The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-02-14
FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE LOST TO CHRIST
Rev. H. waddell Pratt.

FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE LOST TO CHRIST
Rev. H. Wadden Pratt
How did it happen? By custom prevailing in
the Presbyterian Church. We mean the custom of
those who to profess their faith in Christ for
the first time, or of those who received by let
tiers from other churches in waiting till the COM
munion season to publicly unite with the church
The matter forcibly brought 10 our atten-
ton somewhat than a year ago. A Young
lady had accepted Christ in her heart, had given
satisfactory evidence to her pastor of her faith
ana declared her intention of making public pro-
fession, such Christ commands The pastor
said; Come at once before the Session, and on
next Sunday morning you will be publicly receiv-
ed. She replied: Our people have always waited
till communion, and since that is three weeks off
only, snail come them" Nothing that he could
say could overcome the desire to adhere to GUS
tom which prevailed in of the good churches in
the Valley of Virginia. The following Sunday tba
young lady was at church, but when communion
season came she too sick to be out The mas
'or hau similar experience with her the next
communion until finally five months after her de-
cTsion for Christ she when there was no COM
huhon service But in the meantime she had
lost five months of open active service for Christ
And Christ and the church had lost five months of
dctlVe service This may be an extreme case but
we think it is reasonable to suppose that owing 70
this custom of waiting till the communion season
to take our places openly the ranks of Christian
soldiers, at least average of one month of sar
vice and usefulness for Christ is lost in the life Of
every church member
But how were fifty years of service lost? We
refer to a church of six hundred members An
average of one month of service was lost in the
life of each member, and hence these six hundred
months lost are fifty years in that church lost for
Christ, and lost through a custom that has no
authority in Scripture or in reason
me only time to unite with the church by maxi
ing public profession of faith in Christ is the
first public service after the decision for Christ &c
due IN the heart and it is not necessary to quote
Scripture to prove this to the intelligent raadars
Oh This paper Ordinarily therefore this pub1ic
confession VIII not come communion Sabbath
moreover this uniting with the church as soon a.
uecisoh is made applies to those coming by letter
aiSo' For here is man and his family who have
just come in February to the city He wants 70
unite with your church. But the next communion
Is III APRIL and bound by this custom he waits till
theh TO present his letter and though he NAV at
tend church, yet he does not regard birosoIf nov
90 people regard him as united with tbern IN th
service OF Christ in that congregation until be
actually unites Hence his active co-operation ie
lost PeOn Is
reason also says that the putting off fill q com
ii.uio" season TO unite with the church has a bad
vi Ile ACTIVITIES OF Christians who are try
lhB 10 ead souls to Christ. This remark e bosaa
on the conduct of efficient sabbo+b -
teacher who said that at this cornror,,icr ,s
ON Out Oh her twelve scholars were going to co,
Iess christ. What is the trouble here? Tho tro
Die Is that II she had not been waiting tn1 the co..
iiunIon season to lead her pupils to Christ che
could probably have ACCOMPLISHED ,ybt -
III january during October, November and me-.
ber and all those months of sar,,ica 49,, Iein-
Deen gained for Christ. Besides her or,, CO.
tah ACTIVITY would have been steady and oo,.ta.
HiS'eau Oh peing spasmodic and under HIGH ,ro
sure in the week preceding the Communal, pie
% "o' ''lS custom very dangerous one in that