or go somewhere,
rather than come to church, Staying
at home is not only helping to kill the church,
but by degrees is killing the spiritual life of the
individual.
2. If you do come, come lAte Tli? faithful
few are generally on time. Getting to church
on time shows an interest in the Lord's work
that no ono can call in question.
3. If you come, come with your mind made
up to take a back seat. Act as if you were
afraid of the front seats and afraid to be seen.
4. If you come, come with your mind made
up to find fault with the service, the preacher
in particular. There are some who never have
a good word to say about the church, nor the
preaching of the Word, though they go to
church occasionally.
5. If you come, come determined not to give
a cent to any object, not even to keep up the
expenses of the church. Many say they would
go to church if it was not for the taking of so
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:give anything. This ought not to keep them
away.
6. If you come to church, return to your
home without shaking hands with your pastor,
or with any of the brethren or sisters. The
preacher often, after a hard effort to reach his
people, returns to his home with the blues, saying:
"I wonder what was the matter with
Bro. Snyder, Bro. Snow, Bro. Simmons and
Bro. Smith?not one of them spoke to me."
7. If you come to church, come all alone;
don't bring your wife, or husband, op r?hildrr?n
or neighbors. Many people when they start
to the house of the Lord slip off as if they
were afraid some one would find out where
they were going. "Andrew first findeth his
brother Simon, and he brought bim to Jesus
(John 1:47).?Biblical Recorder.
SCIENCE AND SIN.
It is disturbing to note that the remarkable
advance in science has so little effect upon the
volume of crime, especially in our own country
where science has such free course to run
and be glorified. But when we come to reflect
upon it?crime is so little a matter of science
in its principle or action. It is frightfully irregular.
It breaks into the back door instead
of ringing the bell at the front door. It transacts
business at night instead of using daylight.
It forces its attention on at.rancprs inot*?nH nf
waiting for an introduction. It hits a woman
with a club, instead of handing her a bouquet,
and it cuts a man's throat, instead of bidding
him the time of day. It is dead against
all law and order, whether of good society or
good government.
And all sin is the same. It is not scientific,
philosophical, logical or on the square with
modern economics. A man is president of a
bank; he has a good position, good salary and
all that, but he gets his hand in the wrong
drawer and goes to the nenitontinrv T*
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unscientific, unphilosophical thing to do, but
he does it. And just as unscientific is the whole
story of sin which daily fills the newspapers.
It is not a scientific proposition, nor a philosophy,
nor a political economy, nor a social system,
nor a evolution, but a devilution with all
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me wiia sireaKs or wantonness in its erratic
way.
Bnt sin is what religion has to deal with. The
lawgivers and prophets of the Old Testament
are in a constant straggle with it. It is the awful
thing in Israel with which the Lord has to
contend, and all around Israel it is thick as
darkness. In the New Testament Jesus Christ
is proclaimed as a Saviour from sin} for this
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE 80
he came into the world. Coming with snch a
beneficent and glorious purpose, a sinful world
ought to have been glad to receive Him, but
it was not. It crucified Him out of the world.
This was not good philosophy or good science,
but it was a fact. Bands of believers and followers
of Clhrisf dpvntpd thoi'n liwaa tlio ?<>
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demption of men. Scientifically speaking, the
Roman Empire ought to nave crowned them
with honor, but instead it threw them to the
lions, or wrapped tarred ropes around them
and set them on fire. It was bad philosophy,
but it was a fact. The men who translated the
Bible into the English language were benefactors,
but they were beaten for it. The leaders
of Congregationalism were doing a good
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.mug xor xne woria, Dut tne great .Elizabeth
hanged some of them and others had to hustle
across the sea. It was not scientific, but it is
history.
In discussing the relation of religion to
science and to human affairs generally, a certain
class of writers do not take these things
into account. But in redeeming the world
out of sin, the Lord does take them into account.
Therefore these men think that religion
is not as scientific as it ought to be. Havine
sat down in their studies and mapped out a
nice plan of things which is to run in a scientific
groove, they do not see why it should be
jarred by miracles or perturbed by spiritual
forces. They cannot understand why revivals
or conversion should be thought necessary,
or why evangelists should shake up communities
or why people should flock to hear them.
It seems so contrary to a preconceived scien
tific evolution. But sin being what it is, and
human nature what it is, it must be admitted
that the preaching which brings men and women
to repentance and faith is scientific
enough for all practical purposes.?Advance.
LOYALTY TO HOME.
