Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-26
The Seven Helpers
Sermon by
HEh. FLOYD W. TOMIIlNS.
TcIti Acts vi.


lished Tho Apostles. not vet
itinled abroad in far-rcachinr mis-
~ rN iabor". had many problems to
"" and many questions OF organiza-
pm 10 decide The people who had
IONIC Christians wcro largely es-
'rahl and the necessity Of educating
cn' restcd upon the leaders They
1''" mostly poor. and so they had
'c cared FOR III brotherly fashion
hn""''cs we're busy and they need =
Htipera' Therefore they appointed
- men. whom they called "dea
va 10 assist them in caring for the
'"t 81 tho poor and IN educating
people. We do not know exactly
'" far the work of the dcacons was
MINED to charitable service. but cvi-
NJ! they preached as well as adj
mastered to thc needs OF the people.
We mud Philip. who was one OF
't' SolnS down To Samaria and
eachirg Christ. The probability.
reiore. IL that they had :; wide SER
given TO them, and considerable
erty In doing all they could TO help
apostles and to forward Chris
ity What "A SPLENDID message II
Tor US that God has Il work for
cry one of MS to do! There must
~ stem ia the work. and so there
those "ho arc called to DO one
inS and those who are called to do
DC apostles or dcacous. We are sure
serving God. and we arc part Of
- glorious kingdom. Every Sunda =
hccl teacher every Sunday school
haIar every member OF church So
city. has work TO do for the Master,
id tho faithful ana loving perform
r,e OF that work will bring sure
csstng from God
iNIsTERE:D no PHYSICAL
here is something very beautiful TO
IN the fact that these deacons we're
sen especially TO minister to the
sical needs 81 tho people The apos-
doubtless remembered how our
Cd fed the multitude and how He
sht tho necessity OF Christian ser
&c. est. Matthew, 25p Their hearts.
kc the hearts OF every Christian, we're
owed with compassion for those who.
ccepting the Christian religion. were
objected 10 persecution and were Of
ntimes in need
We sim have tho same demand rest
= urcn We. Church should take
&c OF lis poor, wisely, but lovingly.
| hcneNrr man comes 10 me askin.
Icip, At once ask him 10 what church
i" belongs ~ order that he may re.
1p"e that II he had church home.
Ia was faithful ~ his attendance.
"ould have Il certain claim unon
pat church. MANY men who come for
|cln have no such church connection.
ihcr Tor themselves or tur their fam
-. II IS Il shame shat IL should he
Q and reflects somewltl, Oh tho church
MON has not s"rcht them out, but
ts gatncr unwOrtl. frr - man vino
"n bot attend church OF tai. ..ny
bore IN the Christian famly'S life /"
'"cal Tor ieip i'm time OF necessity
nl,st do all 80 can TO look after
10 psap'o ~ our coiununity and i'm
y ,rhcu 10 enter the Christian fam
hT' We must also discourage the
n1cucy 10 make The church :, Kind ~
n -itahlc bureau 20 which people can
y &c and from which thcy may dc
r"nd helm whcu They have never -iyou
,-iUsclycs 10 Christ
LIiN LITTLE KNOWN
ABOUT FIRST DEtCONs
u would % interesting 10 study the
l.'t ~ the men who were chosen rs
IlraCpNs II We had material To use.
tbout most OF them. Philip and Ste
phcn are about the only ones whose
h crk VIC can trace. They all seem to
have been ncn who were either for
eicn Jews or else Greek proseiNtcs. as
iheN ~ have Grcek names Nc ma
NJ sure that each ono OF them had his
work. and did II we'll ana We know
church that things went more smoothly
and Systematically because OF the
y Dor. OF these men. And yet their
lives were not easy ones, for we find
that stephen, a man full OF faith and
power, soon stirred up the unbelieving
.fews ami tho result was a cruel perse-
cution On the other hand. we arc told
that the number OF the disciples multi
p'I.d greatly. 1t Is when every Chris
tan docs his part that the church
grows. even although there may result
rem such service hostility and posi-
bic bitterness. We cannot do the work
of God and be above our Master II
they prosecuted Him they will also per-
s-cute us. But we have the JOY OF
K moving that the work we are doing is
zeal, and that il has the blessing Of
g od to rest upon il,
) JUDGMENT or APOSTLES
~ CHOOSING HELPER
The choosing of these men gives us
: little idea as TO tho Judgment of the
81 the church. They may have been
~ structed by Christ during what are
called the Great Forty Days'-that
-, the forty days between our Lords
resurrection and His ascension. con-
"e-ning the details OF this organization
The proba bility il. however. that they
y ere guided by the Holy Spirit and
n ccessary. But the interesting thing
Is that this general organization has
continued down TO the present How
ever. there may he various forms of
church government amongst us. the
same principle runs through all There
arc leaders and helpers, and every
~ mhcr Of the church has "A work 10 do
u helps us when We look upon our
- Sanlzattons. he they ministers or
IsteeS or elders or dcacons, TO know
/! at sc arc still following in the steps
~ the Apostles and trying to do the
" prks OF evangclization as they did IL.
1t is interesting to note that seven
: acons were chosen. Seven is the Ri-
q number Of completion, and while
= ldouhtedly there were others chosen
to- on. the fact that just seven were
'boscu at first seems to imply that the
'ro$tlcs followed some general line OF
holce. Seven days i'm the week: the
.rvcntv disciples whom our Lord chose !:
rho Seventy Times Scven"-the mum
'cr of times our Lord told Peter that he
ihould forgive his brother: all these
ecm 10 prove that numbers arc not
n> Sniflcant IN the RlbIe. AZ any rate.
&C have here, without any fancifuI in =
pretatiou. suggestion Of the COM
~ tencss of the work which the amos
~ }. under tho guidance of tho HOLY
~ rit began to do In Jerusalem. And