Christian Messenger. (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 30, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 16, 1882 Page: 4 of 8
eight pages : ill. ; page 40 x 26 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
v-.’
r' -
-
mt
SSI
• -y
CHRISTIAN MESSENGER.
THE ME SSE N GER I *“*^7 cast our insignificant b®lp order and the simplest principles! ty co-operation meeting as soon as
a&'TV
T. R. BURNETT......Editor.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16, 1882
IN TROD XTC TOR T.
R&
m
mp
gp?
E%
m
With this issue of the Messen-
ger we assume editorial duties
and responsibilities for a season.
It seems good, therefore, to say a
few things by way of explanation
and introduction to the end that
all may fully understand us.
It is well known that we Are al-
ready editor of the Texas Depart-
ment of the Old-Path Guide. In
that line, our labor is not to be
modified. The Guide is not to
suffer from any neglect in the
Texas Department. For several
months we have been writing
something near a page a week in
this most excellent paper, and we
do not mean to do less for it by
reason of the labor we engage to
do for the Messengeb.
But amidst all our labors, we
have many spare minutes that we
wish to employ in working for
Jesus. Idleness is a sin for which
we do not expect to be called to
account. It is in accord with both
our taste and sense of duty to
spend every hour in doing some-
thing useful. To this end we have
long shunned absolute idleness as
a great sin except in so far as it
is really useful to the body and
mind. We always prefer to take
needed rest, as far as possible, by
varying labor. It is only when
one fails to find needed rest and
recreation in varied labor that ab-
solute idleness is to be considered
harmless and useful.
The editor of the Messenger,
like all our other editors, has
long been laboring self-sacrificing-
ly in a good cause. Like nearly
all others, he needs help and en-
couragement. And he has seen
fit to submit us a preposition
which we hope may prove mutu-
ally pleasant and profitable be-
tween us. It is on this proposition
that we begin labor for the Mes-
senger this issue.
The reader now understands
our relation to the Messenger and
the Guide. By agreement we write
constantly for each, but have no
financial interest in either. It may
be well to say, however, that we
apprehend nothing like a perma-
nent connection with the Mes-
senger. As the editor-in-chief is
new in the field, we simply engage
to help him over the press from
outside engagements. Every man
that can succeed m revivals is
needed in the field, and we feel in
duty bound to do what we can to
untie the hands of efficient evan-
gelists and send them into the
field that is so ripe, for the har-
vest. When the revival season is
over, the Messenger will perhaps
have less need of our help, and if
so we may gracefully retire in the
early fall. But our connection
with the Guide will probably be
more permanent. But we wish to
say a few things touching our
feelings and relations to ether
papers.
We have no word of disparage-
ment for any good paper. Our
editors are all doing good work,
and if we were able we wonld
help every one who seems in need
of assistance; but it is impossible
to respond to every call for help.
If we were able to run as many
pens as we have fingers, and con-
trol as many subscribers as we
m*ke letters, it would not be suf-
ficient to satisfy our own desire to
help the struggling editors—God
bless them! But ws have deliber-
ated long and prayerfully, and
vrhere it seemed best. As to what
end we mean to accomplish by the
labor we have assumed, it is nei-
ther prudent to explain, perhaps,
nor clear to be seen. However, we
deem it in point t© say we have
only the prosperity of the church
and the glory of God in view.
And further, we disclaim any
intention to align ourself on ei-
ther side of past controversies by
this connection with the Messen-
ger. Bro. Burnett has his con-
victions, and he is amply able to
look to them for himself. In ma-
ny things we agree with him, in
Some points, perhaps, we differ.
It is not to be charged, therefore,
that we are partisan with him in
any position he may have taken.
Nor do we assume, ignorantly, full
fellowship with him in every po-
sition he may take or any style he
may adopt hereafter. We have
convictions clear and deep on all
vital questions, and we are not
ashamed to express them on all
proper occasions. But we alone
must be responsible for all such
convictions. We are not willing
for Bro. Burnett to be made to
stand for our positions. And that
the provisions of this paragraph
may be carried out, we shall dis-
tinguish our writing by signing
every separate article and note, S.
It is only necessary to add that
it is our abiding purpose to “fol-
low the things that, make for
peace.” We have no time and less
laste for a war of words without
a conflict'of ideas. This is not
cowardice we trust. It is not in
our nature or education to sacri-
fice principle for peace or wisdom
for war. The reader may feel as-
sured, therefore, that we will not
compromise honest convictions to
avoid courteous discussion; nor
will we sacrifice steadfastness of
purpose to secure a wrangle of
words. With these thoughts by
way of explanation and introduc-
tion, we begin our labors. i
F. D. Srygley.
OUR STATE EVANGELIST-
HIS WORK.
