We fully sympathize with the converted gipsy who was asked what sect he had joined. “Why, when once a man is joined to Christ, all the joining’s done.” He had learned the truth that there was but “one” body, and that all true Christians were members of Christ.
But all Christians are not so far advanced, and hence we hear of the “different bodies,” such as Wesleyans, Baptists, Independents, &c. It is quite possible to be a member of a sect without being a member of Christ. This may account for the fact that during the last year there has been a “decrease in membership in the Baptist and Wesleyan bodies” of ten thousand. But we are thankful that this fact is causing deep and godly exercise amongst some of our brethren in the Lord who labor amongst them. There are great searchings of heart as to what may be the cause.
Some are waking up to the discovery that modern sensationalism and revivalism are not accomplishing the solid work that at one time resulted from a faithful preaching of the Word. The late C. H. Spurgeon mourned that there was a rapid increase in the UN-converted ministry. The effect of this has made itself felt far and wide. A spasmodic revival in a congregation exposed year in and year out to the deadly speculations of a rationalistic and unconverted ministry can accomplish little permanent good.
“Come out of her, My people,”
is God’s message to all His own who are found in such places.
To turn a so-called church into a religio-worldly concert hall may for a little while increase its membership, but will not add to its spiritual power. Not a few so-called pastors have added smoking concerts, theatricals, and dancing classes. Horrible!
Infidelity; apostasy with regard to every fundamental doctrine; denying the deity of Christ, His atoning sacrifice on the cross, the immortality of the soul, the plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, together with the undisguised spirit of worldliness, has fast developed that condition of things described in the Scriptures under the titles of Laodicea and Babylon the Great.
We are thankful for the words of warning that fell from the lips of the President of the Baptist Union at its Assembly last April.
One striking feature of the address was the speaker’s own craving after that spirit of worship and the realization of the presence of God which is sadly lacking, not only in the Baptist Union, but wherever man has substituted the clergy for the free action of the Spirit in the assemblies of God’s people.
There can be no question that 1 Corinthians 14. instructs us how the Christian assembly should be conducted. In the past century many of the Lord’s people seeing this were led to act upon it. They dispensed with a clergyman, minister, or human president, and proved how much better was God’s method than man’s. This was a feature, too, of the recent Welsh revival, and great was the blessing enjoyed as the presence of the Holy Spirit, not only in the individual but in the assembly, was realized and acted upon.
Agreeing in the main, though not with every expression, we append the closing remarks of the President’s address, earnestly praying that he himself may be blessed more and more, and that his words may find an echo in the hearts of not a few for whom they were specially intended: How shall we define the function of the Church of Christ? It is manifold, but three important things at least let me emphasize.
1.―Worship.
Not merely preaching, though preaching may be an essential part of it, but prayer and praise and meditation. There is no assembly on earth that can compare for a moment, in importance and dignity, with an assembly of people met to worship God and hear His Word.
The “Service,” as we have come to call it, is too often regarded in the light of a purely human performance, and the performance chiefly of one man who is engaged for the duty, much as a lecturer might be. We talk about going to “hear him,” as though that were the primary object of the assembly. There is often a lack of the spirit of worship and reverence. We expect the speaker to be prepared in mind and matter, we rarely think of personal preparation on our own part. We expect to be interested or informed, perhaps moved and thrilled, perhaps entertained....
It is the silence that I must confess I sometimes crave for. Even the hour set apart for worship must be crowded with human words and actions. We are so feverishly restless that we cannot be still and wait for the breath of the Spirit of God.
2. ― Evangelism
Whatever else be attempted, this must not be left undone. It is our supreme mission, the thing for which the Church exists, the sacred charge laid upon our hearts by our Lord. “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” The Son said to the men whom He had called out of the world: “As the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you”...
I tell you frankly I am afraid of our losing the Evangelistic note and passion―of that which should be subsidiary and subordinate and auxiliary becoming the main thing. I am afraid of our losing sight of the royal prerogative of the Church, that the work which we alone can do, of beseeching men in Christ’s stead to be reconciled co God should remain undone; of our losing sight of the fact that the Christian faith is missionary and propagandist. I dread, more than I can tell, our becoming the mere appanage of any political party or secular society. Whatever else we have to do, we have to bear witness to Christ, to preach the Gospel.... And my closing plea is that we shall go on striking that note, and doing it more insistently; that we shall pray God to send back to our passionless churches a very hunger of desire, that men at home and abroad shall be brought to know and love and follow Jesus Christ. That we shall repel the insidious notion stealing over the thoughts of the Church, that men are all right, and may be left to the mercy of God.