The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1933-03-30
SERMONETTE
"Be Ye Warmed and
FiUedv


TeXt:-"If brother or sister
he naked. and destitute of daily
food. and one of you say unto
them, Depart in peace, he Yc
warmed and filled; notwithStand-
ing We give them not these things
which are ncedful to the body;
what doth Il profit ?"---James =:
1915.
A friend was speaking very
critically of churches in general
and of ours in particular because
of the appeals that are always
being made for help for some
body or something, and thereby
interfering with the worship of
the congregation. The list is as
long as the sorrows and frailities
of humanity. To whom would
these appeals come if not TO the
Church? Are we not representa-
tives of Christi Are we not Gus
todians of His Gospel, of His
sympathy and funds? Is it not
our task to bind up the wounds
of sufferers as we can, to shelter
the shelterless? All of this goes
with the preaching of any Cos
pei that is worth preaching. We
cannot say, Depart in peace:
be We warmed and filled" unless
we give those things which are
needful."
These appeals bring discomfort
because they make us face un-
happy conditions and difficult
problems. But we cannot hide
from responsibility by banishing
the appeals We can only escape
responsibility by doing our duty
as best we can! To whom shall !
go with the anguish of hungry
children and the sorrows of the
aged? Where can any God-called
minister and pastor go with the
problems of lending help to the
distressed people who come to
them? Where shall take the
needs of Christ's great Cause? If
the Cause of Jesus Christ, the
great Head of the Church, needs
anything, where should that need
be made known if not to the
Church. the professional people
of Christ?
IF a brother or sister be ma
ked, and destitute of daily food;
and one of you say unto them.
Depart in peace. be We warmed
and filled Notwithstanding We
give them not those things which
are needful to the body; what
doth it profit?" What will such
a charity as this, that consists In
bare words, avail either you or
the poor? Will you come before
God with such empty shews of
charity as these? We are too apt
to rest in bare profession of faith
and to think that this will save
us; it is a cheap and easy reli-
gion to say, 1--WE believe the ar
ticles of the Christian faith" but
it Is a great delusion to imagine
that this is enough to bring us
to heaven.
This is no time for Christians
to break faith with their broth
ers and sisters, and the world,
for that matter This is no time
for the Church to exhibit an at
titude that is not strictly Christ
ian, that helping the needy as
best we can, mot grudgingly."
But these appeals should not
bother any Christian or interfere
with worship! If you have some
of the Lords money in your pos
session, and the cause appeals to
you. then you act as His agent
in dispensing His funds. If you
have some of your own from
which you feel justified in giving
then you become the donor in
stead of the dispenser. II you
have neither, then what is the
harm of letting the appeal go
by? You have already done what
you could! BE We warmed and
filled" is the word Of the Church
but if it is not an empty word
it must be followed by appeals
and collections.
Give something to others each
day of the year.
If only a handclasp, a look. or
tear
Whatever is given in love,
The Master recordeth in heaven
above.