The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-04

'pttst State Mission Board->
would accept It. there = reason to
comfort ono another. They were also
to build ono another up In the faith.
And We BeseeeA You to Know Thesn
That Labor Among Yoa-A call to an
appreciation Of ministers and others
who are set within the church. There
| must be = right estimate of their
value. The minister was entitled to
their respect because no labored among
them ana for them.
he At Peace Among Yourseives-~Let
there not only be peace between mtn-
listers and their focks. but also no
party rivalries among yourse1vea"
AdmOnish the DisOrderly-CompAre
l Thea. 4: II: ! Thes. a;6-11.
Enc our 70 the Feeble-minAeA-
Fafnthearted--those who are weak and
| about to fall into temptation.
support the Wenk-Litera1ly lay
fast hold on 20 as to support" They
were be longsuffering toward an.
See That None Render EVIL For Evfl
--"Progress in virtue has been made
when ono II willing to refrain from
returning evil. but such negative vfr-
tue IL not enough-there must be the
positive virute Of following after that
which rs good, returning good FOR evil"
COOPERATIVE LESSON PLAN.
Theme: The Spirit and Mission Of the
Church.
Introducttnn--The New Testament
Church.
l. Personal Exper4erca. Aot3 ;:
4 Prompt Obedianoa Aets :: q.
IL ftx privileges.
l. TsAehin and FaI1ovsh1p.
Acts .: Ala
l. Benevolence and Influence.
Acts 2:43-f7.
III. It's Representatives.
l. Constructive Diseip1fne
Thea 5:1inA
Spiritual servsoA Thea.
b:15.
Round Table Dfseussfom-
\. How to Test the Churches Of Today
~ to Ordsrliness.
a. rne Place Of sAptixm IN Ne~
s, The Teaching Work Of = New rss-
lament Church.
4. what discipline Should Be
Practiced by Church,
The Church's Responsibility To-
ward 'Outsiders"
PRACTICAL LESSONS.
II Is not necessary in our opinion
that a church should be able to show
the days Of the apostles as credentials
OF its c1afma- The proper test Of or.
derliness OF . church IL whether tts
doctrines ana practices are those which
we nnd In the Now Testament. The
Scriptures are the only proper guide
for the conduct OF Christians and 1t
II incumbent upon the followers of
Christ to read them and determine for
!, themselves what churches are or
ganized in conformity with tho New
Testament
Baptism IL the ceremonial quahnca-
ton for church membership. There
can, according to the Scriptures. be no
visible church without baptism. An
observance OF this ordinance fs the
believers frst public act Of obedience
TO Christ Regeneration. repentance
and faith are private matters between
God and the soul. They involve in
ternal ptety. but OF this piety there
rlust be an external manifestation. This
manifestation is made in baptism. The
penitent. degenerate believer Is bap-
tized into the name OF the Father. and
of the Son, and OF the Holy Spirit
There la visible, symbolic expression
of new relationship to the three PER-
sons of the oodhead--a relationship en-
tered into in repentance. faith and
/ regeneration-Pend
ciuded IN our lesson we are told that
the disciples continued steadfastly in
the apostles teaching and fellowship.
Having come Into the church upon
profession of common experience of
grace, their fellowship in tho church
would make IL necessary that they
should continue to be Instructed In the
doctrines of the Christian faith. The
laxity OF some churches in the matter
OF teaching Is not conducive to
solidarity. AS II is the duty OF the
state to give to every generation OF
children instructions In the fundamen
tai or rudimentary things which form
the basis OF education. 80 It IL the
tnty OF every church to instruct all Of
tho members in the principles and
practice of religion. Thus the Sunday
school looms lagos 40 factor In car
rying out the commission OF our Lord
with respect to teaching. for 1t IL there
that the church finds Its best opportu-
nifty for didactio work. in = systematic
way
In the reaction from the severe and
questionable discipline formerly prac-
ticed in some churches, there has come
In our day considerable carelessness
In this matter upon the part OF those
who have the responsibility for dis
ctpline It IL difficult to determine
which extreme is the most harmful.
to their membership to administer
proper spiritual discipline. The church
Is family" and II 1t Ia the duty Of
parents to discipline their children. It
is also the duty Of the church to train
| their members In spiritual living. Our
passage from 1 Thessalonians indi-
Gates some Of the ways in which dis
| cipline IL to be given. Note that 1t Is
constructive. not destructive.
Tho churches have large responsible
! fty toward those who are without. The
| spiritual services rendered by the mem
| bers should not only be done toward
those who are OF the household Of
faith. but to those who know not the
Lord. Elise how shall we expect to
win the world to Christ, Christianity
IL for all mon. but II those who know
Him not are won. Il must he through
| those who are already saved. When
| Jesus called disciples to himself. 1t