Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-24

In his preliminary remarks at the
morning service he spoke of how diff
cult it was to part with his many
friends in Pennington, n. j.. where he
had just finished his pastorate. and he
said that he was looking forward to
forming the same strong friendships
here. And he called for the hearty CO.
operation of all the members of the
church in the work to be done.
A very pleasing musical program was
carried out at the service by the choir
consisting of Mrs. NJ. E. Sawtelle, So
prano; Mrs. J. A. Anderson. coptraito
Benjamin Stuber. tenor and Herbert E..
Goodwin, bass; with Miss Emily Bur-
bank, organist.
| The subject of Rev. Mr.. Browns ser
4 mon was THE Significant Marks of a
New Testament Church" The five sig
nificant marks are the qualities which
are noted in the strong church of today:
Fellowship, loyalty, harmony. Arm
church belief and prayer.
Rev. Mr.. Brown spoke in part as fol-
lows:
/ 1t is my purpose this morning to
talk with you for little while on
1.-THE Significant Marks of a New
Testament Church. In doing so,
wan to call your attention to several
expressions which you may find in
the Book of Acts, chapter two, vers-
es 41-47 inclusive. Now 1 submit that
the church spoken of in these verses
was a very notable church and wor-
thy of our careful consideration of
this particular occasion. There are
/ III, fta
New Testament and some things are
said about some of them which are
not entirely complimentary. Some
were rather Indifferent, some lacking
| in spirituality and some fell away
even in that day which we are often
| inclined to call the Golden Age of
Christianity. But there is nothing
said in this chapter that is at all
damaging to the church at Jerusalem.
I shall not deny to any other New
Testament church whatever need of
praise you have to accord, but I do
think this one is worthy Of being
called a notable church.
Now what are some Of the things
said about this church. If your will
recall the words of my text or turn
| to your Bibles, you will find there are
at least five statements made con-
corning this church that are Sig
nificant." Perhaps some of you will
think Immediately of the fact that
| they "sold their possessions and part
ed them as every man had need"
But however desirable such actions
may have been at that time and in
that church, it was not universal
custom among the early churches
and perhaps did not always exist i'll
the Jerusalem church 1t was a
prominent characteristic just then
and there, but am inclined to be-
lieve it was not really a Significant"
characteristic and never worthy of
imitation in all other places and in
all other periods of the church's his
tory.
I. The first really Significant Mark
of the church we are studying was
its 'fellowship''--its members 'were
together" in Christian fellowship. In
brief they possessed in that distant
day which we modern people call the
'get together spirit" Those that be-
Heved were together" worshipping in
the temple, for as yet they had not
entirely broken away from the syna-
gogue,, and breaking bread in their
homes not having and public build
ings in which to celebrate the Last
Supper. The idea of these words is
mot that the members went in in
promiscuous manner from house to
house eating wherever they had
dropped in," but that they observed
the Memorial Feast in their own
homes and not in the Temple where
they still continued to worship.
II. Let us now pass on to look at a
second Significant Mark of this nota-
bio L. T. .Church-they continued
steadfastly and daily in the work to
which they had given their hearts
and hands-as we should say they
were loyal, In these statements there
is evidence Of unfailing conservation
on the parts of those early Christians.
Day by day they assembled to hear
what the leaders had to say and to
receive new instructions. When
there was an appointed service for
preaching or praying or breaking
bread they were on hand. / dare say
their numbers were not at first so
very large and they did not always
gather in a wei iappointed place OF
worship, but they continued stead
fastly"; that is, they were loyalty
present at every occasion. To the
members of this notable church at
tendance was not matter Of small
importance. They realized it made
some difference to the cause when
their place was vacant ana their
work undone. Peter ana Paul were