The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. [volume], September 13, 1922, Page 3, Image 3

About The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1909-1931

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
the kindness of that church und the expendi
ture of a little money. People in remote com
munities may be greatly blessed by this in
vention properly used. The greatest men of
all denominations, never heard by the mass of
church-going people who cannot attend assem
blies and conferences, may hear them by the
radio.
Another advantage is to the throng of
"shut-ins" found in homes, sanatoriuins, hos
pitals, orphanages and asylums. "What a bless
ing this may be to them! To the throng on
whose hands the hours drag so slowly, and the
i lay's routine becomes so monotonous. Good
hooks and an occasional visit from a friend
have been the principal joy to these hereto
fore. But not all were fortunate enough to
have these. Now with the one sense of hearing
li ft they may have the joy of the radio and
its message. The aged, cripples, blind, dumb,
sick and otherwise infirm who live in the nar
row confines of four walls, shut off from the
beautiful world may now rejoice to know that
they can think and live with the world out
side. The telephone has been made use of in
many instances to minister to this throng, but
it has been found expensive and limited in
many ways. But for a small cost an invalid
in a sanatorium in Colorado may listen to her
own pastor in Dallas, New Orleans or even At
lanta.
Again we must recognize that there is some
good going to come to the persons who have a
radio station in their homes and who are not
classed as " church-going people." There is
1he working man who gets in late Sunday eve
ning from seven days of toil, too tired, un
shaven, and often too late to arrange for an
eight o'clock service.
This man may sit down and rest and listen
to the same sermon that his wife and children
are listening to in the church auditorium. lie
can hear the same hymn?, same prayers, the
same music and sermon that they hear. This
is a great blessing not to be minimized or
abused. There are thousands and thousands
of "seven-day working men" in America, even
though it be to our shame. We are doing little
<? minister to them as it is. Many of them
do not have the opportunities to become Chris
tians or interetsed in Christian activities.
Mread and meat for the family have to be pro
vided. They are victims of the business pow
ers and methods of society, and "necessity"
<1 rives them home to stay, even on Sunday eve
ning. These souls should be helped more and
criticized less. They have a pessimistic con
ception of life in many instances. They are
not on the best terms with the Church and
church people. But it is more because
they have not had all the opportunities
that some of us have had than that
they are pessimists by nature. Let us hope
that even when they refuse to go to church on
the wife's invitation Sunday evening, for the
Children '8 Day Program or the installation of
a new pastor, that God will lead them to pick
up the radio, "tune it," and listen through
curiosity till, "Having qome to scoff, they re
main to pray."
So it seems for these few reasons alone there
is an advantage in the possession of this gift
of modern science even by the Church. It may
he another of a thousand things which, if con
secrated to a good use, shall help to publish the
knowledge of that "Name which is above every
name," and bring light and life to perishing
souls.
Disadvantages Attached to ' ' Going to Church
By Radio/'
But as is so many times the case there arc
perils that must be guarded against in the best
of things. Wrong is made of so many things
that in themselves are not wrong. There is
a great throng of people who may allow the
convenience of the radio to rob them of the
greater blessings of the church and church
service by staying at home to worship, when
able to attend church. "When it cornels to
religion, humanity takes the road of "least
resistance," as it estimates. The religion that
is the easiest, most soothing to the conscience,
seems to have no trouble in getting followers.
There is too much "system" in the church form
of worship, to put it in the words of the Irish
girl who was reprimanded for not using more
system in her work. "And what do you un
derstand by system, Olga?" said her mistress.
"Ah, seesteem is doiii' theengs the hardest
way," replied the girl. The throng follows the
easiest way, no matter what revelation, experi
ence, anything or anyone else advises.
It must be admitted that the Bible states
very specifically that worshipers are to "as
semble themselves together." Ileb. 10:24-25.
"Let us consider one another to provoke unto
love and good works : not forsaking the assem
bling ourselves together, as the manner of
some is; but exhorting one another: and so
much the more as ye see the day approaching."
In the heavenly communications of many a
leader and prophet there came the command
to gather all Israel together to hear the word
of God. No less than four times annually
Israel gathered at Jerusalem in a great assem
bly to worship. And when this company was
named, both in the old dispensation and the
new, there was used a word that means "an
assembly," a calling together of people, "The
Church." While this name possibly has a
deeper significance than this it certainly meant
an assembly of worship first to all who used it.
