2, THE CHURCH OFFICERS’ GAZETTE
Conference and church officers have a part to act as leaders
among the people in impressing hearts with the importance
oft faithfulness in tithe paying. Note this word:
“Many presidents of State eonferences do net attend to
that which is their work,—to see that the elders and deacons
of the ehurches do their work in the churches, by seeing that a
faithful +#ithe is brought into tho treasury. Malachi has
speeified that the condition of prosperity depends upon bringing
to God’s treasury that which is His own. This principle needs
to he often brought before the men who are lax in their duty
te God, and who are negleetful and careless in bringing in their
tithes, gifts, and offerings to God.”—*Testimonies to Min-
wgters,” p, 805.
“Prove Me now herewith,” is God’s word to us who believe
without question; and so far as we are concerned, may not the
answer solve to some extent, if not wholly, What to us may
mean depression? T, E. B.
Rooted aud Grounded in Him
Gop has made ample provision for the growth, stability, and
development of His church, The life-giving power of the word,
and the manifestation of the “gifts” of the Spirit are “for
the perfecting of the saints, . . . for the edifying of the body
of Christ.” And if we give due heed to the divine counsel and
admonition coming to us through these agencies, we shall “be
no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every Wind of doctrine” Through the guidance and power of
the Holy Spirit the church is te be brought inte “the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ;” and thus “speaking the truth in love, may grow up
into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”
“Christ is the head of the chureh: and He is the Saviour
of the body,” and “we are members of His body.” How close
is the relationship between Christ and His chureh! He is the
head and Saviour. Wo “are the body of Christ, and members
in partieular;” and we are encouraged to look forward to the
time when Christ, who “loved the church, and gave Himself
for it,” will “present it to Himself a glorious church, not hav-
ing spot, or wrinkle, or any sueh thing”—a ¢hureh “holy and
without blemish,”
How high aro heaven’s ideals for the followers of Christ)
The words and promises of God show the wonderful possibilities
of the Christian life, for there are no limits to the privileges
and blessings which the children of God may receive.
i Christ foretold that decelvers would arise, through whose in-
fluence “iniguity” should “abound,” and “the love of many”
should ‘‘wax cold.” He warned us also that the church would
be in more danger from this evil than from the persecution
of her enemies. Surrounded as we arc today by the practices
and influences of eold formalism, sinful indulgences, and evil,
we are in great danger of being drawn away from the sim.
plicity of the gospel.
The instruetion, admonition, and warning given by the apos.
tle Paul to the churches in his day, are filled with lessons of
highest value for us. His admonition is, “Beware lest any man
‘spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,” ‘lest any man
should beguile you with enticing words.” “As ye have there-
fore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted
and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith.”
God has a message and plan that is “to make ready a peo-
ple prepared for the Lord.” He is to have a church without
spot or wrinkle, The power of a higher, purer, nobler life iy
our great need. The world has too much of our thought, and
the kingdom of heaven too little, In our efforts to reach Gods
ideal, we need not despair. Moral and spiritual perfection
through grace is promised to all. The message of truth re
ceived in the heart through faith will control the conduet and
regulate the desires and beautify the character,
If we are casily “moved away from the hope of the gospel,”
we need to be “grounded and settled” in the faith. If we
arg “earried about with every wind of doctrine,” Christ would
have us “rooted and huilt up in Him, and stablished in the
faith.” Thus the members of the ehureh will “stand fast in
one §pirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the
gospel.” And when the blessed Christ shall appear for His
prepared and waiting people, they will “be like Him,” and
“being rooted and grounded in love,” will “be caught up to-
gether” to “ever be with the Lord.” G. W, WELLS.
June, 1932
Home Missionary Department
METHODS IN PERSONAL WORK
Suggestive Program for First Sabbath Home
Missionary Service
(June 4)
OPENING Sone: “Rescue the Perishing” No, 479 in “Christ in
Song.”
ScrprUrE Leason: Luke 15: 3-11
PRAYER.
REPORT oF MIssIoNARY WORK DURING THE MonTH: By Church
Missionary Seeretary.
Tue HoME MIisSioNARY OFFERING.
Song: “Even Unto the End,” No. 537 in “Christ in Song.”
ResniNG: “With Christ After the Lost.”
Porm: “Helping to Gather the Fruit.”
PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES: What Are They? Where Are They?
How Shall We Relate Ourselves to Them?
CrosING Sona: “Seeking the Lost,” No. 532 in “Christ in Song.”
BENEDICTION.
Note to Leaders
IT has been said that “it is well for every professed follower
of Christ to face two facts, and to face them squarely: First,
that unless he ig personally seeking to win individuals to Christ,
thero is sin in his life; second, that the winning of individuals
to Christ is an art, and is the most difficult art in the world.
We must resolutely keep these two faets always together, for
to think on the second only is to miss the duty enforced by
the first. Merely because this supreme duty of our lives is so
difficult that it taxed to the uttermost the perfect power and
skill of the Son of God, is ne reason for the lowliest follower
of His to shirk that duty. For we have the man Christ Jesus
as our teacher, and the strength of the glorified Christ ag our
present help.” The stirring appeal by Elder MaeGuire for
greater personal endeavor in reaching “every creature with
the gospel,” will find its way to the hearts of your congrepa-
tion, if prayerfully presented at this devotional hour. Call the
attention ot all to the need of constant vigilanee in watching for
souls.
June is known as a dangerous month for the “summer
slump” in Christian activities, but it should rightly be eon-
sidered as the month of special opporfunities, because of new
contacts made in vaeation periods, Perhaps the article en-
titled, “Serving by the Way,” may be of value to leaders in
concluding the service by a brief survey of “Present Oppor-
tunities.”
(GENERAL CONFERENCE HOME MISSIONARY DEPARTMENT,
With Christ After the Lost
BY MEADE MAC GUIRE
UproN every believer and partaker of the blessings of the
gospel of Christ rests the responsibility of personally seeking
to bring others to know Christ and {o accept Him as Saviour,
Redeemer, and personal Friend. To ali who profegs the name
of Christ, the Master's parting message of instruction is ever
applicable: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel
to every creature” Mark 16:15. To disregard this command
is to stand in the attitude of disobedience, cut off from alt
hope of hearing the glad welcome, “Well done, thou good and
faithful servant: . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
Matt. 25: 21.
Christ emphasizes the necessity of obedience to this great
commission by the parable of a man who had two sons, To one
of the sons the father said, “Son, go work today in my vine-
yard.” This son’s answer wag quick and decisive, “I will not!”
But if is said that “afterward he repented, and went.” Then
the father went to the other son and made the same request,
and the answer was, “I go, sir!” but he “went not.” Matt.
21: 28-30,
Now this parable of our Saviour has a very practical meaning
to the church in this day and generation, and it is important
that we give careful heed to the lesson which it teaches. The
application of the parable is elearly set forth in the following
manner :
“In this parable the father represents God, the vineyard
the church. By the two sons are represented two classes of
people. —“Christ’s Object Lessons,” p. 275. Tt ig interesting