unning out of material. There is a
great work yet to be done in the way of bringing men into the kingdom of
God. We hope to keep that always in view--to make it our central aim and
our uppermost thought.

2. There needs to be created in the hearts of the people more respect for
the Church, a better understanding of its mission, and a fuller
appreciation of its work. Many people have mistaken ideas of the Church,
and therefore fail to appreciate its work or its purpose. Some regard it
simply as a venerable institution that has long had a place in human
society. In former times it has done an important work, and still has its
value. It is to be honored for its record and still encouraged in a mild
and patronizing way. They would not banish the Church--they are not yet
quite ready to undertake to conduct human society without it. They
tolerate it and perhaps support it in a half-hearted way, but they do not
regard it as absolutely essential or its work as vitally important. They
do not understand the Church. The Church may be in some measure to blame
for this. It has not always understood itself. Its conception of its own
mission has been small, narrow, and inadequate, and it was inevitable that
no truer or larger impression could be made upon the community. When the
Church undertakes to do all for which it is responsible and prosecutes it
with the vigor and earnestness that it deserves, the people will begin to
understand it better and to appreciate more fully its mission.

Many people regard the Church as an institution to be supported. In common
thought this institution, for some reason that may not always appear, has
assumed the right to lay the community under tribute for support. Some
accept this traditional idea without thinking much about it, while others
are in revolt against it. One of the assistant pastors was calling at a
house for the first time. The master of the house, when he was introduced,
said, "Oh, another preacher! Well, I suppose they all have to be
supported." And he was not the first representative of the Church that has
met with such an indignity.

Here again the Church may be at least partially to blame. It has too often
regarded its office as that of preying upon the community as well as
praying for it. It has not always been careful to give value received.

It is our purpose to make the Church a necessity in the community. Its
good works, its efficiency as an element of power in everything tha