Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-08-03
Church Membership.

-
in the grave. Side by side you may be
h eternal despair.
Church Membership.
But / would like to speak q word
before close to the good, moral, Chris
tan man who believes in God and yet
Is not a church member. You are
ready to confess him in private con-
yersation and yet not willing to public
~ confess him as a church member
though in that way you might help
the women who are laboring in the
gospel. In spite of orthodox doctrine
/ shrink from the thought that you
will ever be ultimately destroyed But
this / do know-your actions in refus-
ing church membership may be the
means of destroying scores and scores
of immortal souls.
That church membership is a mighty
help to every man in his struggle to
lead a truer, purer. nobler Christian
life there is no doubt. Every true
Christian is a better Christian when he,
with a holy purpose, gives his allie
glance to some one church and allows
his name to be placed upon the church
roll. You may still be a Christian and
yet not church member. You may
be able by the grace of God to be a
good, moral, upright Christian man in
spite Of never having taken this impor-
tant step. You may have had gospel
bringing up that has helped you, but
what about that young clerk who is
watching you? He has not yet public
| ly confessed faith In God He has had
| no sacred childhood. He is looking at
you now and saying. well, If Mr.. So
and-so can be a good moral man and
not church member l guess l can"
| Dare you, oh, moral man, allow that
boy to make such an excuse? You
know you had hard time to keep your
; Christian integrity, in spite of all your
sacred past Do you feel that that
young man can safely run the gantlet
of sin as you have done without the re-
straining influence of church member
ship? Do it without public profession
of Jesus Christ before the church al
| tars?
Being able by the grace of God to
persuade good, moral. upright man to
publicly profess Jesus Christ in a
church aisle was the means, l believe,
by which l have accomplished my
greatest single work for good in the
gospel ministry. That man was one Of
the leading millionaires of Pittsburg.
Every one who knew him was ready to
testify that he was square through and
through. His word was as good as his
bond. He was the soul of honor. Yet
year in and year out he went among
the business men of the Smoky City
as a good, moral man and not as a
Christian man. The young man said:
well if l can be as straight and true
as Mr.. So-and-So, that Is all l ask.
guess my chance for heaven will be
first class" l heard Of such remarks
made by the young men. l made up
my mind l would carry them straight
to that millionaire. It was morally
the bravest act I ever did. l was al
that time merely boy and therefore
it was doubly hard. First l prayed
over the matter. / felt that l had q
right and full right, to go to God and
ask him for what was on my heart
Then l started for that rich mans
house. rang the bell and entered the
parlor. When he came down l begaI
to plead in the name of my Christ.
said to him: "Mr. So-and-So, know
you are Christian. No man with YOU
) habits and your bringing up could hell
being a Christian. Your Christian
mother and Christian grandmother, be
, | c;1
all members of the Old Second church
; But what about these young men wh'
are looking up to you as an example
Dare you and will you be responsible
for their lives? Dare you refuse t
, publicly confess Christ and turn thes
young mems minds toward the cross
which is the source of all you
strength Tears began to we'll up gu
) of the great fnancier's eyes. The,
, rolled down upon his cheek and hi
r beard. He extended his hand and too
mine and said, Mr.. Talmage, do yo
: think that the young men are sayin
, that about me?" l answered, II know
they are" Then he said, 81 will put
2 licly profess Christ as my Saviour i
a the church aisle at our next CON
, munion.'
3 Wear the Gospel Armor.
0 In all the history of the Second Pre-:
!: byterian church there never went fort
0 a greater religious influence than o
r that day. In the bank, over the couI
e | ter, on the street and in the home hui
e dreds of men were saying: Have 70
Y heard the news? Mr.. So-and-so has b,
q come Christian. He joined the churc
l. last Sunday" And from that one mo-
t al Christian mans action of publicl
" processing Christ, in the church b.
y lieve hundreds of young men wel
It brought to kneel at the foot of til
: cross. Oh, moral Christian man. do M
y suppose that while you are outside {
) church fellowship you can really be-
d the women who are laboring in the go
no not bo HaSciop or ono wi