The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1918-08-17

The Christian Church is of divine
origin, and continues by divine author
ity. 1t is a body of Christ's adherents
bound together for fellowship, testi-
mony and labor for his cause. 1t has
a visible organization for the express
sion of its faith, and the accomplish
ment of its purposes. 1t represents
Gods kingdom in the world and is
the chosen instrument for it's advance
ment.
The Christian Church began at Pen
tecost A. D. 80.
That morning there were 120 disci.
pies of Christ. At night there were
3,120. This was the result of Peters
sermon plus the %outpouring presence
of the Holy Spirit. All these new
converts became members of the
Christian community, and we're stead
fast in attention to the teachings of
the Apostles, lived with wonderful
unity and comradeship with the rest,
and shared in the fellowship, the wor-
ship, and the sacraments of the
church.
One of the surprising developments
of the early church was the action of
the believers in selling their posses
sions and holding property and money
in common. From this common treas
ury, support was given to the less for
tunate brethren, that all might share
equally. This action was an impress
sive testimony to the depth and real
ity of the brotherly love which bound
those first Christians together. This
practice did not continue but was prob
ably found necessary because of the
presence at Jerusalem of the thous-
ands who had come to attend the feast
and remained because of the remarka-
BILE occurrence.
The first church in Jerusalem was
a growing church and new members
believed and were added to the church
every day. That is the normal and
proper condition of every Christian
Church; it ought to grow in numbers,
in devotion and in spiritual power.
Is yours a growing church like that?
If it is, rejoice and keep at prayer and
work. If it is not, ask first how much
you are to blame, and then be instant
in prayer, and go to work with re-
doubled energy.
Service is not to be a mere incident
of Christian life, it is to be it's law.
You came into the church to serve,
not to be entertained. If you do not
respond to the call to service you are
blind to your duty.
You despise the nan who gets as
much as he can and gives as little as
he can. Then despise yourself if you
go to church and get the benefits of
its ministry and its services, and will
not join it and do your part. Talk
about "~slackers"! Why a Stacker is
better far than you, because you fail
in a more important service than he
does.
Quit being a guerilla" and become
d REGULAR Ill Tic vi SdllLCu anu ulS-
ciplined army of the Lord. o yes, of
course the Church is not perfect; if it
were it would not admit you, but after
all the Church is doing more things
today than you ever thought Of, and
it is up to you to join her and "do
your bit" The Lord may not want
you to be a minister, probably he does
not, but he certainly does not want
you to be a shirker. Adult Bible
Glass Magazine.
Someone quotes the following dia-
a New York Episcopal minister, and
a man who came to him saying that
he wished to join the formers church.
Every we'll, we will be glad to have
you. Into what department of the
church work will you Gomez"
"Oh, l don't care to go into any de-
partment of work, 1 just want to join
your church"
well, now, we have all III men,
bers divided into different depart
ments. There is the Sunday-School
work, the parish work, visiting the
sick and poor. We all enter some of
these branches and go to work"
But l just want to join the church,
and do not care particularly about
joining any one division"
"Ah, you are not looking for our
church. You should go around the
corner to the other street, and join
the Church of the Heavenly Rest"
Most churches we have known
have been like merchant ships with
far too small a crew and far too ma
ny passengers declares an editorial
in "The Congregationalist." Are you
x,a,oI,r ~ noccaDoor in UoDr owyn