The herald., 1918-08-22
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heV. I. Z. Wier, Pastor; Residence,
25S Vallette; Phone, Algiers 1873.
Last Sundays worship was marked
by good attendance upon the serv-
Ice. Perhaps there were more
strangers at the service Sunday night
than for long time. At the morning
hour the Junior Choir deserves
especial mention for nice music. Vol
untary, Have Faith in God" An
| them, When the World Forgets," in
which the solo was sung by Miss
Fannie Love. assisted by the choir.
OffertOry, Come Over on the Lords
Side. The pastors subject was The
Church at Pergamos.'
The church was one of the early
churches and was one of the seven
churches of Asia that received spe-
cial message after the resurrection of
the Savior. Someone might ask what
interest congregation of wOrshipers
in Algiers could possibly have in
these early churches over in Asia
Minor? We are interested now. If
you want to appreciate fully the HOu
you should know the past. One rea-
son is everybody is studying geogra,
ply and history with more enthu-
siasm than ever before. The modern
name of the city is Bergamah. 1t is
about sixty miles from the city of
Smyrna. 1t has a sad history and
suffered persecution, as did the other
churches. Her candlestick has not
been removed. There are still some
Christians of the Greeks and Arme-
mans.
Again, Christians may learn lessons
from these ancient churches. There
is no condition, good, bad or mixed,
of which these epistles do not pre-
sent a sample and for which they do
not give suitable and wholesome di-
rection or warning. Smyrna and
Philadelphia were predominatingly
good and pure. In the message to
them there is no message to repent
ance in the strict sense of the word,
but only an encouragement to be
steadfast patient and joyful under
suffering.
Sardis and Laodicea were evil and
in a critical condition. The churches
at Epesus. Pergamos and Thyatiria
were condemned and commended.
Thus we may learn lessons and profit
by them. Again, the modern heresies,
that are sO-called new, back in the
past were tried and discarded, and
some man has relabled them and
given them out as new.
The holy messenger observed that
this church at Pergamos was located
in a wicked city, even where Satan's
seat is; also that she had furnished
martyr but that there were some
who held to the doctrine of Balaam
and some of them held to the doctrine
of the Nicolaitanes. They were called
to repent. The message closed with
a beautiful promise to them and pic
ture of sweet fellowship with Him.
(Rev. 2-17. He that hath an ear
let him hear what the Spirit sayeth
unto the churches: ITO him that
hidden mama, and will give a new
name written, which no man knoweth
saving he that receiveth ii"
One beautiful explanation of the
white stone with the new name is:
"At time when houses of public en-
tertainment we're less common, pri-
vate hospitality was the more neces-
sary. When one person was received
kindly by another, or a contract Of
friendship was entered into, the tes-
sera was given. 1t was four-sided;
sometimes of wood, sometimes of
stone. 1t was divided into two by |
the friendly parties; each wrote his |
name on half the tessara, then they |
exchanged pieces, and therefore the |
name or device on the piece of the
tessera which each received was the |
name the other person had written |
upon it, which no one else knew but |
him who received it. 1t was care
fully priced and entitled the bearer to |
protection and hospitality"
This is beautiful illustration of |