We have already said, in the re-
port of the state meeting, that the
churches of Texas are requested
to co-operate in the work of gen-
eral evangelism. To this end the
board of elders at Waco have
been appointed to act as an evan-
gelizing committee for the state at
large.
This committee is to receive and
disburse funds, employ and direct
evangelists, and in other ways
look to the interests of our state
co-operation. This is all simple
and practical enough; hut we ap-
prehend that the brethren will be
slow to put their money into a
state co-operation till they under-
stand what work we would at;
tempt. Whether one desires to be
a co-operant in anything depends
very materially upon what that
thing really is. It is difficult, if
not impossible, to get one to co-
operate till he knows what the co.-
operation is. It occurs to us as
eminently in point, therefore, to
give our readers about what seem-
ed to be the prevailing sentiment
of the state meeting touching the
question of general evangelism.
It would perhaps be well to pre-
face by saying the most practical
men in the convention considered
the work of a state evangelist es-
sentially a work of organization.
In fact we seriously doubt whether
a general evangelist for Texas
could attempt anything beyond
“ setting in order the things that
are wanting” and “ordaining el-
ders in every” church,without sac-
rificing both New Testament
of ordinary judgment. The idea
that one man can g© out into the
state of Texas and do anything to
the permanent good of the church
by merely holding revivals and
baptizing converts into a perfect
chaos of untrained and disorgan-
ized worshipers, is absurd in the
extreme. So this idea, if it has
ever been entertained, may as well
be dismissed once for all. It is as
impractical as it is unscriptural.
Before passing to the next para-
graph, however, we wish to say
that the work of all scriptural
evangelists is a work of organiza-
tion, not “ revivalization.” And if
any man thinks of helping to sup-
port an evangelist to hold revivals
to the neglect of church organiza-
tion, he has anscriptural ideas of
the whole subject of evangelism.
We come now to speak somewhat
in detail of the scriptural work of
an evangelist in Texas.
1. The setting in order of indi-
vidual churches. The evangelist
should visit those churches that
are doing nothing in the line of
practical Christianity, and seek to
arouse them to the performance of
their duty. To this end he should
see that suitable men are appoint-
ed to the offices of elder and dea-
con. Moreover, he should teach
the whole church to be active in
the Christian life. If need be,
the church record should be care-*
fully overlooked and revised. Eve-
ry name not entitled to a place in
the record by reason of negligence
or crime, should be orderly ex-
punged, provided the member can
not be brought to repentance. It
would thus come to pass that all
dead and dying branches would
be revived or pruned off, and the
church would be left a living vine
with a hopeful future.
The evalgelist should also see
that every church h© sets in order
begins some special work at home.
Feeding the poor, visiting the
sick, educating the orphans, re-
pairing their house of worship—
let some specific work in which
every member can take part be
commenced at once. Nothing
strengthens a church and keeps
down trouble like work. And to
the end that a church may carry
on some enterprise to profit, the
evangelist will find it necessary to
point out the difference between
the * offices of deacon and elder.
On this point nearly alL our
churches need instruction. It is
not generally' known, even among
elders and deacons themselves,
that the board of deacons should
look to all the business and secu-
lar interests of the church, while
the board of elders should take
the oversight of the members in
point of spiritual and disciplinaiy
matters. When this distinction
is clearly drawn the whole subject
of church work and management
becomes simple and practical. The
beard of deacons have but to de-
termine what the church should
do in the line of religious enter-
prise, and the board of elders are
officially set to see that every mem-
ber is spiritually alive and ready
to do his part. And if any one
fails, he comes under the authori-
ty of the elders in the matter of
discipline.
2. So soon as the evangelist gets
a church in proper working order
at its own home, he should care
fully direct it into co-operative
work near home. To this end, it
would be well to encourage county
co-operations. The churches of
every county should be encouraged
to put their means together in the
support of an evangelist for the
county. In this line of work, the
state evangelist should call a coun-1
he gets all the churches of a coun-
ty in working order. But in no
case should he attempt county co-
operation before he visits every
church and sets “ in order the
things that are wanting/’ It is
impossible to have co-operation
without operation. Churches that
are not operating can * not be ex-
pected to co-operate. Here is the
exact point of failure with at-
tempted co-operations heretofore.
3. When the evangelist gets
churches to working well at home
and in county co-operations, he
should direct them into the broad-
er field of state co-operation.; To
this end he should explain o^ur
state work to every church he vis-
its. And especially should he be
prompt to discuss state co-opera-
tion in all of his county meetings.
