313
September, 1933
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
I noies on CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR . . . B y M ary G. G oodner
OCTOBER 1, 1933 W H Y S H O U L D A L L CHRIS TIANS BE CHURCH MEMBERS? 1 C orinthians 12:25-27 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn—“I Love Thy Church, O Lord.” Hymn—“The Church’s One Foundation.” Responsive Recitation— Leader—“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving.” Response—“And into his courts with praise.” ’ Leader—“ Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” Response—“For the Lord is good.” Hymn—“ In the Cross o f Christ I Glory.” Scripture—1 Corinthians 12:25-27. Prayer. Testimonies. Leader’s Message. Quiet Hour. Hymn—“The Church in the Wildwood.” Benediction—Psalm 19:14. Meditation on the Lesson When we read the twelfth chapter o f 1 Corinthians, we stand in awe at the won derful figure Christ has chosen to describe His church: “ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.” In the letter to the Ephesians, we are told that Christ is the “head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness o f him that filleth all in all.” So we may realize the close union between Christ and His disciples, and also between fellow disciples. “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body o f Christ, and mem bers in particular.” Would that every be liever could, in some measure, realize the importance of this blessed truth. Then every member of the church would know that all his gifts were given him to be used for the general welfare, and not for selfish interests. Just as the power o f vision was given the eye, not for its benefit, but for the good of the whole man, so all spiritual gifts are for the whole church and not for the individual alone. How a proper realiza tion of this great truth would increase mis sionary activity I This passage teaches that the church is an organism,- not sjl .organization. There is a vital difference. No Jsersgn can join the church as he would join a ’ipdge or society. The Holy Spirit baptizes ihi, be liever into the body of Christ—the chuiph. The life o f Christ must be in the heart o f a man before he can belong to the true church. O f course, one may join a denom ination without being a member o f the body o f Christ. However, if a person truly be lieves and wishes to work for Christ, he will desire to unite with some evangelical denomination. “ Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpen e d the countenance o f his friend,” said the wise man. And we find it very true in Christian fellowship. By uniting with the church, we not only line up with the friends o f righteousness against its ene mies, but we also receive the encourage ment, uplift, and other benefits that come from fellowship with Christians. “No man
liveth unto himself.” No soldier fights well, unenlisted; so the Christian soldier should enlist in the army of the Lord by uniting with some evangelical church. Leader’s Helps I. A way from the S ource of H eat During the memorable retreat of the French from Moscow, the soldiers froze to death by hundreds. It is said that at night they gathered together such combustible material as they could find and made a fire. Then, gathering around it in circles as closely as possible, they lay down to sleep. In the morning, after a bitter night, those in- the outer circles would be found dead— frozen to death. They were too far away from the source o f heat. So the Christian’s hope o f life, o f strength, of help in the warfare of life, lies in constant communion with Christ and with those who love Him. To be on the borders of worldliness may be, and often is, fatal. —S elected . II. G oing I nside A writer in the Messenger tells the fol lowing: “ The best illustration that I ever heard, showing the disadvantage of liv ing a Christian life outside o f the church, was given me by a young convert whom I had recently received into our church. I expressed my pleasure in the step he had taken, when he replied: “ ‘I had not made up my mind to join when I came to the meeting tonight, but while you were talking, I thought it was just like buying a ticket to Chicago, and then riding on the platform. I thought I might as well go inside.” ’ - —H arold F. S ayles . III. A nchoring An old mariner said that, though his ves sel remained in port but a day, he always dropped her anchor or tied up at a pier. Deposit your church letter if you would not be driven by the wind and tossed upon uncertain waters. You can always get a “clearing” when you wish to move. The church is an inn for a night’s lodging as well as a home for a permanent residence. —R am ’ s H orn . IV. - A C rippled C hurch “Yes,” said Aunt Sarah, surveying her bandaged wrist, “ the doctor says it’s a bad sprain; and the minister says I know now how the church feels in not having the use o f all its members. The minister didn’t mean that for just a joke either; he looked at me as if he wanted to see how I’d take rf. I had sense enough, too, to feel I de served to have him say it to me. A word likX that comes home pretty straight when one t?f your own members is useless, and worsen “ I’ve never thought just what being a member^, o f the church meant before, though I ’ve been one for thirty-five years. I’ve n e w felt obliged to do what the church wsmted done. I felt it was a favor my doing i K?*- a'l> an me, all stiff and crippled, and refusing to bend more than an inch or two. I’ve been a useless member for thirty-five years, that’s the long and short of it; and if the rest of the members had been like me, the church would have been paralyzed. I’m ashamed o f myself and things are going to be differ ent from now on.”,—F orward . OCTOBER 8, 1933 W HAT SHOULD A PRESENT- D AY CHURCH BE DOING? 2 T imothy 4:1-5 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn—“Wonderful Words of Life.” Hymn—“Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart.” < Prayer. Hymn—“ Go Labor On.” Scripture. Quartet—“ Have Thine Own Way.” Leader’s Message. Testimonies. Hymn—“The Fight Is On.” Benediction—Mizpah. Meditation on the Lesson Paul is writing to his dear son, Timothy, the last letter he is to write, so he pours out his heart. This chapter contains his last appeal, a solemn warning, and his own example. He bases his appeal on the coming judg ment and on his own approaching death. He is deeply concerned that Timothy may remain true to his calling, so Paul uses a strong word, “ I charge.” Verses 2 to 5 contain this “charge,’’ “ Preach the word,” not science, philoso: phy, civic reform, better government, o f any other one of many good subjects, but the precious Word o f God which alone gives life. Be persistent—“in season, out of season.” Be fair— “reprove, rebuke.” Be in earnest—“exhort with all longsuf* fering.” Be watchful—“watch in all things.” Be patient—“endure afflictions.” Be zealous—“do the work o f an evan gelist.” Be faithful—“make full proof o f thy ministry.” This “ charge” should be memorized in heart, as well as in head, by every minister and church leader, and then diligently followed. Leader’s Helps I. I nstant in S eason It is told in the memoirs o f Dr. Chalmers that he spent an evening at Edgarstown in the house of Mr. Rutherford. His amiable wife was by the library fire with her sister- in-law and Mr. Brown, a remarkably large stout man of seventy-two. He had been a parishioner in Cavers when Dr. Chalmers was assistant there, and the greeting and cordial inquiries between them were quite animated. He fell into devout discourse presently, and conversed till late. At length the company retired to rest, but in the early morning, they were roused by a cry. Mr. Brown had suddenly been
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