Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-02-12
@eadiua fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM. Z
tOrigfnal.
THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH.

[orIginal.l
THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH.
When our Saviour, after his resurrection,
appeared unto his eleven disciples, perhaps,
for the last time, he gave them the commits
sion to 90 into all the world and preach the
gospel. The language of the commission is
very clear, minute and comprehensive. In
Matthew, %: 19 and 20, it is thus stated !:
"Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, bap-
tizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever have
commanded you; and, 10, I am with you al.
way, even unto the end of the world.
Amen"
The inferential adverb therefore" has ref.
erence to the declaration made in the 18th
verse. There Jesus declares to his disciples
that all power in heaven and earth is given
unto him. Since this is the case, he commits
sions his disciples to preach the gospel to all
nations. "Alf nations" is used to teach US
that the benefits of the New Testament dis
pensaton are not restricted to the Jews, as
were the benefits of the Old Testament dispen.
sation.
The duty of the eleven disciples, and of
their successors in Office, is plainly stated. 1t
is to disciple the nations of the earth, or to
make Christians of them. That the commits
sion was not to terminate with the individuals
to whom it was first given, is manifest from
the language of the commission. Jesus prom
ises that he will be with those to whom the
commission to disciple all nations is given,
galway even unto the end of the world"
These words admit of but one Interpretation,
and that is, that after these eleven disciples
would die, others would be raised up to take
their places, and thus the work of making dis
ciples would continue. 1t is true that the
eleven to whom the commission to preach the
gospel was given, had another important work
to perform. One part Of their work was to
testify that Jesus rose from the dead. Among
this number was Paul, who saw the Lord
after his resurrection, while on his way to
Damascus. This was temporary duty, and
ceased when the twelve Apostles died. Apart
from this, the duties of the eleven, to whom
the commission to 60 into all the world and
disciple all nations was given, is identical.
The mission of the Church, then, is to make
Christians of all nations. There is a sense in
which it is the duty Of all professed Chris
tians, to discip all who are not disciples of
Jesus Christ Every member Of the Church
is bound to advance, to the extent of his abil.
ity, the kingdom of Jesus Christ. No man
can live wholly to himself God has so or
dered it that we cannot, by any means within
our reach, occupy an absolutely neutral posi-
ti"n. We must do good or evil-be an ad-
vantage to others, or disadvantage. This
is especially true of every professed Christian.
Our influence may not be great, but we still
have some influence, and it has tendency to
make men Christians, or it has tendency to
keep men away from the Saviour.
Christ, however, has made it the particular
duty of certain individuals to disciple the ma
tions of the world. Paul says when Jesus
"ascended up on high, he led captivity captive
and gave gifts unto men," Ep phesians, AS.
These ascension gifts the Apostle explains
thus: "He gave some apostles and some
prophets and some evangelists; and some
pastors and teachers" Ephesians, I'll. 1t
is generally thought that apostles and proph-
cts have ceased to exist in the church. These
had, it is thought, particular work to per.
form, and so soon as that work was accom-.
plished, the gifts with which these were en-
dowed temporarily, were withheld. OtheP
think that the Church of God, by its sins, has
forfeited the offices of apostle and prophet.
Be this as it may, it is universally conceded
that the office of evangelist, as we'll as that Of
pastor and teacher, still continues in the
Church, and will continue until the mission
of the Church militant is accomplished.
These, together with all other officers in the
Church, are chosen by Jesus Christ himself
We do not say that all who are evangelists,
and all who are pastors and teachers, are
called of God to discharge the duties of these
several Offices. No doubt, many, for merce-
nary purposes, have taken it upon themselves
to be officers in the Church; but this does
not conflict with the general statement that
Christ chooses and prepares his own laborers
for his own vineyard.
No what is the duty of the Office bearers
in the Church of the living God2 Is it to
propagate some favorite notion or human
practice? No. When God sent Jonah to
Ninevah, he explicitly commanded him ito
preach unto it the preaching that bid thee"
Just so with Christ. When he sends an indi
vidua to preach, he commands him to teach
what he has commanded him. .....
The object that Christ has in view, is to
convict and convert sinners and build up be-
levers in their most holy faith. Paul says it
is for the perfecting of the saints, for the work
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, unto perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fullness of Christ" Ephe-
slams, 4: II, 13.
The Mission of the Church, that is, the
work that the Church is called upon to do, or
rather the work that Jesus has command
ed her to do, is to labor under the guidance
of the Holy Spirit, to get sinners to forsake
their sins and turn unto their Saviour and
prepare believers for the enjoyment Of that
rest which remains for the people of God.
For the accomplishment of this great work,
it has pleased the Head of the Church to
place all things in the hands of his servants
and so order that all things shall contribute
to the discipling Of the nations Of the earth.
IDOLATRY OF FoRMs.-It is an astonish-
ment to note the extent to which idolatry of
forms is carried in most branches of the Chris
tian church, while in some it seems to be the
sole motive power of the body. AS though
God himself were very much concerned to
maintain certain bodily exercise or round of
ceremonial observances. Even when a cere-
monial law existed, God often expostalated
with His people, by the prophets: ITO what
purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices