The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-04
YEARS PULPIT WORK
Anniversary Sermon of the Rev.
Wallace Nutting.
LABoRS OF REV. D. c. GARRETT
ct. Marks Church Under His Rector.
ship Has Grown in Membership
and Financial Strength.


first years labors to a close last NIGHT and
he celebrated the event by preaching n
characteristic discourse. When Mr.. mt.
ting took the pastorate of Plymouth
church. one year ago, it had membership
Of about $40. 1t now has 600, while the
congregation has more than doubled The
members have from time to time wor-
SHIPPED in four different places, but are now
comfortably housed in the new church.
The receipts of the church have a little
more than doubled. The attendance at
the services has increased to such an ex-
tent that the members are actually dis
cussng the project of raising the roof and
adding gallery that will seat 500 more
than can now be accommodated. Mr..
Nutting's subject last night was: "Some
Salient Features of a Good Church; or,
Jesus the Ideal Church Member" The
text was: Matt. xvii Stand they sat
and watched Him there" He said:
Let Us think OF Jesus ::as-a church member.
He was not priest, he was not even An or
daned minister, though we are continually
separating him from US, and putting him on a
distant pedestal to admire him afar of. But
Jesus never liked that, and he does not like 1t
now. He did His utmost to get close to us, and
the life that We have manifested to us is if you
viii think OF it so, simply the life OF the ideal
church member. Jesus loved the church 1t
was His Fathers church, and He said to His
Father, "All that is thine is mine" Even as a
child He regarded the church as His
home His mother WAS surprised to
find Him in the temple, after she
had sorrowfuly sought for Him for days. But
Jesus was surprised at her surprise. Didn't
you KNOW, said He, "that / must be in my
Fathers house? How is it that We sought me?"
His mother found Jesus in Ills church, Just
where We shall find Him. IL was corrupt then;
maybe ii is corrupt still. But He is in church
lie has loved IL with an everlasting love- One
OF the Apostles urged young minister to feed
the church o. God, because Jesus purchased it
with His own blood. He was in il to save it.
lie IL III 1t because it is not what il should be,
and cannot become like Him unless he is in it.
jesus attended the synagogue to worship regu-
larly, and spoke whenever He had an opportun-
ity. Before He entered on His ministry He
probably heard good many poor sermons, for
the Jews were capable OF preaching poor
mons like people of other natonalities. The
ages have sought to improve upon the Christian
church. They have in a measure succeeded,
because this composite structure the founda-
tons OF which were laid by Jesus, has unfinished
elements in its structure.
But ii has never been superseded, aud it
never will be, because God has declared His
purpose OF making it the saving nucleus of
ciety. The true church is the highway to His
cross, and by this highway He attracts to Him.
self The church may be called the magnetic
field, within which the influence OF the poles
OF the cross is greatest
We, then, attendants at this church, shall see
what We ought to become, by gazing with the
soldiers at this Mind and Heart of the church
sand they sat and watched Him there" There
were his friends and his enemies, his mother
ana his brothers, his disciples, the multitude,
the priests, the pharisees and the rff-raff of a
rif hat
therel The triumph of the prosecutor, the
despair OF those who loved Him. the wonder of
the soldiers, and every shade OF curiosity and
agony. 1t was spectacle for the
world, for angels and for men. There
those who knew Him best saw
Lover. There would stand the man who had
been cured In the synagogue. He would say to
those who stood around him. "Jes us OF Naz-
areth healed my withered arm Another would
say: 81 was born lame and you see how strong
He made me-" Mary Magdsene. out OF whom
he had cast seven devils, stood there weeping.
Martha and her brother Lazarus would look
into each Others pale faces and wonder at the
love that called back Others to life but gave it.
self to death.
Nicodemus would see passing from him q
Teacher He knew that out of his nation was
passing a light from God. Some who gathered
there would remember how Jesus lifted the
veil from the somber present and revealed a
cunning Jay WHen men UWeu tOgetner
ike brothers and fight for, and not against,
each other, and they perceived then that a
Seer was being taken from them. Some OF the
simons who invited Jesus out to dinner, and
some of the publicans TO whose houses He came
would see a strange Member of Society And
the disciples who afterwards walked to En-.
nsus anu who thought that Jesus was to re-
deem Israel, would behold the sacrifice of a
Patriot All these various features of character
the successful church must possess
have no doubt that every one OF US is sur
prised AT the progress that has been made In this
church during the past year. II any man had
said 10 You or me year ago that within one
year the membership and the sunday school
would double, and that the audiences and the
families In the parish wonld treble within
year. we should have said: "Sir, / admire your
hopefuiness, but regard you rather vision
AIRY. Your expectations are born of your de-
sires." We constantly forget that faith can
never be too great provided We rise early in the
morn ne, and work steadily and with tact till
the night come
Those who watched Jesus upon the cross saw
worker, whose hands and feet had never been
sttll until stopped by the forhdding nail. No
church member succeeds merely because of his
connection. IL is tue that laggard is some
times swept along b. the impetus of charging
army but woe be TO him If he gets upon the
outsA rts for the work of God never waits for
him. There is no secret about success. 1t
never CHANGED. II this church has grown il has
been because many and many soul has been
invited INTO II, ani because the membership
havo 70 "A great degree remembered the words of
Jesus, My Father worketh hitherto. and l
work make bold to Say that there is almost
no limt 10 the amount Of progress II church may
make IN year, provided II works. You can
not place good man where he viii not con-
time 10 30 good. The Jews passed by wagging
their heads az Jesus aud hooking Him, because
in their Judgment lie was now stopped from
carrying out the great designs lilo had an
h'nneei. Little ID they dream that the very
cruclhAlon which he was enduring the
greatest work of ala work making all his pre-
d!cnoas Reality. No one who has tried here 10
make this world better mas been defeated
livery chilt's word has drawn US hesvcnward.
irememter With solemn JOY several occasions
Nhen uoi has spoken through the children
There Ar" fathers and mothers here made pen
lteRt oy the repentance OF their sous: there are
young angels Who have seemed to leave us, but
whose lowering presence even now calls us TO
uuer lie, aud whose glowing faces. shining
Rom inner GLORY. even now batho their parents
soui1S with light and Utt up al one step toward
upper air. You are co-wolkers with God and
81. BIS ministers Of redemption. Many times in
nv experience of tie year the least hopeful uu-
dsrtaairrs have proved most successful Oh,
II men would only cease TO fail over their own
oprortuuItesl We suffer from supposinS that
ANYTHING can happen for good unless We pre-
par lo.'s Wsv. You cannot mention anything
Fyest that lacked foreruuner Jesus himself
frd one IN co before Him AMI prepare HIS way.
Tie VIZ O; God viii need aud Wi! obtain from