Impressions Of "Do You? -- Would You?"
As I picked up the Firm Foundation of October 28, to read that which I missed at first glances, my eyes fell on the article by Brother Gayle Oler, "Do You — Would You — Work In A World Jesus Worked In?" I write little, because I feel my articles would contribute but little. Even so there may be others who have been impressed as I have by the above titled article.
1. My first impression was that Brother Oler thinks the majority of 158,000,000 people here in the U.S.A. are all "diseased, poverty stricken, insane, mad, and foaming and fighting at one another to live."
2. My next impression was that our brother thinks all of these are sadly neglected by the few of us who are left whole, but just don't care about suffering humanity.
3. My next impression was that the author and some very few others designated "We," are the only ones who do care about hungry, homeless, etc. "They" — that is all other Christians — they don't care, and especially if they are journalistic.
4. My next impression was that the author had turned from the kind, tender-hearted man he was at the beginning of his article to become very bitter at some one. This is evidenced by such invectives as, "Pharisaic contention," "hissing contention," "bigoted treatise," "Levitical brushoff." Then he really shows his bitterness toward any who disagree with him by sanctimoniously declaring, "Surely the shell of an undersized mustard seed will hold all the pure and undefiled' religion of all such people with room to spare." Is this language the comforting word our brother talks about? We wonder! Or could this be the healing touch?
6. My next impression was that if one does not agree with and do as the author does, he is a Pharisee who "says and does not."
6. My final impression was — I wish I had not read it before lunch. This is my birthday and Mrs. Brock is preparing a birthday cake and a "special meal." (The last time we had "special meal" was when we had company. A hungry man came along, and before any of the family or company tasted a bite, we fed this hungry, homeless man. He ate first — first of meat, vegetables, drink and dessert. Oh how I see now where I missed a great opportunity for service: I should have locked him in a room, then started out to find others like him. If perchance I could have found others, I could have started a home for HOMELESS AND WORKLESS MEN. Then I could have called on all the churches to send me their money to care for them. Then if they did not I could call them Pharisees, merciless, bigoted, and without pure and undefiled religion. Maybe too, since I started the thing I could be superintendent of the H AND W. M. HOME. This way, I might even make more salary, who knows.)
P.S. Now that I see how I lost my opportunity for service, does anyone know where I can secure a job with some human institution supported by the church, so I can be of service to God and my fellow man? How terribly wrong I must have been in thinking I could preach the gospel, strengthen the weak, lift up the fallen, and help the downcast, right where I am. No I realize that Christians are too weak, and God's church is too small! And you are a Pharisee if you don't see it. And who says so? The superintendent of an orphan (?) home.