# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_September 1916_S405
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Vermischtes. 405

a propaganda is on foot to commit the Church to many old and new
methods of reform from without, and thus divert the Church from
the exercise of its normal function, which is to regenerate the heart
of man from within. The sacreéd edifice heretofore dedicated to the
worship of Almighty God has now, with its parish-house, its club,
and other auxiliaries, become the center of secular functions. We
now go to church to hear sermons on the minimum wage, adequate
housing of the poor, the regulation of moving pictures and the dance-
halls, how to vote, and the latést vice-investigation report. From this
center agents and detectives of Law and Order societies makée report
of nightly investigations; and it is said even ministers of the Gospel
keep silent watch during the hours of the night, and assist in round-
ing up inmates from disreputable houses. They appear as prose-
cutors and witnesses beéfore grand and petit juries in the Quarter
Sessions Oourt. Billiard- and pool-tables are being installed, dancing
classes are organized, and all sorts of amusements offered to entice
the youth within its sacred precinets. A child returning home from
Sunday-school reécently was asked by its mother the subject of the
lesson. It was how to keep the streéets clean. Another Sunday, kind-
ness to dumb animals furnished the subjéect of the lesson, and this
was in a graded Sunday-school up to date. A good woman, who had
suffered greatly with a recent sorrow, brought herself to church long-
ing for some comforting word. She heard à sermon on the Charity
Organization Socièty and the Visiting Nurse. As we view it, the
Church, by thus allying itself with secular movements, is endeavor-
ing to cure the evils of the social life by a species of legalism, striving
to purify the sinful nature of man by attacking the outside, for-
getting that crimes and violations of law are the external marks only
of an inward demoralization and rottenness of the heart. The root
of the evil in the world is in the human heart, and to redeéem the
World the inner spiritual nature must be first purified. The erime
committed is the fruit of sin in the heart. Lou may punish the
eriminal for violating the law, but that does not eure the sinful heart.
The Christian minister has to do with sin, not with crime. When,
therefore, he allies himself with the officers of the law in arresting
criminals, he is departing from his proper function, and weakening
his power and ability to cure the sin in the heart. Ministers of the
Gospel are willing to preach on every subject under the sun except
the Gospel, and when they begrudgingly hand it down, they almost
tell us it is not divine, but a man-made thing. They have relegated
to the brush-heap most of the sacred beliefs, such as the miracles,
original sin, the vicarious atonement of J esus Ohrist, the efficacy of
Baptism and the Holy Communion, and many of them even dens
the validity of their oπwn divine oflice as ministers of God. They
prefer to hold their office from the people, not of God. All comes