The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-17
THE SUCCESSFUL CHURCH.
Sermon Delivered Yesterday bv Rev,
Seth Ward.
uSASIMlly AN ESSENTIAL. FEATURE
Faithful Ofacinl Organization I,
Also a Nccc-sity--Ail should Lend
Helping Hand.

Rev. Seth Ward. pastor Of Shearn Meth
odist Episcopal church, took for the sub.
tect OF his sermon yesterday "rhe su,.
eessiul Church" announcing as his tex,
tho followsng. And the Lord added TO tho
church daily such as were being saved. ="
tActs H. ~, Revised versiou.)
He said In part: "As prey ous,v m
nounced. wish 10 present today wbs. /,
understand to be some of tho cnn,i,, ia,
conducive to successful church. In orde.
20 40 this, we must have In our n,,,as
'ns' W all definite and correct idea Of
wna constitutes u successful church a
churcn is body OF Christian pso,le 81.
ga'iSed for the purpose OF doing ~. ohr,
ana accomplishing tho will OF Jesus chris,
me supreme purpose OF Its existence ia ihc
satFatloh OF men aud the establishment a,
'ho hihgdom OF God in tho earth s,,e,
I eessiul church Is one that ia In so,,, w
sree VI ieast realizing mis- purpose II /.
sroWing chnrch--G>&aurch in which thorn
- srowth IN tho spiritual life and Chris
.iah character OF tho membership "a we'll
a. srowth IN the numbers, influence an
usefulness OF the church itself IA thu COM
| muhlty III which 1t exists Now n sesn,.
| 20 rae 10 be perfectly reasonable assn,nns
tioh that every member OF the church IL
luteles'ea IN It's success, for certainly NO
one would voluntarily enter and yolun-
tarliy remain In an organization about m,
success OF which he was utterly ipdlf,er-
eht- NOW, II we, as It's members, desir,
me success OF the church, we must know
ana conform To the conditions without
which the success Of the church is an i'm
possibility.
What are the conditions that eonducs
" "a hrfS
one sermon ! can OF course suggcsl only
Few THAI seem 10 me Important ana an
propriate. The first condition I suggest
is loyalty upon the Part of the mrmhorsllln
10 the .prneiples and purposes that arc
Involved In tho very existence or ma
the mission Of It's existence Is the saliva
ton OF men and the perpetuation of tao
ktngdom OF God in the earth
II want TO say very briefly tina SEQ
ond condition or success la loyalty TO tho
church as The providep;ial agency for the
salvation OF the world. By that do not
mean blind devotion 10 creed ritual or
organization, or that We are to approve OF
everything that may be done by the au-
thorlties or In the name OF the church;
but l DO mean that II We are 10 succeed
as church we must he loyal 10 the organ
ixdton that is the only Organization be-
meath the shining stars that stands for
reign OF righteousness on tho earth Tho
trouble is, there arc too many people ar
all our churches that are too easily
switched off, One person doesn't like the
preacher. and 20 stays at home, Another
doesn't like tho official management Of the
church because things arc not done to suit
him. and so sticks his hands In his pockets
and keeps them there. Somebody else
doesn't like the mIslc. and some don't Hike
this and others don't like that You don I
como to church TO please the preacher, the
official board or the chnir, but trust you
come for the purpose OF contributing. by
your presence, your prayers, your sub
stance and your influence to the strength
of the church OF God.
Another condition of success in the
church is "A faithful official organization,
by which mean the pastor. stewards. truss
tees, Sunday school teachers, etc. We need
today in our Sunday school numbor %
men and women to teach. great part Of
our work mus, be done with the children
and the young, people. our members
ought 10 be able to teach or IL not should
he aahed Of the fact We talk about be
longing to the church. II Tint means any
thing II means that the church belongs 10
rs aud can command cur Borvircs. time,
Influence and interest.
"a further and Indispensable condition q.
a successful church is recognition OF per
scnal responsibility upon the part Of every
member OF that church, You say the
church Is not getting along Just as YOU
would Ike - see II. My brother and sisto;
what are YOU doing TO help II get along
better? Are you putting forth your best
eniesyons TO tine best extent Of your abll-
ityy II we had five or six hundred mem.
beers in this church. each feeling that he or
she was directly responsible for the success
OF the church. We would have church
tfat the devil would fear and that Col
would honor. What can an ordinary mem.
Der do? He can come TO church and sit
down. and BY filling up space can help
to break the echo OF the preachers voice
and encourage other people. I would reth-
err man would come to church ard sE
down oil II seat and go sound to sleep AMI
snore. provided Re held his head IN, than
20 away. Every member ought TO feel a
personal responsibility that ought 10 OK
press Itself In contributions TO the church
The person that doesn't get the worth OF his