Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-26
PUTTING EFFICIENCY INTO THE
CHURCH..
The international Sunday School Les
son for February q, Is "The Seven
Helpers."-Acts 6.
(By William T. Ellis.)

When men and religion experts"
flew about the land with their slogan
of efficiency" they were hailed as a
new force and as bearers of a new
message. AS matter of fact, they
really only illustrated the truth that
Christians have to get back to the
New Testament to be up to date, for
better program of efficiency than
theirs was laid down for itself by the
early church in Jerusalem, as succinct-
ly told in the seven verses from the
sixth chapter Of The Acts which con-
stitute this Sunday school lesson.
Now in these days. when the num-
Der of disciples was multiplying, there
arose murmuring of the Grecian
Jews against the Hebrews. because
their widows We're neglected in the
daily ministration. And the twelve
called the multitude of the disciples
unto them, and said, 1T is not fit that
we should forsake the word OF God,
and serve tables. Look We out there
fore, brethren, from among you seven
men of good report, full of the spirit
of wisdom, whom we may appoint over
this business. But we will continue
steadfastly in prayer, and in the min
istry of the word. And the saying
pleased the whole multitude: and they
chose Stephen, man full of faith, and
of the Holy Spirit and Philip, and
Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon,
and Parmenas, and Nicolaus pros
elyte Of Antioch; whom they set be-
fore the apostles; and when they had
prayed, they laid their hands upon
them.
"And the word of God increased;
.pInm seId!osIp sql 10 IeqIunu eql pure
piled in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a
great company of the priests were ODE
dent to the faith"
An old-new evil seems to have de-
veloped early in the Jerusalem
church: too few men had too much
responsibility. The whole load was
on the shoulders of the apostles.
They were the busiest men in the
city. No man, can do efficiently as
many kinds of work as were required
Of them. l talked with a layman
recently who had been, until his day
Of self-emancipation, a member of
twenty-eight boards, committees and
societies. Obviously, no one man
could do effective work in so many diff
ferent capacities. Even the apostles,
trained in the presence of Christ him.
self, were not equal to the burdens
laid on them by the rapidly growing
church.
One Man, One Job.
eve muat save ourselves for our
highest work." said the apostles. That
is good life rule for everybody. We
must confess that even the apostles
were not a success at work for which
they were not suited. ITO every man
his work. is a scripture that needs
often to be preached upon.
If the churches today would adopt
the motto, Zone man, one job there
would be swift increase in efficiency.
The notion that a certain few lead
ing men" must hold most of the offices
in a congregation is grave mistake.
1t cuts in several directions. The busy
good men do not put their whole pow
ers into any one task, so that the work
suffers. Others, who might do the
work, are kept therefrop, to the loss
of themselves and the church. That
is wise fashion which Is growing in
many churches of adopting the rotary
system of office-bearing, with COM
pulsory year of retirement between
terms. The plan promotes efficiency
as well as democracy. Our dearth of
Christian leaders is partly due to the
unwise concentration of offices In a
few men.
A golden word, fit to be embossed,
and kept on his desk by every minis
ter of the gospel, was spoken by the
apostles when they declared<"It is not
fit that we should leave the word OF
God and serve tables" Let all the
congregation cry "Amen!" Back to
your books and to your prayer-closet,
brother pastor. The church of today
is suffering from intellectual and
spiritual barrenness in the pulpits. We
have raised up breed Of ministerial
committeeman and managers and
erran6 boys and social ornaments and
after dinner speakers. All the while
the people are grooming for more OF
power in the sermon and prayer and
family visitation. A famous English
80 til,