The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-12-22

and the widening of its boundaries. Who are
the church, 1t comprises those who 10 con-
formity with the first Christian example cou-
secrate themselves to God and 60 ABOUT uolnS
good. They a,e the church ana tha. Suui"n
does actually exist, even though us nni': ;f a
undefnable. 1t were we'll uhuouoto ~, ,horr;'
limits could be defined, by lines, not py pairl
ers 7 would that all in this congregation
who ora members of that church were enroll.
cd in the list of membership of our traditional
church. So long as we propose to keep rec
ord of those among us who are trying to 90
good and grow better, We should make the rec
ord, as nearly as possible, complete. IL Is not
lust and right that this fictitious dlStincuoh
among our earnest-hearted men and women
should be continued, even on paper. Either |
lei the custom of enrolment be abolished or
let the list be completed by the addition OF
MANY names not yet recorded there.
| have spoken of the church as it was in the |
beeiuning-a close association Of believers for |
mutual help against the world, the flesh and
the devil. have shown now that church has
matured aud expanded into the church OF to- |
day, fulfilling its true original signineance as
The body of Christ and widening its scope, |
but losing in the process its own form and |
outlines.
There remains to be considered one very
prominent function of the church in times
past, which also is falling now into disuse.-
The church has been regarded as the cOnser-
vator of the Christian ordinances of baptism
and the communion; but the time is near
when it will be no longer thus regarded. Bap-
tism of adults has had significance mainly as
mode of induction into the church; associated
so nearly with ceremonies of invitation II IN
evitably lost something of its Original mean
inc as an act of conservation. In similar man
ner the Lords Supper has far less meaning
while regai ded as 4 formal ceremony OF the
church, in which all church members must,
and no others may engage. than when, as
now among us, being regarded as a MODE OF
pra er and help to meditation, it is opened
freely to oil who would pray, and to all who
would mediate upon those deep realities OF
life which are associated with the power CT
Jesus. The signs are already many OF that
coming day when Baptism shall introduce
not to the church, but to the Uorld-of want
and labor when the communion at the Lords
table, shall not be withsa few in formal fellow
ship,but with the heart of humanity,t expert
ences gathered up in the history OF Jesus, out
lined also in the quick remembrance, and the
dim torboding of all who engage in that com
munion.
1t is possibly to some dreary thought, that
the church of the early time is thus becoming
attenuated to mere list of names. But OBJ
vious facts will not turn aside at the bidding
of any sentiment. The ideal of that church
detective in this respect, that it never could
be fulfilled it promised the impossible. In
answer to the craving Of the human heart for
companionship in all touching or exalting ex-
periences, it promised sharing and partition
of the uncomfortable. 1t promised that
the sense of the want of God should be i'm
parted from one to another; that personal
faith and trust in God should be added to the
common stock of spiritual possessions, and be
to oil ,hor hot 1o tn
be child of God tshould be given by the
stronger to the weaker. Those promises
could net be fulfilled and if, in the easy con-
f1ences of that primitive time;the power of
personal Influence should give them here and
there an indirect and partial fulfilment, the
individualism of this present time would rem
der them almost entirely null and void.
But, however attractive may be the picture
which the simplicity of frst-century customs
presents to ouri imaginations, weicannot by
any longer or shorter leap back into the dark,
remove ourselves out of the present century.
We have to do with the church as it is to-day;
and we must endeavor to reconcile ourselves
to that fact. 1t is useless to try to reproduce
the ancient conditions of the church. It is
vain to pretend, in reverent imagination, that
in this church of to-day 1--WE are in any way
set apart from Cur fellow beings; or that we
are helping one another, in our capacity as
church members, as those of old were helpful
to each other. We enjoy the real privilege
and perform the true function of church
membership, when we have love of God in
our hearts and service of man upon our hands
God being our inspiration and help.
The apostolic word to the church OF the
past was not the final word of Christianity
Christianity says to the church of to-day, as it
has said from the beginning, not comfort
yourselves together and edify one another"
but $50 We into all the word" not, welcome
to your helpful sympathies those only who
are spiritually rich, but Ego ye into the by
ways and hedges" not "do good az ye have
opportunity, but do good at any rate, make
your opportunity; not, "do good especially to
the household of faith" but "feed the hun
sry," anywhere. Will you stand with face
averted from your own present duty, and
from the requirements of our own place,
studying to copy from former age? Rather
put yonr hand to the plough and do not look
back; look forward whittier you are driving
your furrow. For that, after all, is our chief
business-the business of Jesus,-to furtow
up this earth and plant it with the fruitful
seed OF self-sacriicing generous deeds. BE
who labors only to save his life, here or here
after, shall not save it thus; but he who loses
anxiety from his own life, in generous soil
tude tor the lives of others, shall find his life,
sanctified indeed. His name, written or un-
written, is included among The followers of
Christ in the membership Of the true Church.