DISCOVERS GOD'S CHURCH
O Church of God, thou spotless bride.
On Jesus' breast secure!
No stains of sin in thee abide.
Thy garments all are pure;
Of unity and holiness
Thy gentle voice doth sing,
Of purity and lowliness
Thy songs of triumph ring.
--Clara M. Brooks.
A number of years had passed since Edwin began preaching, and in the
suburbs of a large city where the houses were numbered in groups of twos
and threes, there was a certain quiet dwelling that could not help
attracting the notice of the passerby; for the place, surrounded as it was
by a pretty grassy lawn with a few choice flowers scattered here and there,
disclosed the fact that the occupants of the cottage were lovers of the
beautiful.
Through an open window a song of praise was floating, and upon the face of
the fair and noble young woman within could be read happiness, contentment,
and love. She was busying herself about the stove, for she was Edwin's
wife, and she was preparing her husband's evening meal. God not only had
raised the poorhouse waif above his difficulties, but had given him in
addition a good Christian companion to comfort and encourage him.
A smile and a cheerful word were Edwin's greeting when he returned from the
post-office. Seating himself in the large comfortable chair that had been
placed by loving hands close beside the window, he began at once to examine
the mail. There were several letters, which were each read in turn; but
when Edwin came to the paper, his face wore a puzzled expression, for the
latter was not his own.
"I guess a mistake has been made somehow at the post-office," he said, "for
this paper belongs to another person; but I see that the wrapper is loose,
and I suppose it will be all right for me to slip it off and look the paper
over, for that's what I hope the other fellow will do with mine." Then as
he proceeded to unfold the large religious periodical, he remarked, "I
haven't yet found a paper that can come up to our own, and we can rejoice
tonight because whoever has it will have something good to read."
At the very beginning of their home life, Edwin, feeling that some good
religious paper ought to come regularly to their home, had chosen from a
bundle of sample copies the paper he considered best suited for their
purpose, and for some time it had been making its weekly visits to their
home. Since then it had been his custom to read aloud either from it or the
Bible while his wife was busy about her household duties. In this way they
could talk over together the subjects that puzzled them while these were
still fresh in their minds.
As Edwin's eyes fell upon the title of the new paper that he had just
brought and found that the name of the paper contained three words and that
the middle word was Gospel, he said, "Well, it at least has a good name,
and now we'll see if it teaches what its title indicates."
The heading of an article that read, "God's Word as Our Guide," next
attracted his attention; and when he began reading, his wife left her
partly prepared supper to come and look over his shoulder.
"As trusting children of God, we naturally look to him for guidance; for he
has said, 'I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt
go: I will guide thee with mine eye.' When two paths lie before us and we
know not which one to take, we ask God to make known to us the way that he
would have us take. God is willing to do this. He is glad to have us follow
where he leads."
"That is very good," Edwin's wife remarked.
Drawing a chair beside his own for her, Edwin said:
"Never mind the supper. Sit down, and we will eat later."
Then he read: "In Exod. 19:5 God says that his people will be a peculiar
treasure unto him above all people. This great favor is bestowed upon all
those who obey his voice. When we see how much people have cost him, we can
comprehend, in a measure, how precious we must be in his sight. Naturally
we value anything by its cost. If this rule be applied here, truly God must
place great value upon his people; for he spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all. He must therefore estimate our value by his
Son."
Next he read under the heading God's Church: "No one thing on earth is
complete enough in its nature to fully represent the church of God. Neither
is the human mind able to grasp singly a name that would express every
feature of the church. For this reason God has made use of many relative
names, such as kingdom, Zion, holy city, house, body of Christ, bride of
Christ, family, sheepfold, vine and its branches, and other similar
illustrations.
"First, let us consider the word 'church.' It means a congregation of
people separated from the world (John 15:19). Next, God's church is
characterized by being separate from the world and all its evils (2 Cor.
6:14), and Christ is the head (Eph. 1:22), the door (John 10:9), the
foundation (1 Cor. 3:11), and the chief corner-stone (Eph. 2:19,20)."
For a moment the paper dropped idly in Edwin's hands, for the truth of God
was streaming down into his heart. Ever since his talk in the
summer-kitchen with Mrs. Miller, when she said that she was converted at
the time when she joined church and in answer to Edwin's question as to
what the church was replied that the church was the little building where
the roads met, he had felt that there was such a thing as "the church," but
he could not get it settled that it was the building on the corner, as Mrs.
Miller had told him that it was. But whenever so situated that he could do
so, he had continued to be a regular attendant of every religious service
either at that place or in some adjoining community. In his heart he felt
that as the meaning of eternity, prayer, and conversion had been revealed
to his entire satisfaction, God would in his own good time help him to
discover the true meaning of the word "church."
Presently he read under another heading: "The gospel of salvation that
Christ preached penetrated the dark places of sin and idolatry like sun
rays driving back the darkness of night. Wickedness in the hearts and lives
of men gave way to grace and truth. Christ then established his church.
