Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-03-27
CHURCH MEETING.

At regular meeting of the official
members of the Methodist Church,
held last Sabbath evening. several
members, who had been appointed for
that purpose, submitted reports. By
request we publish the following:
REPORT BY o. G. SMITH.
QUESTION 5.lCan anything more
be done to strengthen and build up
the church in our midst, and to ad-
vance the>cause of Christ in the COM
munity?
To this We answer most emphatical-
ly, there can and in order to show
what can be done, We call attention to
few plain and prominent duties.
A constant and punctual attend
ance upon the house of God, whenever
in our power, would be ofincalculable
advantage to us, both as individuals
and as church. The more a man
comes in contact with anything good.
the more likely is he to be assimilated
to it. No man can attend upon the
ministry of the word and receive the
same in the fear of God and not be
blessed in so doing, aud every blessing
conferred upon christian, as such. is
in greater or less degree benefit to
the church.
A spirit of charity for the faults of
our fellow men, properly exercised,
would tend greatly to the attainment
of this end. Many Kian oyertaken
in fault, has been driven to ruin by
the cruel taunts of those who, at heart,
were no better than he; whereas, had
they lifted him up from the mire into
which he had fallen, and, in the words
of Jesus, bid him "go and sin no
more, he might have been an instru-
ment in the hands of God in doing a
work, the magnitude of which eternity
alone could tell. IF thy brother
trespass against thee, go and tell him
his fault between thee and him alone, !"
and don't seek to blacken his good
name by publishing to the world your
want of confidence in him.
Another means which would aid in
this great work is a hearty co-opera-
ton with our pastor in whatever he
undertakes for the benefit of the
church. We are too prone to find
some fault with the preacher in the
style or length of his sermons, his
manner of conducting the meetings,
or something of this kind when, if
we attended upon his ministry in a
christian spirit, determined to be bene-
fitted by everything that is said and
done, these objections-most of which
are only imaginary-would be utterly
submerged in that great peace which
would flow as river through our souls.
A house divided against itself can
not stand, and church has little or
no prospect of accomplishing any good
for itself or the world at large, when
there is tendency on the part of the
membership to oppose the preacher
and official members in the adoption
and execution of plans over which
they have thought and prayed long
and earnestly, and which the members
thus opposing have never given an
impartial investigation.
A knowledge of the discipline and
strict conformity to all its require
ments is another very efficient means.
As was said at a previous meeting,
next to the Bible Methodist should
study the Discipline. 1t is the law of
the church and we are under solemn
promise to God to be governed by it.
Upon our reception into the church
we are asked, "Will you be subject to
the Discipline of the church, attend
upon its ordinances and support its
institutions ?" To this we answered,
Il will endeavor so to do by the help
of God" That VOW is registered
against US in Heaven to-day, and will
confront US in that last great day when
we are called to give an account. The
Discipline requires us to attend upon
the ministry of the word, family and
private prayer, &C., and whenever we
neglect these we bring upon us the
terrible sin of broken vow. One of
the general rules fJrbids the taking of
such diversions as cannot be used in
the name of the Lord Jesus. The
Bishops, in whom is vested the power
of determining all questions of law,
say in unequivocal terms that dancing
is one of the diversions prohibited by
this rule. So. without undertaking to
say whether dancing, per Sc, be right
or wrong, we are driven to the admis-
sion that, whenever we of the Metho-
dist church participate in it, we are in
direct violation of our vow.
Were these suggestions carefully
considered and conscientiously acted
upon by all our members, the church
would receive blessing she has never
known, and the influence would widen
and extend until the whole community
would feel the good resulting there
from.