The duty of sounding out the
word should be made entirely
clear to every disciple in Texas.
The work of a state evangelist
thus assumes very practical pro-
portions. He ought, at least to be
able to set in order one church
every week. And it seems a small
estimate to say every five churches
ceuld be brought to sustain one
evangelist,. This would give us
fifty churches and ten evangelists
set to work in one year by an effi-
cient state evangelist. And these
fifty churches and ten evangelists
would, to a man, be enthusiastic
advocates of co-operation; for they
would have experimental knowl-
edge of its good effects. And now
bring into our next state meeting
the money and delegates of fifty
hard-working congregations along
with the reports of ten county
evangelists and one state evangel-
ist, and then try to imagine what
a good state meeting we would
have! How muph better would it
be to occupy the meeting with
such reports than give ourselves
to wrangling about “ plans ” and
“human inventions.” And how
much better, too, would be results
like those we have mentioned—
fifty churches and ten evangelists
working quietly but effectively for
Jesus—than a windy account of a
few bombastic revivals in which a
strange mixture of gas and gospel
excited some scores of people to
confess and be baptized into a
putrid mass of religious lethargy!
Deliver us from sueh evangelism!
4. And finally the evangelist
should direct the churches into
the unlimited field of foreign mis-
sions. Let work be first begun at
home with every church. Then
let churches sustain their hpme
missions in a county co-operation.
Beyond this, let each church and
each member be interested in our
state co-operation. But above all
this, let us unite our forces and
send the light of the gospel to
those who sit in the shadow of su-
perstition and idolatry. The mis-
sionary spirit is emphatically the
spirit of the New Testament
churches. They “ went everywhere
preaching the Word.” And the
church that is wanting in this
spirit is unapostolic in at least one
essential feature however tena-
ciously its members may hold to
faith, repentance and baptism for
the remission of sins.
From what has been said, it will
be seen that we need a man of
comprehensive mind, organizing
powers and executive ability to
take the field as general evangel-
ist for the state. May God help
us to find him! S.
*- v,
The Methodist Episcopal church
(North) recommends that all mem-
bers abstain from the use of to-
bacco, and refuses to grant license
to preach where the applicant is
J addicted to “the use of the weed/'
&
Gen. A. Buford has I
Chicago to deliver his
horse-racing and Chfie
Bro. Buford wants to
self useful in the church
better, like Paul, refuse to
anything in his public
tions but Christ and bii
tied. We doubt not he has
best of motives in these
but he should be brought
knowledge of the odium thi
attach to the church if her
prominent members give
selves to the advocacy of
track. We do not advise
action, but with us it is a
question whether a church
ford to tolerate a member
persists in visiting our
cities, to deliver a lecture
cacy of horse-racing. It:
well few the church,
hand, to mildly check
upon the General.
Suicide is coming to be
fearfully common in our
As to what the infidelity
modern titpes hae to do w----
couraging self-destruction
not say. Certain it is that 1
cism does nothing to deprecate
But the frequency of
hibits an absolute
society so prevalent
as to be really
that nothing but i
most malignant type
cause a right thinking i
cide. Many men, we
put an end to life in a:
| ity. But when one
up his mind te suicide,
burdens and labors
this life he is emphat
of self more than a 1
Men need a
training in the
practices of
denial, to fortify
temptation to suicide. ^
The Evangelist is i
for the following:
“The Baptist
cade,having excomi
Brown about ten
slander, without
quently without
guilt, has re
mention. The chi
cindecT^the ei
his deceased wife, and
on its minutes the
blot rested on
acter of Mrs. Brown,
time of her
before or
Judging from __
and others are i “
of the disciples, we
that slander would
an action of discipline
Baptist church. We are j
find we were mistaken in
still we have an idea WD, .
depends much upon who is
dered. S.
A secular paper touches
“futures” after this style:
“Why should the
faro be ostracised,
who wins money by
the price of wheat or
lauded? Where is justice?
are the teachers, and the
and the moralists?
abundance of time, and
numerable to condemn
and whisky drinking,
word to spare to
dealing in options and futures.
Society is yet to be educated up
to a higher standard of morality.”
S.
Bro. Scott, we are told, has his
tent in successful operation, and
is booked for a meeting or two u
Lamar county. We
in from a long trip, and i
are conflieting reports as
exact place the tent is to
pitched, We can not now?
thoritatively on this ooint.
next issue,
prepared to
and where the j
Success crown
■ ■i
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Burnett, Thomas R. Christian Messenger. (Bonham, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 30, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 16, 1882, newspaper, August 16, 1882; Bonham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth914126/m1/4/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bonham Public Library.