The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-12
DIR. |. c. BRANSCOMB
breaches ON PHEBE
People Should Profit by Her
Example
WAS SHINING ONE"
Phebe Went to Rome and Used Letter
of Membership Given Her
by Paul-Not So in Bir-
mingham

At the First Methodist church yesterday
morning the pastor, the Rev. L. c. Brans-
comb, preached on church membership
and the value of a name. His sermon was
from the text of Phebe and her church
membership in Romans 16:1-2. Or. Brans-
comb said in part:
in olden times name meant some
thing. Abraham was SO called because
he was to be the father of the faithful
Jacob was called Israel because he had
power with man and God. The name
"Phebe' means pure, radiant. shining
Her name was an index of her character
This shining one walked in the path OF
duty, giving out gladness and joy on every
side Why not follow her example? Let
us make our name stand for something.
It is said the great Robert E. Lee was
offered a large sum of money to lend his
name to business of which he knew
nothing. He replied, My name is not for
sale And so today that peerless name
stands for highest honor. What does
your name meansin this city?
"Phebe. the shining one, the Apostle
Paul says, had been his helper. The true
minister never forgets those who aid him
in the work of the Lord. There are many
such IN this church, the sympathy and
friendship of such men and women are
enough to inspire man to live and labor
at his best. Phebe not only aided Paul in
his efforts, but she had been the sue
curer of many. When Paul left she stood
ready to cooperate with his successor.
When we lose the pastor we know and
love. some of us are ready to quit. Such
spirit must grieve our Lord. To Him
and to His church let our souls be welded,
the pastor comes. the pastor goes; but
the church of God abideth. Phebe stood
by Paul, but many others also, so let it
be with us.
Servantsof Church
"But this woman not simply aided the
ministers, she was the servant of the
whole church, she loved the congregation.
Whenever there was chance for a kind
word or to lend a helping hand, or com
fort a broken heart, or lift up sinking
soul, Phebe was there to do it. Like
veritable angel of love. she lived and
moved among her people; the shining one,
she had the right name. May we emu
late her glorious example.
But in the providence of God this good
woman found 1t wise to leave her home
and 50 away to Rome, the metropolis
of that period She did not leave her
church membership at home but trans
fetred it to Rome. Paul wrote the letter
Here 1t Is 4 commend unto you -Phebe.
our sister. which Is a servant of the
church, which Is at Cenchrea. l also
commend to you this morning the example
of Phebe, when you leave Birmingham to
make your home elsewhere, do like Phebe,
take your letter.
when Phebe arrived in Rome she didn't
lock her letter up in her trunk, nor stay
at home and wait for the minister of
great city to find out about her ana
come to see her, nor did she write to
Paul and tell him that the church was so
dead and cold and formal that she did
not believe she would join 1t. know she
did not do these things, not because the
record says so, but because she had re-
igion and common sense.
Condition in Birmingham
There are thousands of people in Br-
mingham who when they left their old
homo church left their piety and common
sense back there with their membership.
They expect everybody in the First church
to be as thoughtful and as attentive as
their friends were in the little church
where all the members were neighbors.
Phsbe knew that in a great city this was
impossible. But she knew that whether
at home or in the city, she was the Lords,
and she Joined in with the great
church in the city, ready to serve her
Lori in every way possible, knowing that
while the church needed her, she needed
1t even more than 1t needed her. What
an increase in the membership Of the Biz
mjnghanl churches there would be If all
the people who were members at old
Shiloh or Mt. Zion or some other country
or village church would follow Phebe's
example.
Look up your old certificate. It's in the
bottom of your trunk or hid in the old
family Bible or in such safe place
where you haven't seen it for months.
Line up with your church. Live among
us the shining life. This you viii do il
YOU are as religious and sensible as was
Phebe.'