The Clayton news. (Clayton, N.M.) 19??-1954, 1921-10-29
CHRISTIAN CHURCH
REVIVALI is MAX
ING FINE PROGRESS

The revival services at the Chris
tian Church are making fine prog
ress. The audiences have been in
creasing from night to night. II
bids fair that these services shall
he unusually helpful to the COM
munity. The people are talking
about them and by Sunday they will
be gathering great momentum.
The sermons are Scriptural. Or.
Sidney NJ. Bedford may well be call
ed a gospel preacher. He believes
that the gospel is the power of God
unto salvation TO everyone that be-
lieveth His sermons are logical,
clear, and convincing, bringing con-
viction to the hearts of the hearers.
The sermon on Tuesday night on
THE Souls Abundant Provision"
was a masterpiece of truth and ev-
eryoue went away feeling that God
has made wonderful provision for
the needs of men. The sermon on
Wednesday evening on THE Great
est Disease in the World" was a
comparison between leprosy and sin.
AS leprosy is universal so is sin;
as leprosy is a lOathsome disease, so
is sin; as leprosy is small in its he
ginning, so is SIM as leprQsy is in
fectious, so is sin; as leprOsY is fatal,
so is sin: as leprosy in Jesus day
was inem'able by mere human agen-
cy, so is sin. The sermon was a
mighty array of facts 10 show that
sin has wrought moro destruction
in the world than all lthm agencies
Goo in the past has been working
out a plan Of salvation which was
completed and made effective by
the coming of Jesus Christ into the
WorlG l0 save sinners,
The sermon on Thursday night on
"The Church of the First Century,
was very suggestive. Dr. Bedford
showed that through the ages, after
the fall of man. God worked out a
plaA of salvation in the world for
the redemption of lost humanity.
The Messianic li1pC became a 3ality
ir'mediately af,e" man sin, 1t was
gwen impetus chr)u!h thc HStitu-
i;Un of sacrifice. Ahram. the Mosaic
law, the prODan,s and finally John
the Baptist came and announced the
Messiah. John 1916 describes Jesus
mission in the world. Jesus must
have an instrument of salvation so
he established the church. He Him
self is the architect, builder and
foundation Matt 1916. The church
was set up on the day Of Pentecost.
Its members are called believers.
brethren, Christians, saints, the elect
priests, members of Christs body.
disciples. children people of God.
In a collective sense they are called
the Church of God, the Church Of
Christ the Body of Christ, the
Church of the Living God. They are
also spoken of as a temple, house
hold, flock, building, and branches
of the Vine. The apostles had the
direct oversight of the church of
the first century.
The church of the first century
had several characteristics. and
these are the things that the Chris
ian Church stands for today. First:
Jesus is the center and authority for
the church. The apostles recognized
no other than He Second: The
church was ecumcnical in character
Ill was universal in character. Just
as Jesus belonged to no age, or race,
so the church is universal in IFS
mission. Jesus meets the deepest
needs OF men, SO must the church.
1t must eyangelize the whole world.
Third: The church was universal
In equality This was no ecclesias-
lical organization with officials to
rule. The apostles had the over
sight. Then the church became or
ganized it had prophets, pastors,
teachers, etc. The church was con-
gregauonal in government and was
ruled over by deacOns and elders
But an were brothers and officers
were elected because of the quali-
fications to have spiritual oversight
and 10 handle the temporal affairs
Fourth: The creed of tho church
of the first century was II believe
that Jesus is the Christ the Son of
fhe living God. Matt 1910. This
is a sufficient creed today. II is
simple, brief, universal and came
ont of the experience Of the disci-
pies Fifth The family idea pre-
Continued on page g.