The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-10-18

entity. They are
= called guerlllas.
But guerilla warfare as rule is in.
effective, demorallxlng, and disreput.
able. 1t damages the very cause II
tries to help.
In like manner there are some PEG
pie who claim to be Christians, but
who refuse to Soin the church, Like
guerillas, they unconsciously damage
the very cause they ought to help
They cannot give a single good reason
for their position, but there are many
reasons why every Christian should
Join some church.
|. There he can render the most ef,
fectlve service. He is one Of many
who are all working under one com
mander and for the same end. anC
who, collectively, can accomplish that
could not be done separately. II it Il
good thing to have churches in 6
community, then Christians shoult
support them.
Remove the churches from a town
and property would depreciate, bust
ness would decline, and all good PEG
pie would move away. Sunday woult
become a holiday, life and property
would be unsafe, and the town woult
soon have such a bad reputation that
no decent person would move into it
For this reason every Christian owes
It to himself, his family, to society
and to his God, to join and support
some church.
II. II Is the only consistent position
for Christian. In the church his In.
fluence will help and not hinder; for
an outsider. who ought to be In the
church, damages the cause of Christ
just as much as an insIder who ought
to be out. A Christian who refuses to
join the church practically says to the
world that the commands of Jesus are
not binding or important, which is NOT
true.
III. A Christian who does not Join
the church will soon lose his Joy, and
perhaps his hope. If, knowing his
Masters wish, he refuses to comply
with 1t, he cannot be happy person.
He may be a saved man, but he will
lose the joy of his salvation. And II
he loses his joy he will also lose his
power, for "The Joy of the Lord is
your strength"
w. To be member Of Christie
church 10 the highest honor this world
afforda Its sacraments are the most
sacred. Its literature the most sublime,
and Its fellowship the most sweet and
enduring. All lodges and other or
CARNATIONS are man-made affairs, but
the church is divine institution,
founded by Jesus Christ, guided and
guarded by the holy Spirit, having
for its mission the evangellzation of
the world, and for its destiny eternal
fellowship with God and heaven.
v. II 1t be objected that there are
some hypOcritcs in the church, the an
swer is: "Yes, it may be true, but
Jesus Christ is no hypocrite, and he is
the life Of every church"
Remember also that when the
church goes thFough the pearly gates
there win be a sitting, and the hypO-
critics win be left on the outside of
he gate, on your side, unless you obey
Christ, and you viii have to spend all
eternity with them. Would II not be
better TO live with them q few years
n the church than to spend all eter
nifty with them elsewhere? You must
spend some time with those hypOcrites
somewhere. Where shall 1t be2
VI. The Christian who refuses %
DIN the church, dishenors Jesus Christ.
L is like proposing a secret marriage.
BE Is willing that Christ should die
or him, but he is not willing to live
or Christ. or even to acknowledge his
-elation TO him. He desires to be
'aved, but be is not willing to serve.
BE wants the benefits Of Christianity
without the sacrifices, whereas the
'acrifces constitute nine-tenths Of the
,enefts.
The meannesS Of IL is well illustrated
y the following story: Doctor Lorimer
nee asked q man why be did not Join
he church. The reply was that the
lying thief did not Join the church
md he was saved "well." said the
Ioctor. II you do not belong to q
hurch. ycu help support missions. Of
ourseT
NE said the man. 'The dying
hief did not help missions, and he
ras saved. was he notY"
Yes" said the doctor. 7 suppose
% was, but you must remember that
e was a dying thief. whereas you are
living one"