The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-14
THE SEVEN CHURCHES.
he Gem Letters Written to the
Congregations Of Asia
Minor.
Botanist Preacher In a
Sunday Evening Talk to
His Parish.

n John the Apostle Dealt Out His
Words Of Ksbuks, Praise
and Blame.
lev. F. D. Kelsey, So. D.. pastor OF the
Rarepational church, preached to his
Die last evening upon the apostle johns
Bars to the seven churches of Asia Minor
kphesus, Smyrna, PerRamos. IhyAtlra'
Edis. Philadelphia, and Laodicea. These
lrches lay on or neal tho western coast
Asia Minor and south OF the modern CITY
Coustantinopls. II one should make the
rney of these cities in the order men
ned he would journey, as says Pfof.
wles. in q curve of the shape of = horse
DO magnet. Beginning with Ephesus,
ers 81. Paul labored 30 long and no sue
sfulIy, he would 60 north to Smyrna
ty miles, then north to PsrRe-
ID sixty miles; these three
les were on the Egean sea
very near IL. Eastward from Pereamos
rty miles lay Thyatira; south forty
hes one comes to Sardis; southeast thirty
lies lay Philadelphia. and fifty more miles
Iathsast lay Lnodicea. These letters are
Eand in Revelation, chapters II and Ill.
the letters two of the churches, Smyrna
"a Philadelphia, receive nothing but
kisses; two churches, Snrdis and Laodlcea,
tseiye only reproof and rebuke; the three
hers. Ephesus, Pergamos and Thyatlra,
Esive mingled praise and blame. THESE
tiers from the standpoint OF Literature.
buuenco, bellies lettrea and sublime moral
Ice are gem passages of holy writ, worthy
the closest study of the student. and the
bst reyerent love Of the devout. More
er, from a practical standpoint they are
st what ia needed by the churches OF to-
' who would do we'll to see in the OK
riences OF these seven churches types OF
pdsrn church life.
Ephesus-First. Ephesus ia praised for
r. zeal and patience and active labors, n
lied the deeds of certain heretios called
colaitans. Second. She had been jealous In
u Martha-like service. but lost her Mary
ke love. Herein il the warning for US;
b may and often do continue our forms
la ceremonies and accustomed duties
ns after our heart has left the cause.
any a worldly minded Christian goes
krouph the forms of devotion when the
BART il far from God. Pears rot first at
10 heart, long before n indications OF
bttennsss reach the surface. Oh, that life
thine, oh, Christian! The Lord needs
bit thy services, and labors. and tolls; thy
'hny arm and unBk1lled hands can do but
Eod's universe; but the love-life of the
bart and soul-that is q ptarl of most
|ecious value. A son might do all for his
krsnt possible so far as money and COM
|,rts 90, but if he did not love them, alas
BIZ ali parties concerned!
Smyrna-Yhis city is to-day a olty OF
DO, 900 inhabitants, this only one OF the
|syen which still il a city of Importance.
he Christian church here seems to have
|ad a hard lot, but to have been remarka-
|ly pure, Jealous and successful. This
huroh is praised and oheered. No word OF
lame or Ieproach is aent to them. This
hurch stands as u type of tho noble ano
hithful Christian.
Psrpamog-This church is severely crit
eised for its participation in the things OF
his world and the local social customs. II
las a city peculiarly given over to lido
korship of many kinds; the entire socia
abric was woven and interviewer with the
|icentious practices of idolatry; even the
khuroh OF Christ felt this local atmosphere
IF evil. Like Lot in Sodom, these Chritianf
Ii Pergamos had a severe battle before
hem to keep themselves unspotted from
he world. The warning to these Christians
"a to-day especially applicable to those de-
uded Christians who conform to the socla
customs that lead them into wine drinking
Lard playing, dancing, thoatre-going, DESPITE
The almost universal warning Of religious
Experts the world over.
Thvstira-This church was much troubled
fither by a very prominent, talented ane
Energetic woman who espoused heretica
doctrines and anti-nomian practices of sin
Or else by a party Of people in the ohurol
who are %personitied as woman: she Il
balled Jezebel. Three lessons stand GU
here very prominently. First. What al
influence for good or evil is woman? Her
is a whole church troubled by the mischle
bf one oma Alas. it has not been
bolitary case. Many a church has beel
ruined by this sad means. SECONDLY
When a woman does go wrong she is in
tense in her evil doing. Thirdly. 1t j
most difficult to reach such cases. This
also seen to be true in all our work mean
Ito reach and save fallen women.' Poo
FThyatira! she was indeed in a sad calamity
cursed by the presence and influence o
|guch a woman.
Sardis-This church was practically
dead church. A certain scotsman of tn
least warrants all his seeds to be good; no
only true to name and quality, but to b
alive. / have seen the great care wit
which he tests his seeds. Poor seeds ar
costly at any price; yet they appear goo
until tested by an expert. so. many
Christian has his name on church rolls,
reputed religious, and processes to be a tru
Christian; yet so far as true vital religion
experience goes. he ia dead, and OF no as
count; like a dead tree he is useless, fruit
less, falsc and cumbets the ground, tn
breeding place OF all manner of evils. BIZ
even in such a dead church were found
Il few faithful ones; note these did ne
leave the church in scorn and vehemer
disdain; they stayed by the cause even undo
adverse circumstances-God bless then
There are many such chur ches-having
name that they live--yet are dead. by thei
fruits 20 shall know them.
Philadelphia-ThiB church receives ur
limited praise. 1t appears to be a churc
of converts from among Hebrews: all tt
language il tinged with Jewish imagel
and phraseology. They were faithful, an
are promised an open door which no ma
can shut. They stand as the type of thot
who are found faithful in a little mac
ruler over much.
Laodicea-This is the lukewarm churcl
neither cold nor hot. There ia nothing
value to suoh people. II they were men
principle they would not be lukewsrl
Who wants a lukewarh friend? WI
wants a lukewarm patriot? Who wants
lukewnrm pattner? The lukewarm Chri
tian il loathsome and valueless. lndet
his condition is far more helpless than tn
of u rioting sinner who may be led to 81
himself AZ q Sinner. If Christianity