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Show ANSWER GIVEN TO 'WHAT IS A CHURCH' Services in the First Presbyterian I church last night concluded the series of sermons upon the Apostles' Creed. Miss Hainill rendered the music of I the evening. Rev. Mr. Carver said in part: "Dr Daniel Russell, pastor of the church of which Helen Gould was a ' member, In writing of her lu a New York daily, said: " Helen Gould has taught a Sunday Sun-day school class for years and has worked faithfully in every society of the Irvlngton Presbyterian church as has the most humble member. The deep secret of her life is that she bar. laid hold upon, and aimed to lle, that faith which finds Its most favorable fa-vorable expression In the tremendous tremen-dous affirmations of the Apostles' Creed ' "The clause in the Apostles' Creed. 1 believe in the Holy Catholic church,' seems to be forgotten by some today, who, desiring the tone of life that only a church can create, do not give it .my hympathetic aid If there, ever was a person who could have kept aloof from the church. It was Jesus. He was to found a new means of approach ap-proach to God, promulgate a new code of morals. In short, establish a new line of work. He tells the disciples disci-ples po when, on the first coni I slon of his being the Son of God. I he .says, 'On this rock will I build nay church' The church of his day was woefully corrupt and lacking in spiritual power. It had done much against him and. yet he was a rnein-ber rnein-ber of it, he submitted to its baptism, attended its services and paid his i share for its support. The real root I of the problem of the one who aks if he must believe in the church today to-day is, however, a deeper one, for It is this. Can 1 not live as ray desires de-sires incline me, pay no heed to sacred sa-cred things, be Indifferent to Gods laws here and yet be rewarded In heaven?' Belief in the church Is not so much the belief In an institution as in the things for which and bj 1 which It stands. "What is a church? It is not the , building, nor the belief It is a company com-pany of people 'called out' for a cer- I tain purpose. The word church means those called out' to a work No matter mat-ter how Imperfectly the members aro doing the work, the fact remains that thev are called to do it. The his- tory of the church In all the ages, however, points to the fact that in spite of many imperfections and lapses lap-ses the church has been the best of all agencies to bring temporal, moral mor-al and spiritual as well aa political blessings to mankind. In believing in it we believe, not In a perfect agency, agen-cy, but in the best agency the world bus. "The word catholic! means universal.' uni-versal.' Wc all know that today the church Is well nigh everywhere and its members and worship found In every cllme and tongue. But it tooK faith when it. consisted of a few persecuted per-secuted ones to enable them to say 1 bellove In a universal church.' I call your attention to another meaning of universal It means all strata of society so-ciety here also. The church must have doors as wide aa the love and promises of God. Lodges may blackball black-ball applicants, clubs may refuse them, homes may he closed to them, but when a Masdulene or a penitent thief In bitterness of conviction and newness new-ness of resolve knocks at the church It must open its doors. Social and racial trends can be raised elsewhere, but never at a church of God. In these days when wealth and 6ocial caste are lifting barriers, there must remain one place for every oppressed heart and one haven of sympathy for every burdened toller as well as for the more fortunate or unfortunate. That place most be the church universal. uni-versal. "We do not care for the word 'holy' as applied to people today. It has gotten Into bad company 'Holy Jumpers,' 'Holy Rollers' and Holiest sects as well as false piety have marred mar-red the beauty of a grand word. It means 'set apart' for a sacred purpose The holy vessels were vessels set apart for the exclusive use of the sanctuary. It never meant sinless-neSB. sinless-neSB. It does mean purpose Many times the church has not been, as an entire church, worthy of this adjective. adjec-tive. The church in places and times has been corrupt and has sought by cruelty to advance i t e cause. But as a whole the church has been the one institution through the ages that has followed one definite purpose as it was set apart to do. We do not judge all government by one bad era of tyranny ty-ranny Neither do we condemn all of a harvest by some musty grain, nor ' the harvests of the ages by a few times of famine. So we cannot just- 1 ly say that the church Is not a church set apart to the work of godliness god-liness because of the frailties of B part of its followers. Belief in a holy church' does not Imply belief In a sinless church, but in a church with a definite godward purpose. "I believe in the church, and so do every one of you, for your actions speak louder than your condemnation. condemna-tion. Not one of you would try' and raise a family In a county or a cirv that had no church You want the Influence and help which every' company com-pany of believers silently radiates One church in a town raises tho price of real estate, for it 1b more desirable for a home making town Yes, you all believe In the church. bu1 very many who want a church near them do not believe In supporting support-ing a church They want its bene-flts bene-flts rather than its burdens, whiili I suppose is a pertcctlj natural desire. de-sire. "All so-called churches are not churches of our belief unless they are standing or working rather for the truth as it is found in the truth of God. Llut if they are then no matter under what denomination they serve, be they Romanist or Protestant Protest-ant or nonconformist, If they be loy- I al to the leadership of Jesus Chrlsl we declare our faith in them as workers work-ers for him. Would that all denominations denom-inations were more catholic and all churches more holy, but be they as they are we give them hearty godspeed god-speed In their way of work. "Tho church can do its work without with-out you, but you cannot do your work-without work-without it. You need Its services and teaching, Its counsels and reproofs, Its promises and cheer, Its hymns and prayers, lta ordlnunces. its book. Its God and Savior. You need them so much that as you value your life you cauuot alford to bo without its fold." i |