March 1926
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
124
"all things whatsoever He has commanded,” and when we think of how little of this is done in the matter of our chil dren and young people, we cannot possibly wonder that they drift and show tendencies that startle and alarm us. The greatest opportunity open to the Church of God today is that of winning the children and young people to Christ and faithfully teaching them the Word of God, which is the greatest conserving force and the greatest creator of ideals in all the history of the world. Not only does.this work mark our greatest opportunity, (Continued on page 168)
fact that the Church is not giving out the radiance and light that it was intended to give out through our Lord and Sav iour? This at least seems to be the clear implication of these statements by Jesus Christ. At any rate, there is absolutely no escaping the tremen dous responsibility which rests upon the Church in the mat ter of conserving the things that are true to the will and purpose of God and creating in men and women tastes that will seek after the higher things. Thé way in which this is effectively done is by winning them to Christ in a saving faith, and conscientiously and consistently teaching them
m 41^ É i É ï É ì An Ideal Installation Sermon
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g ^ iN E unique feature of the top Bethany work was the “ col- W, lege” which had been found- *¿3 ed to offer an opportunity for evening studies to those employed dur ing the day. It met twice a week for three ternis of nine weeks each. *** New interest was aroused in practical godliness and many developed a taste for Christian work. The work outgrew the supervising power of the pastor, and Thomas C. Horton, a young busi ness man who had recently been led into Christian work in Indianapolis, was called to be Askociate Pastor. An "Evangelistic Band” of young men was organized, with thirty members, who were pledged to do definite Chris tian work. On their knees these young men signed the following solemn agreement: "In Joining this Evangelistic Band I purpose with God’s help to maintain and live, not only a strictly moral and temperate life, but to be an example to all believers in godliness and purity, and to devote such portion of my time as may be consistent with other duties to thé' direct work of witnessing for Christ and winning souls to Him.” Then these young men went out "conquering and to conquer.” They visited houses and established cot tage prayer meetings. They started a branch Sunday School and mission in an outlying district. They preached in open lots and won men and women to Christ. Under Mr. Horton’s leadership, the young men put up a Gospel tent in a neglected quartet of the city. They secured the use of a vacant lot, dug post holes, bought lumber and with their own hands built a high board fence, a platform and benches. There they held Sunday School and preach ing services. The young men acquired a taste for soul-winning and the whole work of Bethany Church shared in the blessing. The spirit of personal work spread throughout the congregation. In three months the number of con verts reached 538, and all this was
“ (1) Leadership. The Good. Shep herd ‘goeth before’ His sheep. He leads rather than drives. He goes be fore by voice and by example. " ( 2 ) Feeding the Flock. The sheep and lambs have every variety of spirit ual need and you are to search for the variety of food adapted to these needs. “ (3) Guarding the Flock. David Blew the lion and the bear lest a kid might be lost. He risked his own life to save the humblest of the flock. " (4 ) Governing the Flock. The pastoral staff is a symbol of authority. Church government and discipline are sadly in danger in these days. Take firm hold of your pastoral staff, for you will need to use It in loving but faithful correction. "In all these duties you will need to follow the Chief Shepherd. With your eye on Him you cannot go far astray. * * * "Your pulpit will, I hope, be not only in the church but any place where you can, by tongue or pen, appeal to men in the stead of Christ— a street corner, a dry-goods box, a green hillock or a stone by the wayside. "Your library will, I hope, be mainly composed of four books, constantly and carefully studied— the book of God’s Word, the book of God’s works, the book of God’s providence, or his tory, and the book of human nature. To understand these four volumes is to be a master workman. “ Your sermons will, I hope, be largely living epistles composed of your own good example and the lives of those converted through your • instru mentality— living sermons. “ Your weddings, may they be many! Joining penitent believers like chaste virgins to Christ, the heavenly Bride groom. “ Your funerals, may they be equally numerous! burying the sins of trans gressors out of sight— the doubts, vices, inconsistencies of professed dis ciples in the sepulchre of a forsaken past. “ Your vacations, may they be fre quent in the relief and refreshment of daily prayer and communion with God, resting in Him and with Him. “ Your parish is broader than this church and will be found wherever there is a soul to be saved. “ Your monument will be found in the hearts and lives of disciples whom you have benefitted.”
In the biography of the late Dr. A. T. Pierson, by his son, Dela- van L. Pierson, editor of “ The Missionary Review o f the 'World,” there is related an in cident which vividly illustrates what is possible to be accom plished in any church where the obligation of the Individual be liever to win souls is stressed and is especially interesting in connection with the article by Dr. Pierson in this issue and in view of the fact that the editor of this magazine was the Asso ciate Pastor referred to.
done without special advertising, paid evangelists or extra services. Of the original Evangelistic Band, several were led either into some mission field, into the ministry, or into some other distinctive service. mission itself developed into "The John Chambers Memorial Church", now an independ ent and strong organization. When Mr. Horton was installed as Associate.Pastor, Dr. Pierson gave an impressive and unique charge, the out line of which is well worth quoting as a model for such an occasion: "You have crossed a line which you cannot recroSs. You are a minister of the Word and your great work is to study and unfold that Word. "You are a minister of Jesus Christ. The Word is mainly precious as the oasket which enshrines this priceless jewel: ‘ In the volume of the book it is written of Me!’ “ You are a minister of the Holy Spirit. The application of the Word of God and the blood of Christ is solely committed to the Holy Spirit. * * * My brother, you are to be a Bible man, a Christ man, a Holy Spirit man, "You are a minister of the church. For the Bake of the church, the min istry exists. You are to be a winner of souls, a keeper of souls, to gather God’s penitent believers out of the world and into His fold, the church. "The pastor is literally a shepherd, and a shepherd implies a flock. The pastoral duties are to lead, to feed, to guard and to govern.>
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