Efforts to Attract Working Men to the Church—Restoration Would Largely Solve the Difficulty—Common Sense of Working Men—Glorious Expansion of Truth—Recasting Traditional Views—The True Basis for Unity.
There is one aspect of this question that is of vast importance, but which, so far as I know, has not been recognized. I mean its bearing on the relation of working men to the church.
It has to be admitted that working men in general are shy of the church. Yet almost every expedient has been resorted to in order to make the church attractive to them; and still they do not go. Some ministers think that working men are to be caught by secular preaching, and so the Gospel of success has in certain instances almost displaced the Gospel of salvation. Other ministers, and earnest ones, give a Gospel talk in workshops and factories during the dinner hour. The men civilly attend and listen, but they do not go to church. Other ministers assume a forced familiarity of manner with the men, in order to create the impression of equality. Some actively engage in sports in order to come into closer contact with working men; and still the working men do not go to church. Why?
I believe that a candid and outspoken avowal of a belief in a process of purification beyond death would go a long way in solving the whole difficulty. For sensible working men see very clearly that such a process of purification is necessary for all, whether they are Christian or non-Christian. Working men know beyond all doubt that there are in their own ranks many men of far higher character than the average nominal Christian. Yet it is taught that the Christian, however low in character he may be, goes straight to everlasting bliss; while the non-Christian, though of the noblest character, is consigned to everlasting torment. Common sense, and justice, and fitness, all rebel at such a dictum. This is especially the case with those who have not been early instilled with orthodox doctrines, as many of the working men have not. This is the real equality of man—the fact that all men are sinners, and that all need purification. Only let these facts be honestly and definitely avowed, and I believe the chasm would largely be bridged over.
Of course common sense and observation would recognize a marvellous difference in men as to their need of purification. It would be conceived that some would suffer but very slightly, or not at all; but their eyes would be opened to see truth of which they had never dreamed. Others might need a long and painful discipline to purge them of evil habits which they had contracted through long years. But equality would consist in the fact that all need to be purified in a greater or less degree, to fit them for a higher or lower place in the better world.
Would not this be a wholesome Gospel for working men, and for all men?
Would it not be a powerful appeal to any man to be able to say to him,
"You must repent, and leave off your sins now; for if you don't do it
now, you will surely do it in the life to come?"
I do not believe that working men are specially averse to spiritual ideas. But they are amenable to common sense, and justice, and the general fitness of things. Let them know that we are all on the same plane as sinners; be very emphatic that Christ died for the whole race; that the plans and purposes of God are not limited to the present life; that somehow and at some time grace will completely triumph over sin; and I venture to think that working men will be responsive. And in my view, this will be no curtailment of the truth, but a glorious expansion of it.
Surely none of the evangelical churches would treat such a Gospel as heresy. Even if they did, I do not think that the truth would suffer in the long run. Special attention would thus be called to the truth with the result, I believe, that the world would take a step forward into the light.
We read that "all Scripture is profitable for doctrine." Now is the doctrine of everlasting punishment profitable? If it is true it must be profitable. But is it? Possibly it may be claimed that it is profitable on certain occasions. Then on what occasions? I never heard it directly preached on any occasion since I was a child. It may be hinted at, or implied in some vague way; but so far as I know, it is never insisted on as a vital and saving truth. Yet, it is of such tremendous import that the fair inference is, that the preacher himself does not believe it, or that he is afraid to avow his belief of it, or that he has an instinctive feeling that to proclaim it clearly is never "profitable." Yet, if it is not profitable, it is not "doctrine," but error. And if it be error, it is the most dark and dismal error that ever found its way into this sinning and suffering world.
And if this doctrine is not preached in this Christian land, is it preached in heathen lands? I do not positively know; but I have a strong conviction that it is not. I would challenge any missionary to say that it is. Then why not, if it is "doctrine" and therefore "profitable?"