"Church Work"
The following article was sent me, with the request that I comment on it.
Bathurst Street Church of Christ, Secretary-Treasurer, J. S. Milligan, 677 Shaw Street. To the Church of Christ at Beamsville — Greeting: At a meeting of the officers of the congregation, held on June 2, a resolution was passed recommending to the congregation, that a larger and more aggressive work in the Province be entered upon, and that, with this in view, a man be placed in the field immediately. Also, that the church ask the cooperation of the churches and individual brethren and sisters in the province financially, so that the needs of the entire field may in the near future be adequately met. A beginning has already been made by this congregation, they having arranged with one of the preaching brethren already in the field that he devote his whole time to the work of the church, looking to this congregation to make up any deficiency in the amount necessary to carry this decision into effect. We now appeal to you to cooperate with us in creating and maintaining a fund which shall be used for the extension of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in places where churches now exist, and to preach the gospel and to establish churches in communities where there are now no churches of Christ.
Signed by William Forrister
J. Smart James Stewart
Elders If the church is asking help to support a preacher in a temporary work, there is no harm in calling on others to aid in the work and for those who are called on to help in the work if it seems good to them. If it means that one church is to receive and direct the means given by other churches, it is all wrong. It will take the work out of the hands of those to whom God committed it and give it to others. This can only work evil to all the parties to it. God commits work to His churches and children, not because he needs the help of these, but because doing the work will strengthen and build up these and give spiritual growth and activity to the churches and Christians. Each church should collect, control, and direct its own means, do what it can in preaching and having preaching done to the whole world. They need this for their own growth and spirituality. A Christian cannot live and grow without working to save others. Each needs personal work in teaching and saving others to develop and save himself. Churches need the same experiences in working to save others to develop their own growth and activity.
One great objection to the societies is they take the work out of the hands of the churches and leave them to die spiritually of nothing to do. The work God has given Christians and churches to do is as much needed for their salvation as for the salvation of the world. The church does well to excite and arouse the activity of the other churches , but each church should be urged to look after and use its own means, both of men and money, for its own growth and strength.
David Lipscomb