The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-05-15

LtesS NneEe Lney tndt OelieVeo are repre- e
sented as being together, having all
things in common, Continuing infellow-
ship and in the breaking Of bread and IN
prayers, and eating their meat with glad
ness and singleness Of heart. The
speaker proceeded 10 show that the early !
or Apostolic church was made up of
men who had been born into q new life
by simple belief In the son of God.
This then, as now, was an intensely per-
sonal matter. 1t involved the interyen
ton of no priestly ONCE and was unss-
sisted by any formal ordinance. It
was simply the closing in of the disciple
with the oyeEtures of the Master and this
was conditioned alone upon the exeF-
else of faith in the promises by which
men were invited TO the Christian call
ing. But no sooner had men been re-
ceIyed into this relationship with God
than they began to link themselves to-
gether in q social bond, being drawn one
to the other by community OF inter-
ests and singularity of
purpose. and thus the church was found
as revealed by Christ while he walked
among nen. The conditions precedent
10 fellowship were broad enough to take
in the whole world and this is the best
proof of the divine institation of the
church. No finite mind could have |
devised a plan so comprehensive as
that which Christ laid down for the |
regeneration of the race and which He |
commissioned HIS disciples to go forth |
and reveal to all men. The world had |
never seen anything like this before, but |
| so great was the power which attended
The preaching of the Word by the disci
pies that people in all conditions of life
and of all nations and kindreds were
daily added to the church and saved,
4 receiving the word and being baptized
i Haying learned this much of the
nature of fellowship in the early church,
let US, continued the speaker, make
some inquiry touching its aims and
the means OF their accomplish
ment. And, first, we find that the church
is school, and that one OF it's objects is
to teach its disciples. CONVERSION is
perfect simply as germ. 1t is con-
tradiction of all natural and moral law
to claim that regeneration can be accom-
. plished in an instant Character is
thing of growth, and we only approx
mate to moral perfection through those
preparatory processes which are Incl
dent to all development in the material
I'd
| must remember that no church is made
: up of good people 1t would be as IN
reasonable to expect this as to look for a
school in which the scholars are all full
t fedged professors and finished gradu-
ates. The church is, however, largely
q composed of men and women who are
d trying to be better, and who are seeking
d higher light, and if it answers the pur-
}, poses of its Institution it should be a
It school for such candidates for
II divine clemency aid redeeming
= grace. They that are we'll need
d no physician, and the Scripture
J. idea of the church, as taught in the
n words of the text is a fold to which
D, those who are weary of their sins, and
s. who, though weak and erring, may find
d admittance and thus cease to do evil anC
Is learn to do good.
IL Next, the church exemplIf1es the grea
advantages of cooperation. The dis
L. ciples continued steadtastly in fellow
III ship. The weakness of one was supple
e. mented by the strength of another, Tn
Be leprosy ofsin has made men fragmentar,
rs in character, and not one is perfect, nc
III not one. But by an association of GIFT
re and forces whereby each may rende
8; service in the line of his peculiar endow
as menIs, the great work ordained b.
SO Christ for the accomplishment of tn
sc church may be carried on. The Scrip
ne ture idea of the church is hive of bus
is bees where there is little respect paid t
,s- the drones. Some men and women Ii
n the church are efficacious In prayer
an some have the power of song; som
up have not the gift of tongues, but ar
fe. fervent in business and can thus serv
be the Lord. Now, it was the desig
h. OF Christ that all these ele
nd ments of power should b
Ia associated in His church, and so we fin
ar the disciples continuing steadfastly i
u fellowship. And then a continuation {
Ise fellowship engenders sympathy, an
ire without the cheering influences whic
spring from the exercise of this grac
ow the world would be indeed a desert will
Tas out a kindly shade inviting to rest.
nut The efficacy OF continuing together i
nd prayer and in the breaking of bread
of means of grace, we're next set forth b
ty. the speaker who showed how publ
Irt, petition was profitable to edi6catlo
lar and how the sacrament of the Lords SUI
ost per has pepetuated the story of Il
of cross and the suffering of the dyir
BUS SAVIOR as no onument of brass or ma
to BILE could ever have done. All these lie
en-, sons drawn from the history
ul- the church in its primitil
nd state were impressed upon the minds
far the audience as tending to show the pu
rts poses and objects of the church as 1t Wi
lie, formed by Christ, and the necessity
BUS an imitation of the simplicity of ii
ng Apostolic forms was emphasized by Il
, a speaker, who closed with beautiful an
,ck eloquent peroration foretellIng the fin
IN. glorious triumph OF the church. whic
cir should appear clean and spotiess, as
rec beautiful bride, in the great and notab
ure day of the Lord.
M The discourse enlisted measure
My interest that kept the large congreg
md ton almost breathless for nearly 4
to hour, and the close attention which Il
speaker absorbed showed that his wore
Ike were received into willing ears and Gag
of minds.
, to At the conclusion of the sermon, Il
led formal dedication of the house to &c
'or- was made, Elder Errett reading the for
ity of presentation peculiar to the ChristiG
ON church, which sets apart the houses
ca worship of this denomination to the sc
flu- vice of God, and dedicates them as san
In tuaries of prayer and praise, as houses
education, where men and women MT
all he taught and trained in the duties
On the Christian life; as places of reful
lad for the sin-sick and pc
md ishing; as homes of peace ar
ne. love, to which Gods weary childrt
not may repair from the strIfes and confu
md ions ot the outside world; as centers
sed spiritual activity devoted to the prom
cen ton of the highest interests of humani
and where no spirit of pride or va
the glory may enter.
the Elder Lot2, the pastor, then offered
ng q heartfelt prayer of gratitude to Gs
an for the helpful providences which hs
Lad | attended the work which han hean