Parties, Gatherings, and Associations by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · May 6, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 19.

Parties, Gatherings, and Associations

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

THERE was never a time in the history of earth, when the world presented so many pleasing allurements—everything calculated to distract and engage the attention, especially of the young—as at the present time. Parties, dances, theaters, ball games, races, beer-gardens, clubs, entertainments, societies,—anything to turn the mind and heart from the serious realities of life,—are the order, or rather the disorder, of the day. The multitudes are sick with constant excitement. No wonder nervous diseases are on the increase.

There are so many calls, by the people, for this kind of thing that caters to the public love of amusement are constantly on the outlook for anything fresh and new. No matter how atrocious, or how it smacks of the barbarous, only let it be unheard of, startling, unique. Said a friend of mine, whose business it was to cater to the fancies of the very rich, “Money is no object; just so the entertainment is out of the ordinary, they are willing to pay handsomely for it.”

The rich, however, are not alone in their feverish thirst for amusements. The poor are little better. Of course, the high-priced theaters and more expensive places of resort do not appeal so strongly to them. So, recognizing this fact, the cheap show, the ten-cent theater, and the vaudeville have arisen to extort the pennies from the poor—since they have no dollars to give.

“Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God!” is the solemn verdict written in the record books above, by the angel scribe as he looks up and down the length and breadth of this fair land, dotted with churches, whose thousand spires point solemnly heavenward.

“But,” says my optimistic friend, “surely you must exaggerate the condition of things. Surely the church of Christ is awake to her danger.” Would to God she were awake! but can that church be called awake, which is obliged to resort to the questionable methods of the world to support her ministers and to extend her missions? when she takes more time and thought to promote the grab-bag social than to fill her pews for an old-fashioned prayer-meeting? when her members can attend the theater two or three evenings in the week, but are too tired and full of business to attend church on the day of rest? when the horse-race or the ball game has more charms for them than the weekly sermon, in fact when the church vies with the world in the number and brilliancy of her entertainments, how can I be said to exaggerate when I affirm that Ephraim is as surely joined to his idols to-day, as in the days of old, when the solemn command went forth from the lips of the Almighty: “Let him alone”?

“But what are we going to do with the youth”? you question. “They must and will have amusements of some kind, and, indeed, it is only reasonable that they should. You can’t expect to put old heads onto young shoulders; so if you have any panacea which will affect a certain cure for these turbulent spirits, bring it forward at once, if you think it is needed.”

That the panacea is needed, my friend, is beyond question; and that it can be named and is right at hand is equally sure. But that those sin-sick souls who need its healing balm will “come to the fountain and drink and live,” is quite another question.

The other day a young man was taken sick. As the symptoms seemed serious his family proposed to call the physician. But the sick man objected; he could see no need. “I don’t need a doctor, why do you make yourselves so much trouble?” Others had died of the same malady, but surely he would not die; he was too young, too strong, too full of vitality and life. They waited an hour. Then they sent for the physician. Too late! The young man was gone.

It is just so with disease of the soul. The sufferer doesn’t see his danger, and even if urged by those who love him, he is very likely to refuse the services of the great Physician. Sin is like paralysis; it is benumbing; and, like darkness, it is blinding. But I will tell you the panacea: it is the living power of the Holy Spirit; it is the precious blood of the Crucified. But unless the Holy Spirit is claimed by faith, unless the blood is applied, the results are the same—only more terrible—as if we knew not of the remedy. “But are we to attend nothing but prayer-meetings and church?”—The heart which is truly right before God, will find no difficulty in answering. Whenever and wherever we can take Jesus with us, it is safe to go. “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him.” Shall we ask the angel to pull down his tents, and encamp no more about us, so that we may be left free to follow the inclinations of our own evil hearts?—Ah, no; then let us shun those resorts and associations into which we can not expect the guardian angels to follow us. O how shall we dare to brave the powers of darkness in our own unaided strength! Stronger men and women than we, have fallen before him who caused even the downfall of myriads of mighty angels. Shall we invite him to exercise his seductive power upon us poor, puny, weak creatures? Shall we dare him by stepping wilfully upon his ground?—God forbid.

Then in this matter let us remember that safety lies only in the firm resolve:—

I will go nowhere without the sacred and protecting presence of the guardian angel. I will attend no gathering into which I can not invite my Lord.