St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-30
IN MINNEAPOLIS PULPITS.
Rev. Burrell Tells Why He Is a Church
Member.
DIR. SHUTTER ON SALVATION.
Rev. Morrill, Disc0urses on Patience
and Rev. Thwing Lectures to
Young Men on Purity.

At Westminster church, yesterday
morning, Rev. d. ]. Burrell preached
an interesting sermon on "Why Am
a Church Member?" ''The Jews" said
he, sswere thorough believers in the
church, and were pledged to her loyal
support. 1t is an ineStimable privilege
to be member of the visible church OF
Christ. But it is we'll to be able to give
an answer to every man that asketh a
reason for the faith that is in us. The
church commends itself to thought
full people by the simple fact
of its being a church. The
word is ek-klesia. the called OUT The
church is an association of persons who
believe themselves to have been called
out OF separated from the world. The
marks of separation are three: a. A
creed. The church is ''the pillar and
ground of TRUTH The basis Of this
creed is the divine word. (2) A cultuS.
or mode of worship. (3) A moral code.
The ethics of the Christian church are
briefly comprehended in the Ten Com
mandmentS and the Sermon on the
Mount.
We are glad to be associated with the
church because we believe it to be dl-
vine institution. We mark the begin
ming of the church in history at the call
of Abraham. AS he moved upward
from Ur of the Chaldees along the great
river to country that he knew not, all
were sheltered beneath the curtains OF
his tent. Out of that unpromising nu-
cleus had grown concourse of millions,
WheE the Lord made bare his arm and
led them out of the brick-kilns of Egypt.
going before them in a pillar of cloud
by day and of fire by night. Then came
the great Reformer, fan in hand, and
after his winnOwing, 10, there re-
manned but few humble men-boatmen
and publcans-faithful among the
faithless. But there followed baptism
of power from heaven and multitudes OF
souls were added, like doves fiOcking to
their windows, 5000 in a single day.
And from Pentecost until now the red
cross banner has been constantly adj
vanced. The church, exposed to all
possible dangers and prosecutions, has
led charmed life. And why not? Did
not the Master say 1.-The gates of hell
shall not prevail against her?'' The
church affords us an opportunity OF
showing where we stand. There are
only two kinds of people in the world,
the godly and the ungodly. Those who
have associated themselves in the
church are understood to be believers
in the religion of the true God. Our
Lord himself said, ''No man can serve
two masters. Which shall it be, God or
Mammon?" By membership in the
visible church we are entitled to
privileges which we cannot afford to
lose. % The sacramento. The init
atory rite of the church is baptism, typi-
cal of spiritual cleansing. The other
sacrament, the Lords supper, is dis
tinctly enjoined upon all believers in
the words, ''Do this in remembrance
of me-" (2) The goodly fellowship.
1t is something to sit with Gods people
and sing, "Blest be the tie that binds
our hearts in Christian love-" 81 Co
operation. The church is not an asSo-
citation of people who deem themselves
better than their neighbors, but of such
as, realizing their weakness, feel their
need of sympathy and help. By mem
bership in the visible church we are
identified with the work of Jesus
Christ. What is his work? He is
saving this ruined world. And he
is using the church, his modified
army of followers, to this end.
If the church ard its achievements were
blotted out we should have world
without schools. legislatures, aSylumS,
1eformatories or homes. We sometimes
hear the inquiry, Cannot man be
saved outside of the church?"' Granted
that he can; what a narrow and selfish
view of the matter is this. The ques-
ton is not so much one of salvation as
of glorious participation in the endeavor
and achievement of Jesus Christ.
There are many excellent people,
known to be in sympathy with the
church, in its creed and purpose, who,
for inscrutable reason, have not entered
it's fellowship,