• Author: Unknown
• Editor: B-7413
• Newspaper: The Umpire volume 6
• Page Number:
• Date: 10 31 1917
• Tags:
• advice

THE SMILE OF WELCOME

An observant man once said that ‘‘ushers in our churches are responsible for a lot of people becoming non-church-goers.

Why? Because of the chill they give strangers who enter the edifice where they officiate.

It is all right to say that the person who pays attention to the manner of the man who seats him is not in church for the right purpose.

But if people were barred from church because they went from ulterior motives, how many woulid be in their places Sabbath morning.

It may be curiosity, or want of a better (to him) place to go, but there is some sort of religious prompting or he would notenter.

It is the duty of the one who greets him to inspire from the first a feeling that it is good to be there.

It cannot be done by a solemn-faced, cold- blooded piece of alabaster who stiffly bows and without turning a hair unfeelingly says:

“This way please.’’

The true Christian should be joyful and happy in the beautiful thought of salvation, and his countenance should pass the thought on. The kindly light in the eye, the warm grasp of a hand, the gracious smile of welcome tell the story.

So the question is, “What kind of a greeting do you extend to the stranger within the gate?”