The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-11-26

WHICH II IS TO rem
der. The dirty spots must be secured
and the whole dish washed with hot wa
ter and soap and then rinsed in clean,
hot water before it can be accepted for
further use. And this illustrates most
important and vital truth in connection
with the Christian. He must be purged
and clean before the Master will con-
sent to use him. And right here we must
emphasize the vast difference which
may exist between the Christian who is
being used by the Master and the Chris
tan who is using himself in the Mas
ter's name. Christian service does not
always mean Christ service The
Christian in action does not always
mean Christ acting through the Chris
tan. The Christian must be purged, a
vessel unto honor, sanctifed, meet for
the Masters use, before he can be filled
with the presence and power of Christ
and thus prepared unto every good
work. How the Master is hindered by
the unclean vessels which are offeredf for
His use! How impotent seems the serv-
ice of many, many ChristiansI On
every hand we hear the cry that the pow
er and influence of the church is wan
ing. The lack Of growth is causing
alarm to the great denominations, and
the reasons therefor are being sought
with the diligence and wisdom born Of
men. Various prescriptions are formu-
lated by the astute D. DIS, and from
time to time it is proposed to dope the
church with first one thing and then an
other. But despite all. the church con-
t1nues to groan and suffer in Ill health,
and vigor of strength and power fails
to return. The spiritual life and power
of the church is proportionate to the
spiritual life and power Of the individ-
ual members of the church. The spring
cannot rise above its source, and the
church cannot realize higher spiritual
strength and power than that Of its
membership.
60 that the question of the condi-
~ ton Of the church resolves itself
into one as to the condition of the in
dividual Christian. If the church is
not meet for the Masters use" it is
because its members are not If the
church lacks power 1t is because the
power of Christ is not flowing through
the individual Christian. If the church
is not being used as a clean vessel.
sanctifed, and meet for the Masters
use. the fault lies at the hearts door
OF the individual Christians, and the
remedy is to be found not in change
of principles, or policy, or methods,
not in the adoption of neW-fangled de-
vices, but in purifying and cleansing /
of the hearts and lives of the individual
Christians in order that there may be
placed in the hands of the Master YES
sells meet for His use How much the
coming Of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ
is hindered and delayed by the unclean
vessels which the Master is unable to
use we will never know until He at
last comes in glory and we know as
we are known, but certain it is that the
world would have been brought to
Christ centuries ago if the vessels
which Christ needed in the accomplish !
ment Of His worldwide mission had
been kept clean and sanctiaed for His
use. Every great revival, every great !
and glorious work accomplished for
Him, have been preceded by cleansing
of the vessels that they might be used |
for Him. Heart-searching prayer has
discovered the unclean places, the foul
stains Of sin, and the. yielded will and
the reconsecrated purpose of heart have
united with the quichening Spirit to
cleanse and purify until the Master
could smilingly say: This is yes
sell which is fit for use. l will fill it |
with My grace and power I will send |
it forth blessed and to be blessing"
And where there is a lack of spiritual |
blessing and power it is always because /
there are unclean vessels, unfit for the |
Masters use.
TN the verse preceding our text Paul |
I introduces the figure of a great
house in which there are various kinds I
of vessels, some of gold and some of I
silver, others OF wood and still others
Of earth In the opinion of some COM
mentators the great house typifes the /
church, and the vessels the members
of that church. The vessels of honor
are those of gold and silver. and those
of disnonor the wooden and earthen
the true disciples Of Jesus, the latter