THE RIVAL CHURCHES.
1. The two companions visit a church on the By-Path and are disgusted.
2. Then they are delighted with the services of the Church of the World
whose minister they visit.
I saw the two happy companions leaving the Missionary College and
proceeding on the Broad Highway. They were engaged in censuring the
church for what they conceived to be its waste of time, talent, and
mean in trying to convert the heathen.
This harmony of opinions was most pleasing to Mr. World. It was in
sweet contrast to what he had previously experienced in his earlier
acquaintance with Miss Church-Member. Her likeness to him and her love
for him were becoming more noticeable as their fellowship continued,
for she observed _through her faithful lenses_ that his moral purity
and refinement were above par.
While they were yet criticising the church, Mr. World espied, not far
ahead of them, another path leading to the right. “Behold the narrow
path yonder,” he exclaimed in a somewhat surprised manner. “If it were
not for a happy change in you, I would now be subjected to a score of
sickly sentiments as to leaving this way and going with you to a harder
one. Have I conjectured rightly?” he asked in a cheerful vein.
“It is all too true,” she confessed. “If people could but see their
folly before placing it on exhibition, what a blessing it would be to
all around them!”
On the By-Path stood a small church within easy reach of the Broad
Highway. As they came nearer to the place of worship they heard music
which attracted them to the very door of the church.
“Let us enter,” she suggested.
“I shall enjoy your pleasure,” he courteously replied. “Only see to
it carefully that your glasses are properly adjusted, lest some strange
glimmerings of light should bring pain or ruin to your eyes.”
I saw Miss Church-Member re-adjusting her lenses while they were
entering the church and taking seats in the rear of the room.
The minister led the congregation in a fervent prayer which seemed to
be altogether too Puritanical in the estimation of Mr. World and his
friend. The preacher began his sermon. As he proceeded his countenance
became more radiant. His clear eyes sparkled aright, and as he preached
Christ and Him crucified even his raiment seemed bright and shining.
It proved to be a memorable meeting. A few who evidently intended to
ridicule were pricked in their hearts and, much to the disgust of some,
cried out: “What must I do to be saved?”
“Fools who came to scoff remained to pray.”
“This is affectation in the extreme,” whispered Mr. World scornfully.
“Quite enough of it, indeed,” she returned.
The whole affair seemed to her so unreal that her mind could scarcely
believe that she was ever connected seriously with such a method of
worship.
Still worse than all, through her warped vision and the aid of her
eye-glasses well adjusted, she was led to discern a wicked motive in
the mind of the minister. His utterances also appeared miserably narrow.
At the request of Miss Church-Member they left the room, congratulating
themselves that they were not compelled to remain longer.
“All this reminds me of how simple and foolish I once was,” she said
plaintively as they descended the front steps. “Is it possible that
I was ever seriously connected with such a kind of worship? Yet
ignorance is the mother of endless follies. Can we find no better place
of worship than this?”
“Better by far! I can easily lead you to a church where great varieties
of truthful and yet comfortable doctrines are preached, pleasing to
the ear, and fascinating to the senses. No blunt fellow stands in its
pulpit, but rather a cultured and highly refined gentleman of modern
type who delights to keep apace with the customs of the age. If you
desire, I will gladly accompany you thither. It would be sad indeed
were you to be turned away from religion altogether just because your
own church is so unsuited to your advanced ideas.”
The face of Miss Church-Member brightened, and she quickly expressed
her desire to accompany him to such a church. Therefore Mr. World
improved the first opportunity and conducted her to a large and
beautiful edifice.
“Here,” he said, “is the kind of church to which I am inclined. I give
very liberally to the support of the Gospel as here preached. I like
the broad-mindedness and liberal spirit which is manifested within the
domain of this denomination.”
