St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-04-07
RevitaliZing the Church.

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Advice is as abundant and cheap g
II criticism, and measures of relief Offere
it are legion. We are told to liberalize GU
n. theology, throw open the doors OF tn
- church, socialize and institutionalize il
1t is said that we must bring the churc
L into vital relation with the burning is
If sues of the hour; into the industrial cor
n f1ict, into politics, commerce and econo
4 mics. In every way modernize tn
u church
l. There is an element of wisdom in al
these suggestions, and in some form o.
!. other most of them have been adopted
q in various places. Yet the situation re
mains about the same. The Congrega
S tional church is making time. Oul
n numerical increase is out of all proper
. ton to our investment in men and
I money, while our great denominationa
: enterprises are making no perceptible
advance. World evangelzation and city
= Characterization are not receiving at our
hands the impulse which they need.
What shall we do to revitalize and re-
energize the church? She is not insol-
vent, neither is she paying dividends.
First, connect the church with the source
OF the life and power-the Holy Spirit.
Amidst all changes there are certain
constants. Life is one. The bodily
TISSUES are in a constant hux, but the
lie force remains. Truth is another.
knowledge increases. Forms of truth
alter, but the truth is the same eternally.
The church has experienced many vicissi-
tudes, but her life-power is the same as
that poured out at Pentecost. The
spirit does not depart, but His activity
is conditioned by the church herself who
is the agent of the Spirit. The church
has no end in herself. She is not a place,
but a people; not field, but force.
She is live wire, or ought to be- Turn
on the church.
But how connect the church with the
source of her powers? By a return to
the grounds of her faith. First, in the
New Testament records. The outpour-
ing OF the Spirit at Pentecost was in ac-
cord with ancient prophecy and the
promise of Jews. Then was maintained
the continuity of Gods selfrevelation
and redemptive work. The Spirit is the
light and energy of the apostolic church.
Again, we must connect the church
with the source of herpowe by apostolic
prayer. The praying church is the church
of power The pre-pentecosta PRAYER
meeting was in accordance with Christ's
commands, They met in obedient faith.
They were all there. They were in har-
mony. They tarried. Their minds were
illumined Their hearts cleared of sell
fish motives and materialstic ideas of
the kingdom. The blessing came. Null
titudes believed
Give the church a vitalizing vision.
This is the vision of the task: "Thv
Kingdom Come. Thy Will be Done on
Earth as it is in Heaven" This is world
conquest for Christ. Thy will be done is
not an individual, but a world prayer.
1t is not supplication for submission,
but plea for victory. Every time the
church utters it she ought to see the
millions cropping in heather darkness.
She ought to see the grovellng masses in
city slums. She ought to hear the cry of
the waiting army of volunteers "Here
we are, send u.s." This is big business.
1t demands craftsmanship, flesh and |
blood, silver and gold.
This task demands our bdst, our sons
and daughters and our money. 1t re-
quires sacrifcial giving. 1t means the
cross from beginning. Wealth of the
nation has increased 40 per cent in the
last fifteen years. Congregationalists
personally, have shared in this increase.
Yet our missionary treasures have not
increased. Three of our societies are
struggling along with debt. Think of a
church member spending 1915 a year on
cigars, 81 for the spread of the Gospel
among the millions who never heard of
Christ. He represents a type. Let us
him to the cross, or shame him
out OF the church of the Saviour
Give the church a vitalizing message.
This is the duty of the ministry. The
is teacher, prophet and an
apostle AS a teacher he searches for
truth, He must know the deep things of
God. Truth has no value save in rela-
ton to man. Yet he must guard against
over-emphasis upon the intellectual ele-
ment of religion. Congregationalists
have erred in this respect. The result is
GOODNESS, formalty, the tendency toward
a church Of the cultured, while evangeliz-
alton has been left to others. Further,
we have trained great teachers, but have
mad to import our great preachers.
This, not to mention the fact that insis-
tence upon intellectuaism has plunged
us into divsive controversy and given a
dubious note to our message.
The minister is prophet. He is a
seer. He has had visions. He has seen
Sod. He has Thus saith the Lord"
which is authoritative because of its
moral worth and because it
,ertifes itself in religious experience. The
true prophet is a conscience. He has a
zeal tor righteousness and pronounces
Judgment upon wrong. He has had
lsaiah'ss vision of Divine holiness.
Ieremiah's vision of the woes of the
world Amos vision of Gods Judgment
upon rebellious sin, and John Baptist's
vision of the Lamb of God.
More, he has the vision of the lonely
seer OF Petmas, the vision of the Holy
~lty on earth, redeemed world. We {
need prophets who have seen God.
The people long to hear such a prophet, {
See how they follow false prophets, f
hoping for divine message. When they
,ome tor bread do we give them stones?
=" hen they come hungering for the f
gospel OF Divine love, do we give them E
'eIlgious d'squisinitions? The people are +
not IN crying need of critical knowledge t
about the Bible, but they are in des. a
1erate need of the word of life.
The minister is an apostle. a herald
he has good news. He has a message of
'ood-wlll from a king. He is an ambas-
adOr and pleads with men IA Cb~;e+5a