Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1907-05-24
A Good Church Member

Life may we'll be compared II ,
chariot race, it is 60 swift and pass.
away so soon: and 1t is proper thin
that time like this we should earress,
consider some Of the characteristics, n
good church member.
In the first place this is ''supreuel,, \
matter OF the heart. No man or n,
man ever yet fulfilled his or her obG
cations il the christian church un,.s
the heart was in it. Our religion =.
quires the intellect too, but the bs,,
rules the head, hence the first oups,i,
to ask of any one coming into II,
church is, lis thy heart right? Is 1on
heart with the church? Is Your svr
pathy and your affection there? TIN
first thing . in becoming a christian
the giving of the heart to Chris
Whole-hearted enthusiasm will ain,
for multitudes of b,uEders of the he,
you have given your heart to Chris
and his church, then your hand AM
the personal confession of your wbd
life ought TO follow. A good chu,S
member will as far as possible atten,
,he churcn services. When Jehu vi,
certain OF Jehonadah's loyalty. he ton
took him up into the chariot with him
He knew that Jehonadah had a pn
name everywhere. 1t wasn't We,
pretty name, but it stood for hona
and faithful dealing, and pure lid
If you have given your heart to Chris,
and he has forgiven your sins, homo
the church by your presence and id
tluence.
Our churches are weakened BY CA
ual attendance. The people whom ii.
pastor counts on, as q general does pp
on tried soldiers. are those whom b
knows he can be sure will be presen
whenever it is possible at the regus
services Of the church. A good chu-
member must have a willing spirit
help. There are always some peopl
whom you must handle with gloves
arms length. or they get hutfy or mil
fed about something. Earch churd
has in it what is known as the Nj
Tree up in that old gaunt leahess tra
is sitting the glum and gruesome bird
whose corns.had been trodden on,
whose feelings had been hurt or sens
tive feathers rutfied until they hs
flown w into the "Mitf Tree" an
would no longer sing in the choir
pray in prayer meeting or help in th
work of the church. For your soul
sake give the milf Tree a wide ber!
Get right with God and man, lit:
too short and the great work of Il
church is too great to allow yours
to be useless in the church on accou
of nothing. Don't wait for big ofic
~ SOOu tAul lhCu1oCt oS &c
erous to share according to his ab
in supporting the church. The churc
doesn't do much for you unless it emit
into your life and will help you to gil
Of your money and service for its pr
perity. A religion that stops short
mans pocket-book hasn't got ve4
deep mold on him yet, A stingy mise
ly member of the church is never hap
in the church. How could he be?
His conscience prods him all the tit
he feels so mean that he imagl1
everybody else is as mean as be fee
IN the other hand, the most eharits9
Kindly gracious and happy spirits
he church that have ever had az
hing to do with, have been those VI
nave given literally according to th
means. God loves the cheerful gin
Ind the love of God is the sweetes
nosphere that can pervade any ma
ife. A good church member holds
hurch and its good name and prosp
ty as sacred as the apple Of his e
lie is always ready to stand up
lefend it. He is ever seeking to bn
redit to it and to 50 live that his
will reflect honor upon bis church.
careful about the repu tation OF
knowing that in church
q human body, one member can
uffer without bringing some sh'S
pom all, and that, on the other h'
onor cannot come to any member
be church without rejecting U
hing of it's light and glory upon
In living such a life, in being sue
ian or woman, we shall attain !"
ut difficulty the service which
ught to render to our church spa
ur God.
The Union Congregational churs'
'hich am pastor is endeavorlns
reduce such church members, os'
e tnat if we can have faithful
'ue men and women in the ehnreu
lall have the same in our Guy
ate.
1t is much to the detriment OF
ice that many of our churches
istaken the real purpose OF the GU
an church which Jesus Christ ~
tied.
Let us in the spirit of Jesus ~
i've out Of our churches the DIV
hangers, men pleasers and all
nds to retard the progress o.
'ming OF the kingdom of our G0'
axe room for Jesus Christ.