“In what else does this church differ from the one to which I belong?”
she asked. “In this denomination your conscience is not always pricked
and you can do many innocent things without being called a sinner. You
may also consult your personal feelings relative to church duties. One
is not bound down by a galling yoke of ecclesiastical tyranny. Best
of all, this is an up-to-date church. You can learn something about
science, philosophy, and civil government. In your church one must
listen to the thread-bare doctrines of the Bible, much to his personal
discomfort. Your minister exercises a censorship over the consciences
of his members from which I prefer to be excused. In fine, I can say
that nothing is developed there but a long face and a sanctimonious
soberness.”
They entered the church, and were conducted to a front pew.
The opening services were enrapturing to Miss Church-Member, and seemed
unlike anything she had ever heard. The operatic rendition of the
music, the ritualistic cast of the prayer and the soothing effect of
the rhetorical essay which took the place of a sermon, all exercised
a fascinating influence.
As the minister neared the close of his essay, he said: “Christ intended
that man should enjoy liberty in this life, and that he should educate
himself in the best schools of art, science, and literature. Therefore
one has a right to seek, in this infinitely great world of ours, for
such things as will best educate his natural and spiritual being. If
the theatre can supply part of this demand, let him go, as a student,
and drink into his soul through the senses of sight and hearing. If
the dance can elevate him somewhat in demeanor and classical grace,
let him go there as a student. If some milder types of indulgence can
bring him into a more thorough knowledge of the weaknesses of human
nature, let him indulge, but only as a student with sincerest motives.
In general, I would say, that your conscience is a reasonably safe
guide and you cannot go far wrong by obeying its dictates. Be a student
all the days of your life; familiarize yourself with both the virtues
and the vices of human kind that you may be better qualified to defend
the right and resist the wrong.”
At the conclusion of the services I heard the minister announce that
the church would hold a “razzle-dazzle” party on Friday evening, at
which he hoped there would be a good attendance, as the church treasury
was in sad need of replenishment. He also announced that all the
prayer-meetings would be discontinued for two weeks, so as to permit
a thorough practice for the coming Cantata. After the dismissal of the
congregation the two continued on their journey, which was ever opening
to them new avenues of delight.
Miss Church-Member expressed supreme satisfaction regarding the
scholarly sermon to which she had listened, and confessed that she had
never heard a preacher in her own church take such advanced positions
concerning the nature of human liberty.
Mr. World felt elated because his companion had found such exquisite
delight in the worship of the same church to which he adhered. He also
remembered, with pleasure, that they had safely passed the little
church on the By-Way, which represented the same doctrines as the
church to which his now confiding friend belonged.
“Would it not be more in keeping with your advanced Christianity if
you were to withdraw your membership from your present connection and
join a church more fitting to your degree?” were his suave words of
invitation.
“That would be a natural question to consider after I know the rules
and regulations of the church to which I intend to go.”
“That only indicates your wisdom,” said Mr. World insinuatingly. “Since
you desire more congenial Christian fellowship, why not give your
attention to the church toward which I lean?”
“An agreeable suggestion,” she said. “Where can I get the desired
information?”
He answered the question by taking her to the home of the minister,
and there introducing the subject.
She was very favorably impressed by the courteous reception accorded
her by so great and dignified a person.
“You come seeking knowledge of the church. I assure you, my young
friend, that I will gladly answer any questions. May I take the
privilege of asking you whether you have ever belonged to any church?”
She flushed with shame. “I will be true and tell you all. I had a great
experience some years ago, when I was seeking Christ. In answer to my
earnest petitions, I saw the most welcome beams of light that ever
touched my poor soul. I knew I was converted to Christ and continued
in his service ever since, although somewhat differently since I came
into fellowship with Mr. World. I joined the church in which I was
converted and still hold my membership there.”
“How did you get so well acquainted with the happy Mr. World?”
Miss Church-Member answered half in quaint humor and half in pathos:
“I, at one time, thought he was a very wicked fellow, and in a prayerful
mood I endeavored to rescue him. I knew he would not come by his own
effort to my way of thinking, so I entered into an alliance with him
for the purpose of quietly leading him unto the King’s Highway. I soon
saw the bigotry of my former self, and through the kindness of Mr.
