Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-01-01
&eadinq far the Sabbath,
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
(Orlglnal.i
COIIgIHd1'!
A PROSPEROUS CONGREGATION.

A PROSPEROUS CONGREGATION.
Growth and decay, are generally attended
with unmistakable signs. To the close OBJ
server, these signs are so visible that he sell
dom makes a mistake. 1t is, however, only
the fewest number of the human family that
will see things as they really are. They come
to conclusions without first having examined
the facts. Vain show is, to the multitude, the
sign of prosperity. That individual who
makes the greatest show, no matter upon what
he bases that show, is, by the mass of the hu-
man family, regarded as in the most prosperous
state. Sensible persons are accustomed to re-
gard show as one thing, and prosperity as an
other and quite different thing.
If external show is based upon reality, then
it indicates growth otherwise, it is sign of
approaching ruin. That man whose yearly
income is only FIVE hundred dollars may make
great show in the world and attract, for
time, the gaze of the multitude, by spending.
annually, eight hundred or thousand dol
lars; but his race will be short. Ruin will
overtake him, and those who once looked upon
him as man of enterprise, will call him
consummate villain.
Apply these general principles to any Chris.
tian congregation, and we shall have very
little difficulty in deciding whether tits in
prosperous or decaying condition. Suppose
it has large number of members and adhe.
rents, and that they are generally well-to-do
in the world. Their house Of worship is
stately edifce Its aisles are covered with the
finest carpets, and its seats are cushioned with
the most costly material. The multitude are
ready to pronounce, without farther evidence,
that this congregation is in growing condi
ton So it would be if show constituted re.
Iigon; but since the kingdom of God does
not consist in external show, but in righteous
ness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost"
such congregation may be in a very unpros
porous condition. Its members may make
the whole of their religion consistin what can
be seen. They may be decorating houses for
God, whilst they are negleciing their own
hearts. In their own houses there may be no
religion. They lie down and rise up without
ever asking God for blessing, or returning
him thanks for favors which he has bestowed.
In other words, they may have the external
form Of religion, and nothing more They
work for themselves, and yet pretend to be
working for Jesus. They observe the Sabbath
and attend church, because it is fashionable
and respectable. They care nothing for the
gospel The rise in stocks or the advance in
the price of cotton, is far better news to them
than what God calls good news"
One design Of the church is to convert sim
ners, another design is to build up believers
in faith and holiness. This being the case,
congregation is in prosperous condition
when, by the use of the appointed means of
grace, sinners are brought to knowledge Of
themselves and led to inquire the way Of sal
vation. No congregation is strengthened
when unconverted sinners become fully iden-
tilted with it. Its house Of worship may be
filled with such members; but they are worth
less members. They are strangers, and feel
no interest in the progress of the gospel.
That congregation is in growing state whose
members show their faith by their works,
The sinners who unite with it, break off their
sins by Righteousness. They cease to do evil
and learn to do we'll 1t matters not what
they once were, they now fear God and keep
his commandments
A few hundred tried veterans are worth
more in the day of battle, than as many
ten thousands raw militia. Just so it is in the
church few Christians have more power,
and will accomplish more for the cause of
evangelical religion, than house full of
mere hangers on.
A congregation may be set down. in grow
ing condition when it's members take an in
terest in the simple gospel. That individual
is growing in grace, and in a spiritual pros
porous condition, whose love for the simple
doctrines of the Bible is increasing On the
other hand, that man who has no relish for
the doctrines of the Bible, no matter what
his profession may be, is in languishing
state. A congregation, no matter how large,
is made up of single individuals, and the
whole is what the parts make it. If the in
divdual members of congregation are grow.
ing in grace, then the congregation Is in
prosperous condition. Otherwise, it is not.