True holiness adorned her fair brow. Unity and purity were her chief
characteristics. Of her it is said, 'Thou art all fair, my love; there is
no spot in thee' (S. of Sol. 4:7). And again, 'My dove, my undefiled, is
but one' (S. of Sol. 6:9). 'He [Christ] is the head of the body, the church
... that in all things he might have preeminence' (Col. 1:18).
"Having purchased, founded, and built the church, God claims exclusive
right to the government. She is not 'our church,' but 'God's building,'
owned by God alone. All her members are the sons of God and bear his holy
image. 'God hath set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath
pleased him' (1 Cor. 12:18), for 'ye are the body of Christ, and members in
particular.'"
For a moment Edwin paused to meditate upon what he had read; then he
continued:
"It is God himself that assigns each member his place in the church, or the
body of Christ, and makes known to him what his line of spiritual work is
to be--'Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God
hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly
teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing,' etc. (1 Cor.
12:27,28).
"The origin of the church is the immediate result of conversion and is
inseparable from it. 'I pray not for the world, but for them which thou
hast given me; for they are thine. Neither pray I for these alone, but for
them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may
be one; as thou, Father, art in me ... that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me' (John 17:9, 20, 21). 'As new-born babes, desire the sincere
milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby ... ye also, as lively stones,
are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye
should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now
the people of God.' (1 Pet. 2:2, 5, 9, 10)."
Again Edwin paused, and as the wonderful beauty and completeness of God's
plan concerning his people dawned upon his mind, his large brown eyes were
brightened with tears of joy, and he said to his wife:
"I believe I understand at last what is meant by 'the church.' All
converted souls, both dead and alive, and of every nation or race of people
in the world, make up God's church, and to become a member of the church is
to be converted, or born into God's family."
"Read on," his wife said eagerly, and Edwin continued:
"God's people are not to forsake the assembling of themselves together to
worship him (Heb. 10:25); 'for where two or three are gathered together in
my name there am I in the midst of them.' (Matt. 18:20).
"It may be a mystery in the mind of some why we read in the Bible of
churches, when God has but one church. A little attention to the word will
convince any honest mind that the church of God is plural only in regard to
its geographical location. The people in the different communities could
not go up to Jerusalem in order to assemble themselves together in worship,
for the distance in some instances would have been too great. Thus, it
became necessary for many to form home congregations. But although they
were often widely separated, the same sweet fellowship was flowing in the
hearts of all, and God looked upon them all together as his church, or the
body of his beloved Son. The idea in referring to the church, or the divine
congregation, as a bride and wife in relation to Christ was to teach their
close relationship. 'And I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will
betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in
loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in
faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord' (Hosea 2:19, 20). 'For I am
jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one
husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ' (2 Cor.
11:2). 'He that hath the bride is the bridegroom' (John 3:29). 'For thy
maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the
Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called' (Isa.
54:5). 'Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage
of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was
granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the
fine linen is the righteousness of saints' (Rev. 19:7, 8). Since no man can
rightly have more than one wife, God has but one church, and Christ is her
husband."
"Wife," Edwin said, "this truly is wonderful. I see it all clearly now. God
has had a purpose in keeping me from joining the little church on the
corner, for I was already born into God's church when I was converted. He
understood my ignorance; and although they have long since changed their
minds concerning me, the ten years that I requested to prove my sincerity
have shielded me from making a mistake, and my name has long ago been
enrolled in heaven."
As they continued to glance over the pages of the paper, they came to a
large advertisement of a camp-meeting to be held in an adjoining State.
After reading the urgent invitation to all who could to come to the
spiritual feast, Edwin said that he would like very much to attend that
meeting. It was impossible for them to both leave at the same time, but
Edwin's wife urged him to go while she remained to take care of things at
home.
Before retiring that night Edwin told his companion about the first
camp-meeting that he ever attended. "I know," he said, "that I was looked
upon by many as a lunatic, but I'm glad that God realized and understood
all about the difficulties that had surrounded my early life. And, Wife, if
I had it all to do over again, I could never know more perfectly how to
consecrate myself to God and to realize the completeness of his love within
my heart." And thus their talk continued long into the night. Their supper
had been forgotten, for they were feasting on heavenly manna.
When the time for the meeting arrived, Edwin bade his wife farewell at the
station; and as it was but a few hours' ride, he was soon at his
destination. His general appearance as well as his understanding of the
three languages helped him to make a far better impression than he had made
at the time of him conversion, but his same innocence regarding sinful
pleasures was still very noticeable. From his earliest recollections in the
poorhouse his desire to do right for principle's sake had never left him.
This desire and God's wonderful protection had guarded him against many
evils that might in later years have entangled his feet and obstructed his
pathway.
What he saw and heard in the meeting was in such harmony with all that God
had taught him and with what he had read in the Bible that he said, "Of a
truth I have found God's church, and his people shall henceforth be my
people."
He was still of the same humble, teachable spirit, and when he returned to
his home, he carried many rich morsels of truth to his loving and faithful
wife.
"One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you
all" (Eph. 4: 6). "He will guide you into all truth" (John 16: 13).