World I have already been aided in my vision and improved in dress,
and, better than all, I have enjoyed the privilege of worshiping my
God in a more fitting temple, where true freedom is preached and
practiced.”
“Then it is your purpose to continue being a Christian, although you
have left the King’s Highway?” asked the delighted clergyman.
“As long as I live I will hold to my religion,” she said emphatically.
“Then you are sound indeed both in purpose and doctrine. Did you wish
to be visibly connected with our church?”
“I wish to know first its rules and conditions of entrance.”
The minister opened his Guide Book and, duly adjusting his spectacles,
read in a pleasing manner: “Anyone wishing to unite with this church
must comply with the following rules and regulations:
“RULE I.--He must reach a reasonable degree of respectability, or
endeavor to do so.
“RULE II.--He must not wear clothing so plain as to attract undue
attention.
“RULE III.--He must not tolerate or countenance the common nuisances
so prevalent in the churches of the King’s Highway.
“RULE IV.--He must ever manifest a liberal spirit so as to keep in
touch with the progress of the world.
“RULE V.--He may engage in any practice that will give enlightenment
on either the dark or the bright side of life. Members of this church
ought to have a well-rounded education.
“RULE VI.--He must never take advantage in buying or selling, except
in such cases like Jacob’s, where he can bring good to himself or
profit to the church.
“RULE VII.--He must never give way to his temper, except in such cases
where his personal liberty or his church is attacked.
“RULE VIII.--He is to cultivate grace and etiquette through whatever
channel possible.
“RULE IX.--He is to be faithful in attending the services of his own
church, except in cases of sickness or disinclination.
“RULE X.--It must be his constant aim to reach Heaven by traveling
diligently on a way wide enough to hold the attention and respect of
an enlightened age.
“These are our general rules. We have several thousand regulations
covering every phase or avenue of life.”
“What I have just now heard are certainly not as iron-clad as the rules
of my church. Nothing is said of conversion, or spirituality, or of
the Holy Spirit, or of the other Persons of the Trinity,” commented
Miss Church-Member.
“No, not of anything that is antiquated or, in other words, ‘out of
date.’ The main church on earth must deal with practical things.”
“What do you call ‘conversion’ in your church, or do you not believe
in it?”
“Beyond any doubt we believe in conversion. Just as soon as a person
confesses his faith in our general rules he is converted, and is at
once a good Christian. The Bible says that if one will only believe
he is safe: or ‘saved already’ as the true Greek rendering has it.”
“Then you hold to the Bible strictly?”
“We are the only church that does really and truly hold to the Bible.
We believe and teach it as it is preserved for the ages in the original
Hebrew and Greek.”
“But I notice that many of your rules seem to be at variance with
certain parts of the Bible,” she boldly declared.
“True enough, but those certain parts of the Bible do not belong to
the genuine Scriptures. Whatever you find in the Bible contrary to our
rules and regulations you can safely conclude is an interpolation and
does not form a part of the inspired Word. Let me assure you, Miss
Church-Member, that our discipline was written with great care by
eminent scholars of the Hebrew and Greek; therefore how could there
have been any error in it?”
Miss Church-Member was slightly confused, and evidenced by her manner
that she was ready to depart.
“May I ask before you go,” continued the minister, “whether you are
willing to join our church?”
“I have been thinking,” she replied, “that I could do more good in my
own church, not by fighting it, but by using _my_ influence quietly
in trying to get some of its members to be more like I am. I have
always had a missionary spirit. In that way I might satisfy my earlier
ambitions and lead some one out of the mist into a better light.”
“A very bright idea,” testified Mr. World, advancing with Miss
Church-Member toward the door.
“And may you succeed in your plans,” added the minister as they were
stepping from the room. “There are millions who belong to my church
in spirit, but who hold visible connection with some radical church
of the King’s Highway. They are doing great service in eradicating
old-time methods and planting the banners of a new liberty such as we
three enjoy.”