The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1902-07-04

one church suffer all the churches suf-
fer with it and if one is honored all
the rest rejoice with it. Something
more than curiosity, a great deal of
Christianity, is in our coming togeth-
er at this hour. We share with one
another the healing ministry to the
worlds needs. Each church represent
ed here may feel itself to be but a
small part Of the Christian people and
learn to be humble and helpful. These
four Christian churches of this village
may we'll, under the spell of Paul's
teaching, think of themselves and one
another much more highly than they
have been won't to think and that
soberly, too. For each is called to
represent Christianity at it's best.
None have exclusive privileges in this
regard. All are brethren in faith and
hope and love and the sense of one
ness in Christ Jesus ought to grow and
bear fruit NIGHTLY as the result of
this days doing's. am sure the donor
of this church building does not mean
to have it dedicated to Congrega-
tional God, nor to Congregational
English-speaking God. Without
doubt be meant to build house to the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, whose name all these churches
bear. And If this church is to con-
tinue to bear the UNCONVENTIONAL
name Of the church of his fathers, it is
only because its polity seems to him to
| wOrthily express the worship of our
common Father.
Why is it that we feel sorry over the
| un-Christian conduct of members of
other churches? What business is it
Of ours how the members OF other
| church organizations conduct them
selves? Why should wickedness in a
neighbOring church affect us? Be-
cause, because, brethren, these local
churches are representatives of the
church of the living God; they are
parts of the body Of Christ; they are
related vitality to the cause of Christ.
When we forget this or have never
learned it, we do not much care how
we behave ourselves as protesting
only to the local church we may be con-
tent to just keep in for. respecta bility's
sake, and care little whether we do
anything or not to further the inter-
eStS of the church. We may attend
only such meetings as we please, pay
| DC For,
port and seldom or never put forth an
earnest effort to be better or to induce
others to become better If the only
church we joined is the local church,
and we think of no other; if the only
Christian people we know or care
about are those that belong to our
church, what is to prevent us from
) sinking to the lowest level of religious
, life and usefulness? If we have no
ideal church of the living God to exalt
our aims and keep us at work for Jesus
Christ, and no sense of the unity of
the Christian people all over the world,
the local churches with their imper.
: feet members will not be able to win
, or hold our allegiance and support,
!, however beautiful the house of wor-
ship and however eloquent the minis
ter. We shall neither be in the
churches nor do much if we are in. If
we have
NOT FOUND OUR PLACE AMONG THE
CHRISTIAN PEOPLE
and been Jealous to show forth Christ
we shall not give the local church its
proper place in our thoughts. We
must first find Jesus and His people
and learn Of them why they are in the
world doing what they do. Then we
shall be only too glad to ally ourselves
with even the sorriest lot of professed
believers, to show at home, in our
town how the members of Gods fam
lily can live; how the living God is in
our life as in the lives OF all His peo-
pie; how we can help uphold and rem
der saving the truths of Christianity.
When the church stands for that more
clearly in the minds of its members,
then, I am persuaded, they will be
more active in the church, and they
will be more likely to win men to join
with them in making the truth glori-
GUS and soul-saving.
Then, too, they will hasten to put
their church building S in good repair,
or build new ones as the need may be,
SO that they may be the best possible
vehicles and instruments for carrying
forward the benefcent and saving
work of the Great Head of the church.
Generally speaking the spiritual ap-
prehension of the idea for what the
Christian people stand, is measured by
the material appliances. which they use
in rendering God service. An I'M
painted, ill-kept, inadequate, yet sat-
isfactory church building proclaims
six days in the week truth of spirit
ual indifference and neglect which the
most devoted Sunday service cannot
counterfeit or overtake.
Brethren, it is pretty thorough
familiarity with the mystery of godli-
ness that enables US to grope our way
through this dark world. The study
of church history and denominational
doings will not make our light to
ABSOLUTE
ornunITv