Evening journal., 1908-01-13
TO
CHURCH SUCCESS
Pastor NOrthrup Says Some
Christians Get Away From
Gods Fire and Freeze

Some characteristics Of a Live
Church" was the subject OF a sermon
by the Rev V. P. Northrup Of Cook
man NJ E. Church. yesterday morning.
His text was from Matthew. 20: 6.
Why stand ye here all the day idle?
He said in part:
Many protesting Christians are
doing little work for the Master, giving
as an excuse, no man hath hired us
meaning that no opportunity has Of
Iered itself. In order that we may not
be found idle or careless or tagging I'm
our work for Christ and His church. l
desire to speak on some characteristics
of a successful church.
IT must be a live church with a liv-
ing experience. God has breathed into
our lives the breath Of a spiritual life
and we became living members of the
family Of Christ Unfortunately. too
many sit in the worldly draft ana take
cold, and complications set in and
their experience becomes diseased
Sometimes it proves fatal Some win
ters ago we had in the parsonage two
beautiful rubber plants. large and
healthy. One night they were too Far
from the fire and were frozen. THE
ne was gone; their leaves fell off. and
there was nothing left but the dead
stalk.
so some protesting Christians get
careless as TO their duties, obligations.
ana responsibilities; they live too far
away from God: sit too far away from
Ine fre Of the Holy Spirit, and freeze.
The beauty Of their Christian life
goes; leaves of good deeds fall off. and
their life is gone. They are Spiritually
dead The successful church must be
made up OF members that are alive
with the spirit Of the Christ.
There must be harmony and unity
of purpose among its members one
OF the best illustrations Of this thought
is the human body. Our bodies have
many members, and each member diff
1ers In form and purpose from all other
members except its mate; yet there is
perfect unity. So with the church of
Christ. With each of us as individual
members may there be a unity OF pur-
pose, and may the spiritual life blood
flow from heart to- heart and from
member to member Nothing is truer
than united we stand: divided we
fall and there is no place where it is
truer than in the church.
The successful church must be full
.of zeal and love. The enthusiasm of
Moses, Abraham. Daniel. Elijah, David.
and the disciples will not answer for
the present. We need men and women
full of sanctihed zeal to-day to bear
the burdens, and live godly lives, that
the world may be better because we
have worked in the Lords vinyard.
1T is a sad sight to see so many
processing Christians who are idle and
unemployed in any branch of our
Fathers business. Too large a propor-
ton of the membership Of the Chris
tian churches in our city to-day be-
long 10 the spiritually unemployed.
The church is a place for work which
is to result in blessing to the individ-
ual, and salvation for others. The
most important and successful churches
are those In which every member is
found at his work for the Master. Few
churches would be financially embar-
rassed II every member did his part.
there would be few small congregations
If each were present in his. or her place.
The successful church must be
soul saving church. Our part in such
a church is to be thoroughly furnished
unto all good works Paul says: If
a man, therefore. purge himself from
these he shall be a vessel unto honor;
sanctifed and meet for the Masters
use. and prepared unto every good
work. The call to work comes to US
all. Why stand ye here all the day
idle
"I can't I am too busy I am not
fitted I am not needed, have not
been asked etc. o what a catalogue
of poor excusesi If one refuses TO DO
the work which God has given to do.
is he not disobedient and disloyal?"
'"May God give us all the desire and
qualifications to be a live church peo-
pie; TO stand healthy and strong for
God and the right. May He give us
everything needful that our church
may be a live church; harmonious; full
of zeal; a soul saving church; yes,
under the blessing OF God, successful