The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-15
CHURCH MEMBERS HIDE
BEHIND NAMES ON BOOK
Lack Moral Courage to Openly Con-
fcss Faith. So Become Merely
Nominal Christians
SOLDIER snAMEs HIS COMRADES.
Rev, john ". >hackford breaches
Sermon Scoring Members of Any
Congregation Who Take Refuge
Behind Membership List.

Names upon church books are
often shields behind which pco-
pie hide. Some men are nominal
Christians and by having their
names on the church book they
keep the workers from going at
ter them. And IL Is just such
people who arc towards unto
them-elycs--men who are afraid
to confess Christ before the
world. Such men arc not true
Christians; not Christians In the
heart. They will be lost in the
end if they do not confess Christ
openly and before the world.
Such was TIE point brought out and
laid down Nv Rev. John w. Shack
ford. in powerful sermon at Broad
street Methodist Church last night.
MIR SHACK lords subject was The
Great Confession" He took his text
from Matthew 10: 32-33, Every ono
therefore, who shall confess me be-
for men, him Will ! also confess be-
fore my faiher which is in heaven.
I3ut whosoeTer shall deny me before
men. him w.ll also deny before my
Father which is In heaven
The preacher also read n portion of
the second chapter of the Epistie to
the Philippians: Have this mind in
You, which was also In Christ Jesus.
who being ii The form of God, count
ed II not a prize to be on an equality
with Gcd, bat emptied himself. TAX
ing the form OF servant. being made
in the. likeness of men; and being
foundrn fashion AZ man, he hum
~. 80
death. yea the death OF the cross"
Mr.. ShackfGrd showed that those
who were expecting the coming OF
Christ were disappointed In that he
did not appear in their midst with
scepter and in great pomp. with cere-
mory and great worldly rejoicing.
When ne came as an humble creature,
he drew criticism and censure and
WIS the subject Of ridicule, contempt
and torture.
Enlightenment of Today
II was not SO surprising in those
DAYS said tho preacher, to have UNI
belief rampant, but in these enlight-
ene1 DAYS, when We see the works of
Jesrs all arrrnd us, and with modern
culture and the history of the ages
before Us. 1t 80 startling to behold how
difficult II is for some men to come
The Lord does not insist upon the
sinner going to the housetops To con-
fess his sins. nor does he desire him
to parade before the public in osteu-
tatious fashion
Humble yourself" said Mr. Shack
fora. "and meekly confess your sins
and confess Christ. but do not imag
inc that you can he a Christian Sc
cretly. You must show the world that
ya.u believe. and in thus believing that
you are proud 10 proclaim yourself
helieXer ir him who came To re
deem the world. and Ia save your soul.
There are many names on the church
books OF men who are ashamed TO &C
knowledge that Christ is in their
hearts.
"1hey have not the courage TO
come IN the omen. They would keep
their faith q secret to their friends
OF the wori5 for fear they might he
ridiculed or laughed at But ii is at
Just such times the true Christian
spirit should prevail The man with
Christ in his heart who is ashamed
to tell his associates or companion
- not true Christian. He should
confess 10 his friends. and by doing so
spread the great news and bring 9TH
ers into the Teld,'
lrFtcUCc on SOtufeF.
Tho prea cter related an incident OF
q soi0ier WIZ tried to say his prayers
in the barracks. but who was inter-
reigiously .rcl.ned.
The soldier went TO the chaplain
Tor acvice.
That's a., right" said the chap
lain. and then" said Mr.. Shackford,
he gave ths soldier some bad ad-
vice
"Sou d. not have TO kueel beside
Your cot Always 10 pray said he
chaplain, "JIst e. to bed, and while
lyine on your pillow, send up your
prayer 10 God 1"
The soldier tried this plan for
few days. l3is conscience hurt him.
lie felt that he had proven a weak
linz So ona night lie knelt down by
his bedside ard PRAYED. He prayed
for the other fifteen soldiers in his
room. They laughed NJ him He
persisted, and Nith;n = week he had
all the soldiers saving their prayers.
white he led them in praise
L do no mean to say that a man
il4A!-a-t le.,r- or
vp liking alonH tho street or any where
elsc,' said Mr shackford hut the
Lord wants his children 10 worship
hln openly ard Ia praise MS name in
public and ~ secret a. well But no,
altogether IL secret"
THE time will come" continued The
preacher. rs st Pau says. when the
Son of God wilt la seen by the whole
wcrld in his true iight, and when all
= hall confes Il bat Jesus is the Lord.
Now iI,e Time tn Confess.
New and acre is the time to con-
fcss Jesus tlr.st We must acknoWi-
edst in oar Hearts that he II the Say
Tor. Many people do not feel th"y
iYaE2s ne .fafrace 20 FunfesS C'nrist.'
fhey ara hotple IS and weak. and cow
ardly among their fellow men They
must stand MP for what they believe
in their heats and acknowledge be-
fore the worio. They must not keep
the great secret to themselves, but
rs,ln.i ,.hli1. r1.rkasctnr, 70 thsA