Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-02-08
Care OF Young Converts.

One phase of church life and work to
which il were well to give especial and ear
nest thought in these days, is the care and
culture Of young Christians after their con-
version. 1t is not enough TO lead them to
Christ and to the door Of the church, with
all earnest love and gentle aid, and then in
stantly withdraw every helping hand, leav-
ing them to go on alone after that. The
points of struggle and of danger are not all
past when conversion is reached. One OF
the arguments used in pressing upon the
disciples of Christ the duty of public con-
fession and affiliation with the church, is
their need of Christian sympathy, and that
help which comes from the mutual associa-
tion of Christian people. They are assured
that the church will thus be to them pill
lar of strength, that the love and cheer of
its members will be TO them source of con-
tinual inspiration. When they are publicly
received into the church, it is customary to
pledge them affection, interest, sympathy
and care on the part of all the members.
They are told that they are now taken into
the family, and may depend upon receiving
all the help they need. The church will be
to them a cherishing mother III they are
weak she will put her own strength under
them. If they are in sorrow, she will bring
them comfort. III they are sorely tempted,
she will shelter them. If they are overcome
and fall, she will lift them up, and, without
chiding, will seek their restoration.
Now surely every young Christian has a
right to expect that these pledges shall be
kept. He has right because the pledges
have been given, and the church surely
ought never to break faith with its children.
Then he has right because it is the very
business of the church thus TO be to him a
cherishing mother. His churchmembeI-
ship should be help and blessing to him
Entering as young Christian, he should not
merely be welcomed at the door, and then
be left to care for himself, but he should re-
ceive encouragement, sympathy, and fresh
impulse at every step. There should be q
mutual interest among the members in one
another. The church tie, next tC
that of the home, should be the closest OF
the earth. When one, two, or five hundred
Christian people are associated together il
the same church, no guild or fraternity il
this world should be so closely knit as tina
society, or compose so real brotherhood
, 1t should be in the truest sense a mutua
help association. Each member SHOULD
know that if he is sick he will receive sucl
ministrations of kindness as he may need
that if he is in trouble he will be sure o
sympathy and aid that If sorrow comes +
, his home he will have all the comfort tn
, most tender human friendship can give
that if he is in sore stress of any kind h
will not be left to sink beneath his burden
but will find brotherly hands outstretche,
! to him. Every young Christian should b
sure of finding in the church shelter and
home. He should find so much that is helI
full in his new relations that the association
a of his old life will have no power to temp
: him back. 1t is sometimes said that tn
: world is drawing men away from the churcf
a that other societies are proving stronger i
their influence than the church. The wa
4 to win men and hold them is to make tn
s church life 30 much warmer, better, NOR
/ helpful, more inspiring, that the worl
cannot compete with it, A gentleman foun
that his well was dry. Seeking for th
cause he discovered that his neighbor ha
. sunk a shaft ten feet deeper than his, an
of course the water had flowed to him. Th
society or association that goes the deepes
that perceives and best provides for til
wants of human souls, that really does til
n most for them, will always the most strongl
l. draw men to it. The way, therefore,
;, bring men into the church and keep the
" in it is to make the church true help
II them. In no way can this be done so e
g fectively as by realizing in all its fullne
If and blessedness the New Testament ideal I
"a Christian fellowship. When the membe
= of the church truly love each other, wht
20 they are indeed knit together as one famil
ie when each is carried in the heart of all ii
ot others, when all look not only on their ov
~ things but also on the things of the othel
. and are ready to lay down their lives +
III each other, then no member, sorely Tempt
re or tried, shall ever need to utter the CT
a "No man careth for my SOUL" Then
fe one will sink down and be allowed to
and perish where he fell. The pastor
such church will not need to say that
m breads TO bring young converts into b
I'd church because it is 80 cold, or becau
@. there is no provision for their growth an
10 nurture after they have been received.