As followers of Christ it would seem enough,
since He through His word had commanded
this, that we recognize it as one of the essen
tials in the development of our spiritual lives
and the advancement of His kingdom.
But there is further reason to watch well
the use of the radio. If it prevents the as
sembling of the people together, as it certainly
does, it also robs them of the blessings of per
sonal, visible fellowship. The telephone is a
great blessing, but we all recognize that it
has made the world very selfish and seclu
sive. Families who once came together for an
all-day visit and fellowship are as scarce as
diamonds today. The telephone has made it
possible to visit at home and give all the news.
The day of personal contact and visible fel
lowship is a fifth wheel in the modern social
life, and yet all know that the telephone visit
is far inferior to the personal visit. Our
church memberships are suffering today from
"telephone dyspepsia." Thousands of persons
have a "telephone acquaintance" who would
not know each other if they met In church.
They have solicited a cake for a bazaar, told
them which circle they were on, possibly in<
vited them to church, but they do not "know
them." Literally thousands of souls in city
churches are hungering for "fellowship," los
ing interest in the Church in a strange com
munity because they do not know people. How
many times do you hear this, "Oh, I can't get
used to this place. It is so different from the
place I came from. I miss the old friends, so !"
It is not "different." People are the same,
largely, everywhere. It is because they do not
know the friends that possibly live the next
door or in the next block. If you take away
the fellowship of the preaching service, yon
have robbed it of a divinely given blessing and
made the worshipper a selfish "spiritual glut
ton," even where there is the deepest sin
cerity in the radio method of worship.
Another disadvantage is the failure to know
always the speaker or the singers, as the case
may be. This may not be true where just the
"shut-ins" of a congregation enjoy their pas
tor's messages, for they can know him in th?
week time. But the public is not given to
listening to "the pastor" always.. They want
to hear the great men, great choirs, and in
many instances never heard of them. Both
speaker and audience are handicapped by this.
It is no inspiration to look and speak into a
distributor. The entertainer who depends on
the happy smiles and cheers of his audience
for much of his humor is only proportionately
disadvantaged to the preacher or gospel singer
as they speak to an audience out of sight. The
message of a preacher, however great he may
me, lacks something if he cannot be seen or
has never been met by his hearers. Such a
message cannot apply. It is likely never to
"arrive" in the life of that stranger. It will
just be interesting, instructive, but rarely if
ever "converting."
Finally, but not fully exhaustive, the radio
has the tendency to cheapen the Gospel mes
sage, ami make a pastime of a solemn occa
sion. Because it is easier to listen through
the radio than to dress and go to church no
doubt some will listen. Because a radio in the
home at a cost of fifty dollars will get all the
sporting news, concerts and public lectures as
well as the sermons, "we have a radio." And
they can hear the best available music and the
best sermons and do not have to help support
them. While there are few in this class, it is
not unfair to say that there are such who are
using the radio to "go to church." But most
perilous of all is the fact that the hour of
worship, that is being conducted in the church
auditorium and listened to by thousands of
"home worshipers," will not have the solemn
ity or the reverance as it wil for those at
church. The father will likely smoke or read
the paper as he listens. The mother will prob
ably read or knit. The children will play
with their toys, while the young people,
half attentive, will talk and laugh
in the front room. It will be only "a half
loaf" at best in many instances, where there
are more than one or two listeners. More or
less disturbance will be permitted and the
thing will soon get common, lose its sacred
ness and really be no occasion of worship. In
the words of another who has dared to think
out loud about so great a blessing as the radio
it may be said, "Hail to the radiophone !" But
we would better go to church.
Kansas City, Mo.
DEATH CANNOT PART
By Mis'j Amanda Cordea.
"It Is not night, dear heart, the night is ended,
The darkness passed forever more away,
Above the earth in radiant colors blended,
Dawns on my vision life's eternal day.
"Then lifts my soul to meet the dawning splendor,
The ties of earth now fallen all away,
All but your voice in pleading, soft and tender.
Your falling tears entreating me to stay.
"Press now your kiss of partinf on my brow,
Clasp close once more my hands against yout
heart,
Oh, let your love and faith unfailing now.
In triumph bid my waiting soul depart!"
Then did I kiss His brow and let Him go.
Knowing that death our hearts could not divide.
And I of night upon the other side.
/He would but walk the path of Mornning's Glow,
That, too, the night would lift for me some day,
With but a step beeween us on the way.
Richmond, Va.