WHY GO TO CHURCH? A MOTHER OF FOUR EXPLAINS HER VIEWS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 78, 6 August 1948, Page 7

WHY GO TO CHURCH? A MOTHER OF FOUR EXPLAINS HER VIEWS

(Contributed by the Ministers’ '• - Association) is so interesting to hear of a day in other people’s lives,” a writer says, “and to know how God helps them through a busy day or a crisis. Some people say religion is a thing of the past, but this is not so.” The writer goes on to tell of a woman with four children, who is a Sunday School teacher, besides being in her place at church every Sunday. Someone asked her how she did it. She replied: “I put Church and Sunday School first. The children help me with the necessary work, other things we leave. I am trying to build something finer than a spotless house—in the clean minds and characters of my children. There is no better place to begin building than in the Church, but the Chuch must have the co-operation of the home.” Both divinely ordained, the homp and the Church are inseparable in the great task of character building. Most of us are paying due attention to the home, but the pity is that so many mothers put the cooking of the dinner, or a day at the beach, before attendance ✓at the House of God. - During a discussion on Church attendance one lady said: “I confess that often I am tempted by, laziness, by dislike of a minister’s views or manner, by dislike of cliques, to absent myself. But I am convinced that these arguments are entirely outweighed by at least three motives for attending Church. (1) We can’t stand outside and condemn, making no attempt to remedy the faults. (2) Worship is natural and inevitable. Public worship supplies spiritual fellowship. Widening our sympathies with other Christians, deepening our own-personal relationship with God. (3) 3h a small way, o go to Chuhch is our confession of faith, our witness to discipleship. Another writer says: “As, when the day’s duties are finished, I turn homewards, so at the appointed times, I go to the place of worship. It is ‘home,’ in a very real sense: it is the place where the Christian family meets, enjoys fellowship, receives refreshment and counsel, and goes forth again to take its part in the affairs of life.” “No man can go to heaven alone,” quotes another writer. Then he goes on to say: “Fir me there is a need for corporate worship, a value in joining with two or three, who can claim the Lord’s presence in the midst, as well as in the great congregation. In the small church and cathedral alike there is something to minister to my need. In the quiets ness of the sanctuary souls are richly blessed, tlie mind is enlightened and the body rested. To share in the privilege of work for God, is another reason why I attend a place of worship.” “Of course,” she said, easily, “the Church will have to adapt itself to modern conditions.” But will it? Is a Worthwhile religion ever as easy as that?