A young girl, attending a school some distance
from her home, was one day in her room,
surrounded by companions, who were busy
with embroidery and bits of fancywork. Some
one asked for a needle, and the young hostess
brought a needle case. As she offered it, the
one who had made the request glanced at it
with a slight laugh and a perceptible lifting
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or eyeDrows. It was an inartistic, old-fashioned,
homely little needlecase, but its owner drew
it back almost as if the look had been a blow,
?and smoothed it with caressing fingers as she
said: "My mother made it." There were love,
loyalty and a touch of defiance in the words.
What did these gay girls know of the plain,
little home and the dear, old-fashioned mother,
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w uuai; nju-worn nngers nad sewed the bits
of ribbon together and shaped them into a
gift for her girl? The daughter saw it all in a
vision. These stylish young friends were good
enough, but the old home and those it held
were her dearest treasures on earth, and no
sneer should touch them or their ways in her
presence. Word and action showed the fiber
of the girl. Had she been weaker or less lovincr
shp wnnld Vlnrr? l???- 1 J
OJ ?uuto uccu osuHiueu oi ner little
possession and the home conditions it
represented; and if she did not disown or
apologize for it, she would at least have kept
it carefully out of sight thereafter.
A young man engaged by a construction
company was stationed through the week at
a little out-of-the-way station on the line of
their road. There were but few houses and a
single small store, and the latter, naturally,
became the social center when the day's work
was done. The proprietor, also a young man.
prided himself on being a freethinker, and
one svmiing he brgan reading aloud from an
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infidel paper something that he considered very
witty?a scurrilous attack on Christianity and
its authof. "Stop thatl" interrupted the
young representative of the company. "I
come from a home where thev believe in such
things?and are a good deal better for believing
in them, too?and I will not listen to
such vile stuff. You've a right to your opinions,
and this store is your store; but it's the
only place where we fellows can gather in
?he evening, and while we come there must
be no such reading or talking." His decided
protest ended the matter. He was not at that
nme an avowea ionower 01 tne blaster, but
his loyalty to home and its teachings purified
the atmosphere of the place where he was
staying and strengthened his own character.
Loyalty to what one holds dear, to what one
believes to be the right, is a necessary foundation
for the building up of a strong and no
ble life.?Ex.
A DAILY RESOLVE.
To talk with God before I talk with man.
To do my daily work with sunshine in my
face and honey on my tongue. To be strong
in the presence of temptation; alert in the
presence of opportunity; open eared to the
call of conscience for service or sacrifice; openminded
to views of truth which differ from
mine. To make duty a joy and joy a duty.
To work and not. worrv tn Ko onorrrofi/i and
pot fussy. To be true to myself and false to
no man; diligent to make a living and earnest
to make a life. To cherish friendships and
guard confidences. To be loyal to principle
at the cost of popularity. To make no promises
I can not keep, and to keep no foolish
{promises. To be faithful to every honest obligation.
To be sweet tempered under criticism,
charitable in my judgments, discriminating in
my adjectives. To honor no one simnlv hp.
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cause he is rich. To despise no one simply
because he is poor. To be respectful, not
cringing, to the great; sympathetic with the
sorrowing; gentle to the weak; helpful to the
fallen; courteous to all. To be simple in my
tastes; quiet in my dress; pure in my speech;
temperate in my pastimes. To companion with
great books; cherish inspiring thoughts; and
to keep my body on friendly terms with water
and fresh air. To fear nothing but sin;
hate nothing but hypocrisy; envy nothing but
a clean life; covet nothing but character. And
at last to leave the world a little better for
my stay; to face death without a tremor, with
faith in Christ who tunneled the grave that I
might walk into the larger and perfect life.?
Daniel Hoffman Martin.
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uv/uitc vi au piwcr auu ugni, our r'atner rn
Heaven, we thank thee for the sustaining strength
which thou hast ever afforded us and by which
we are kept from hour to hour. With desirous
hearts we turn to thee for help to follow thy
commandments and to fulfill thy thought of
what our life should be. Open our eyes to see.
Give patience in doubt and trouble. Uphold us
with tenacity of courage that we may devote
ourselves willingly to all that thou hast given us
to do. Let us not trouble and grow faint before
the forces of the world. 0 thou, our Refuge
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una anr nope, ror tmne own name's sake, suffer
ns not to fall or be discouraged, bnt let thy mercy
strengthen ns continnally with the joy of Christ
omr Tiord. Amen.
Teach ns who waits best sties.
Who longest waits of all most sorely wins.
When Time is spent Eternity begins.
To donbt, to chafe, to haste, doth God accuse.
?Helen Jackson.