The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-02-01
MODEL CHURCH
IS DEF |NE D
BY REV. SMITH
NEW PASTOR OF FIRST CHRIS
TlAN CHURCH PREACHED I'M.
TIAL SERMON AS PASTOR -
CONGREGATION PLEASED.


Saturday afternoon. His first ser
mon to the congregation, delivered az
II a. m, made deep impression up
on the people who attended. He is a
ready speaker, of a thoughtful mind,
and holds the close attention of his
listeners.
Rev. Smith discussed the theme:
"A Model Church" His scripture
lessons were taken from l Thes.,
chapter l, verses to 10. ard Eph-
esians, chapter l, verses Il to %.
He said
I'VE are to discuss a model church.
not the model church All the church
es of the Bible We're human, as we
are They were not perfection on
mans side. On Gods side all was
perfection and ideal The speaker
wittily defined model and showed
the conditions that prevailed in an
cient Ephesus and Thessalonica
From these scriptures we get at the
characteristics of Christ, this includes
God, the Father, the Holy Spirit and
the Holy word, for in him dwelleth
all the fullness of the Godhead bod
lily, for while one sayeth, 81 am of
Paul, and | of Appollos, and of
Cephus, or Peter, are ye not all
carnal?
THE model church can not be of
Campbell, nor of any other man. No,
it can not be centered in pontiff,
priest patriarch, king of preachers.
1t must have its genesis in Jesus
Christ Other foundation can no man
lay than is laid, which is Jesus
Christ
"a model church will have a social
spirit. We serve Christ by doing
good to our fellow man. He said:
Tnasmuch as ye have done it unto
one of the least of these, ye have
done it unto me-
What is the standard of social
service? | ask you to study / Cor.
13, and apply the principles of love
as there set forth. This feature can
not be overestimated. Love folks
Have not respect for just culture
or raiment or social standing, but
show love in service to the people
Gods creatures, as well as you. For
these Christ died, as well as for
you The world is dying for friend
ship"
"A model church will be charac-
terized by a deep spiritual life. Our
strength must come from the grace
of God and our greatest power lies
within our inner selves. A good man
out of the treasures of his heart
bringeth forth that which is good
Let this mind be in you which was
also in Christ Jesus. who thought il
not robbery to be equal with God
yet He humbled himself and became
obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross, that we, through his
poverty, might become rich This
clearly shows that to be spiritual il
to be unselfsh. 1t is to be an in
telligent spirituality, note Eph. l
II to 81. 1t is to be free spirit
uality: Ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to bear, but
the spirit of adoption, whereby we
are able to say Abba, Father
"A model church will be evangel-
istic. 1t will work for the salvation
of souls. For this Christ died and
for this the church was founded. All
our training in spiritual things is to
fit us for this supreme task of soul
winning. The church must be calling
and winning men and women and
children to Jesus Christ
"A model church will be missionary
The peculiar flower of Christianity
is that universal Saviour makes us
part of a universal brotherhood.
Our mission is to carry the gospel to
the last man and woman of earth
who has not heard its divine mes
sage. A model church must be mis-
sionary.
"T love Thv kingdom, lord The
church of Thine abode,
For her my prayers ascend, for her
my tears be given.
To her my care and toll be given