The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-04-06
ON JOINING THE CHURCH.
What Dwight L. Moody Says on the Sub
jeot.

Jeot.
I have no sympathy whatever for
these men outside of the Church that
are too good to unite with some
Church.
l believe the best people In this world
and the best people during the last six
thousand years have always identified
themselves with God and Gods people
and taken their stand. The men that
stand outside and throw stones at the
Church are not much help to the cause
OF ChrlSt. What we want Is to build
up, and If the Church is not what it
ought to be let us try and purify it
do what we can to make it better. l
think 1t just as much command, if
we believe, to take our stand among
Christs disciples and boar the heat and
burden of the day, az it is for us to be-
lleve. The first step is to believe. The
next step Is to confess and come out
from the world. l think 1t Is Just as
natural for true disciple to 60 among
Gods people as 1t is for water to run
down hill. l do not understand how
it is that man truly born of God
should not have desire to identify
himself with the Church of God. 1t IS
not on y duty, but glorious privil-
ege to be in the bosom of some Church.
Now. have found great many peo-
pie that find fault with the Church.
that the Church don't look after the
sick and those in trouble and all that.
never found it to fail that those who
complain are those who have left the
Church. They were members, they
would go Sunday mornings, but they
were not known as active members of
the Church. L never knew a real active
member of the Church go to the poor
house. l never knew Of real active
Church Christians, doing what they
could to build up the cause that the
Church did not turn out in mass and
wait upon them. These people that
are finding fault with the Church may
he members, but that is all they are.
Ihey never have lifted a hand to help
the Church; and then the Church don't
khow them in time of trouble and
sickness. 1t is glorious thing to be-
long to the church of God. l expect
to be member Of the church 50 long
as am OH the earth, unless they turn
me out. ! have no desire to be outside
of the church. believe it is the best
institution under Heaven. 1t Is the
only institution l want to belong to-.
HE purchased 1T with His own bloOd." I"
1t is the dearest thing He has got on
earth. Every one that loves the Lord
Jesus Christ ought to be in some
church doing what be can to build it
up, and not be outside throwing stones
at it. OF course mistakes are made in
the church. l have to speak of them to
wake people up-show them their mis-
takes. If l have said anything that
the enemies of Christ have taken UP
aid that has given the impression that
L am not a member of a church l
want them to understand that am an
officer in the church, and shall remain
an officer in that church until my time
expires, and [ shall remain a member,
unless they turn me out, as long as l
live, of some church.
Another thing, / find it is very
common thing for people to move with
out taking a letter from their church,
met case of that kind but yester-
day. A man said to me, II expect to
leave here in about year." "Well,"
said, "why didn't you bring letter ?"
81 am only going to remain here a
year"
"You can bring a letter easier than
you can your trunk" Bring your let,
ter along il you can't remain over a
year and 60 into some church, and
identify yourself with some church,
and give all the influence you have to-
wards building up that church. If
you stay here a year you may do good
deal toward winning souls to Christ
Ii you go to another place, and don't
expect TO stay but three months, ask
for YOUR letter and identify yourselves
wherever you are with the church of
God.