1889 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



599 



whether retained or not, the meaning- is the same. 

 This meaning- can be most clearly sei forth by a 

 combination of the two translations, reading thus: 

 "And the Lord added to the church day by day those 

 that were being saved." That is, as fast as men were 

 converted, day by day, they were received publicly 

 into the company of the disciples, who constituted 

 the church of God. 



We need to understand clearly, as the connection 

 so plainly shows, that the visible church is here 

 meant, and not the invisible. In the list verse we 

 read: "And they that gladly received the word 

 were baptized; and the same day there were added 

 unto them about three thousand souls," clearly re- 

 ferring to the converts of the pentecostal revival, 

 who were already members of the invisible church, 

 and indicating their public reception, by baptism, 

 into the visible church. It was to the company of 

 the disciples, thus increased, that there were add- 

 ed, day by day from that time on, such as were be- 

 ing saved, and were thus made ready for reception 

 into the visible church. 



Upon the basis of this apostolic example, I wish 

 to rear a superstructure of answers to the ques- 

 tion: " Why should thost who consider themselves 

 Christians unite with the visible church of God! 



I. A first answer to this question is, Because 

 church-membership will help one on in the Christian 

 life. 



In speaking with a young convert recently, I said 

 to him: " Now you must join the church at the first 

 opportunity." He replied, " Don't you think a per- 

 son can be a Christian without joining the church?" 

 A few days afterward while calling upon a lady, I 

 remarked: "You are a church-member, I pre- 

 sume." 



"No," she replied, with a toss of the head, "I am 

 not." 



" You have sometimes thought of your duty in 

 this regard, have you not?" I asked. 



"Oh! I consider myself to be a Christian, and 

 have for a long time," she replied; " but I don't see 

 what's the use of joining the church." 



" Why not ? " 



"Because I can be just as good a Christian with- 

 out, can't I ? " 



These are individul examples of opinion upon this 

 subject that are more prevalent and popular than 

 we are accustomed to think. After we have made 

 due allowance for those who will talk and must say 

 something, there are a large number who find a 

 stumbling-block just at this point, and need to be 

 carefully conducted around it, lest they fall by the 

 way. 



To this end, let us first answer the two questions 

 that are asked above. 



To the first, whether one can not be a Christian 

 Without joining the church, I would reply, I presume 

 he can. I would not deny the possibility of the 

 case, any more than I would deny the possibility of 

 one's being loyal to his country, in war times, al- 

 though he may fail to go to the front when men 

 are needed there. Joining the church does not 

 make one a Christian. It presupposes that he is id- 

 ready loyal to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

 It does, however, bring him to Hie front in the Lord's 

 warfare. Now, although there exists a possibility 

 of a man's being a Christian without joining the 

 church, yet I must confess that I never could un- 

 derstand how a man can be loyal to Christ andnot 

 want to be at the front, any more than I can under- 



stand how a man can justly claim love to his coun- 

 try and loyalty to her cause, and yet hide in the 

 woods to escape being drafted. It does seem, that 

 if one iB really a Christian he will want to come to 

 the front and join the church. 



In answer to the second question above, whether 

 ou< cannot be as good a christian without joining the 

 church, I would reply, No! Membership in Christ's 

 church helps us in the Christian life. By means of 

 her fellowship we get stimulus and strength. We 

 thus bring ourselves into association with those 

 who have the same cause at heart. It contributes 

 to the increase of one's zeal. The sharp click of 

 the flint against the steel produces the spark. 

 Love to Christ, brought in contact with love to 

 Christ, produces Christian zeal. If joii try to keep 

 a Are alive with a single stick it is almost sure to go 

 out. If you want your spark of patriotism kindled 

 into a flame, go to the front; join the company of 

 those in actual service; drill with them ; fight with 

 them; join in the songs of victory; and you will 

 conclude that you never knew what patriotism was 

 before. Don't boast of loyalty to the Master's 

 cause when you are drilling in the company of the 

 stay-at-homes. Not only go to the front in the 

 Master's service, and report for duty, but get a 

 place in the fighting ranks. Join the advance 

 guard, if you can. Those who are stationed in the 

 rear are most apt to flee when the shot and shell 

 fall thick and fast. In the onward march, the rear 

 guard have the greatest temptations to become, 

 first stragglers, next deserters, finally traitors. If 

 a man is in the front ranks, it is next to impossible 

 for him to desert, for he is so surrounded by the 

 loyal and fighting host that he can't fall back, and 

 must move forward. Other things being equal, 

 have you any doubt who will make the better sol- 

 dier and will accomplish most for his country's cause 

 — the man who thus bravely goes to the front, or 

 the man who holds back and urges every excuse 

 for staying at home? Who, then, will make the 

 better Christian, the one who joins the church— the 

 advance guard of Christ's forces— or the one who 

 does not? Can you not see that you would gain 

 help in the Christian life, and would make a better 

 soldier of the cross, if you joined the church of 

 Christ? Especially if you feel your own weakness, 

 and lack of faith, and need of Christian hit p. and 

 have any fears thai you may not hold out in the 

 Christian life— you should then by all means join 

 the church, and gain a place in the foremost ranks. 

 Men have said, at the beginning of battle, " Now I 

 am going to get awfully scared, and may try to 

 run; but don't you let me. You're an old hand at 

 it, and are sure to stand. Now just keep me in 

 place and don't let me become a deserter." Just 

 so, many a young soldier of Christ, when fearful 

 and about to retreat, has been kept in place by the 

 veterans who fought beside him and urged him on, 

 when, if he had not stationed himself there he 

 would have yielded and fled from the field disgrac- 

 ed. If one loiters in the rear, who is there lichiud 

 him to urge him on ? We must not spend our time 

 picking out trees behind which we are goinn t<> 

 dodge in case we are defeated. Armies sometimes 

 spare a fort they have captured, because it will 

 make a good place of refuge in case they have in 

 retreat. But the Christian soldier has no business 

 to plan for failure. He should rather burn the 

 bridges behind him, and thus render it impossible 

 to retreat. Talk of backsliding! You can't slidi 



