A Poor Church Member by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Sep 4, 1879

A Poor Church Member.

By Editor

WE must not be personal. We have no single individual in mind. Before us pass a multitude of men and women from all classes and conditions. An unquestionably poor church member can be made out of any kind of material.

The regenerating power of the Holy Spirit is all sufficient, and it will not do to say that some people are only partially regenerate. But there are some church members whose every day life is very derogatory to God's converting grace. In fact, it requires loud and repeated claims to raise the suggestion that God has anything to do with such lives.

The poor church member is widely known. He is conspicuous. He sits on the back seat, or in the front seat. In the first position he has come part of the way to church to avoid discipline, and stopped afar off to avoid being called upon. When he takes the front seat, he is "making an impression." He is very religious—a leading brother—at the Christmas tree and at the annual picnic. He is invariably sick or engaged on prayer-meeting evenings.

At the business meeting he seldom casts a vote on either side of a question, as that would rob him of the privilege of criticising whatever course might be adopted. He never helps a measure that he approves, and never keeps silent when he disapproves. "I did not vote for that measure when it was adopted," is his favorite form of introducing objections. His principle mission is "holding back." He is regularly on the other side.

Spiritually, he is always out on the edge—sometimes burning up, sometimes freezing. There is an even and constant temperature in spiritual life that is very different in character and power from the spasmodic ebullitions of such a man. Our poor church member is either too highly elated to be cautious, or too despondent to look at the hopeful indications. There have been armies afflicted with bravery in the camp and cowardice on the field. Our character has valor and spirit, but they never move out of camp.

The poor church member wants it distinctly understood that he does not belong to the church. He is a member of this or that congregation; he has a pew at this or that church; he attends divine service, and hears Mr. So and So; but he does not, in the motest sense, belong to the church—he is at best only a member. He speaks of the church as a distinct party from himself. He speaks of them as "they," not as "we." Such a member can do a vast amount of down hill work.

Years ago the endless-chain horse power was in common use. Two fine horses stepped grandly on their inclined floor, and to their tread a hundred wheels were spinning around, and a score of men were kept busy in their places. But a mere boy could take hold of a small lever that bore down on the fly-wheel, and his weight stop the entire machine and set all the men idle. Our poor church member is nearly always at the lever bearing down. Here, better than anywhere else, he can make himself felt.

A poor merchant injures himself and the few to whom he is indebted. A poor typesetter gives the proof reader double work. A poor—well, a poor church member is the poorest dependence of all. He is "henceforth good for nothing," so utterly worthless as to be in the way and fit only to be thrown out.

We need good men and women in our churches. Money and influence are not religion, nor are they good substitutes for it. Personal attentiveness, deep-seated earnestness and patient continuance in our entire membership would help very much just now. —Central Baptist.