Morning journal and courier., 1884-03-03
Monday. March 3, 1884.
Chrisfian DeYelopnent.

How it is Arrested-Aa Interesting Service For the First Baptist Church-GoOd Advice For Young
 Cbrtst1ans.
 Yesterday was day of unusual interest in the First Baptist church Before the com- munion service which followed the sermon the pastor gave the hand of fellowship to thirty-two new members, twenty nine of whom were baptized during the month of February. The sermon was from Matthew 13,6: And because they had no root they withered away" Theme, Arrested Christian Development, it's cause and it's preventive.
 The pastor justified his use of the subject upon three grounds. First, the fact that the day was of unusual interest to so large number present. Second, the example of our Lord, who frequently warned and ex- horted his disciples of the peculiar dangers in their future lives. Third, the fact that so large proportion of professed believers fell out by the way and became withered. The pastor considered
 l. The causes of arrested Christian devel opment, and first, the causes which appear. It is possible to mention many things which appear to account for there early failures. A lack of early Christian training and influence is one cause. Many who are received into the fellowship of our churches have enjoyed little or no pre- vious religious training. They are unao- quainted with the scriptures, with the stories and songs and prophecies of the Bible. They are thus wanting in the example and inspira- tion that comes from knowledge of the lives of the Patriarchs. They are unac quainted with the habits of religious people. Those of us who have been trained in relig- ious circles, who have knelt at mothers knee in an earlier childhood, who have heard the voice of father in morning devotions, who have been led to church until the habit has been formed, who have lived in Christian atmosphere; can never know, can never appreciate the worth of such training. BJ it our whole lives have been cast in Chris l tian mould and the stories of th' | Bible and the history of the churcl have been interwoven with tht very fibre of our moral being.
 But again these are without the present | influence of Christian homes. While it Ii | true that in many instances the prophecy ''' little child shall lead them' has been fulfilled | 1t is yet sad thought that many Whos' hearts are warmed by the spirit and who re ceive the seed by the word, go to homes tn | whole atmosphere of which is poisonous t' | their new life. Not that parents are opposed \ to their children. They rather rejoice in tn salvation of children while they themselve perish. But what the parents have not the. cannot impart to their children, and so tn little life withers if it does not die.
 A lack of early training and Christian in fiuence would account for many a case o
 ssarrested development" in the new life.
 | Another cause of failure is seen in th
 peculiar temptations which come to tn young. They go away from home where the
 are subject to peculiar temptations which arls
 in their new relation to life and to themselves
 They underestimate the necessity for re
 straint, they overestimate their own power 1 of resistance and as result a | along the coast of adventure we fin l stranded vessels bearing Christian color | Other apparent causes might be mentioned | but what I wish to show here is that all thet
 apparent causes are in reality one. The te1 affirms that "because they have no root the
 wither away" The mere fact that they ha7 no root is sufficient to arrest their develo 1 ment It is not accurate to say that the lsG
 of early religious training is sufficient cAu
 for this whitening. Some of the brighte
 lights of Christian history have come fro
 most unpromising soil. As reads the hym
 "Ah grace! into unlikeliest hearts,
 la Inv hOaat tO