The Churches Becoming a Political Machine
ONE of the most marked tendencies of this time is that of federation, and the federation movement in the churches is one of the strongest. Men ought to be able to see that the methods used are largely political. They are seeking to combine numbers for so-called moral purposes; but where in the word of God has the church ever been encouraged to put her trust in numbers? On the other hand, God gave the promise of one chasing a thousand, and two putting ten thousand to flight. Deut. 32:30. The promise is not given, in the Word, that large numbers would flock to the church. The Master plainly says that “strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matt. 7:14. Then where is there any warrant for us in accepting political methods in church work? Is there any possibility of the church’s working any real reforms in society by bringing its force of numbers to bear upon the political machinery? It is when professing Christians begin to depend upon their vast numbers that they lose sight of the necessity of the power of God and expose their weakness. The individual Christian who has the power of God in his life is a power in society wherever he may be. The church makes her most fatal mistake when she minimizes this power by believing that she can combine her vast numbers and produce reforms. In some advertising that was done by the Federated Body of Pastors in one of our large Eastern cities, they had this statement: “The man who stays away from the polls on election day fails in a duty to society. Good citizens call him unpatriotic, and rightly. Every man should take his stand one way or another at the polls. “It does not occur to most people that staying away from church is a kindred failure in duty to society. Men must vote for or against the church. It does not occur to most persons that non-attendance at religious services is really nothing more nor less than a vote against religious services—a vote to remove them from society.” Such talk as that seems catchy. From the surface standpoint, it may seem all right, but it is lowering the great standard of Christianity. It is putting the work of the church down to the political basis. The ringing words of truth that come from the divine Word itself should make men feel that they are eternally lost unless they have the benefits of the gospel. And when their minds are stirred in this way, they will come to the church, not to be patriotic, but to be saved. It is the purpose of the gospel to save men, and not merely to make them patriotic. Salvation through Christ is deep enough, and broad enough, to include every virtue and every duty that comes into our lives, either in the church or in the state. The standards of this time are too low, and that is the reason why we have to have so many reform movements to seek to destroy the evils that are breaking society to pieces. The evils of this time can not be overcome by any kind of political machinery. It is just as true to-day as it ever was that “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. Jesus Christ is the one Saviour, and His gospel must be preached in all of its power, and with all of its forceful and truthful clearness, if we may save men.