Page:Cyclopedia of illustrations for public speakers, containing facts, incidents, stories, experiences, anecdotes, selections, etc., for illustrative purposes, with cross-references; (IA cyclopediaofillu00scotrich).pdf/115



driving, and in social pleasures. We have put the club and the bank first, and my son has disgraced me with his shameless marriage, and my daughter is dead. I tell you," he said, using his friend's name, "there is only one place in which to bring up a family, and that is the Christian Church. There is only one way to use Sunday for children, and that is to take them to church. What with money, and wine, and poker, and pleasure, all day Sunday, and parties all Sunday night, my family has been ruined. People don't know what the result of this kind of living will be until the end comes, but I know."—

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CHURCH, JOINING THE

A physician meeting an evangelist said to him:

"I believe in religion as much as you do, and I accept Christ as my Savior, but I will never join any church."

"Doctor, you are pension examiner." "Yes." "How many applicants for pensions have you examined?" "I do not know, but hundreds." "Doctor, how many of these received a pension who had never joined the army?" "Not one, not one. My wife and I will unite with the Presbyterian Church."

They did. This man, seventy odd years old, who had never been at church once, became a devout Christian and died in the faith. (Text.)

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CHURCH, LIGHT AND STRENGTH

Persia has well been called the land of "the Lion and the Sun." The symbol of "the Lion and the Sun" originated in the days when the Zoroastrians were the inhabitants of the land. The sun, being the emblem of the fire-worshipers, was taken as their national badge. The lion was added later because Ali, the grandson of Mohammed, was called the "Lion of God." The woman's face in the sun was inserted some years later by one of the Persian kings as a tribute to his favorite wife.

What is the Church but the land of the Lion and the Sun, the Lion of Judah; the Sun of righteousness? What is its content but the bride of Christ?

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Church, Loyalty to—See.

CHURCH-MEMBERS, WORKING

Henry Ward Beecher was once about to take a ride behind a horse which he had hired from a livery stable. He regarded the horse admiringly, and remarked: "That is a fine-looking animal. Is he as good as he looks?" The owner replied: "Mr. Beecher, that horse will work in any place you put him, and do all that any horse can do." The preacher eyed the horse still more admiringly, and then remarked: "I wish to goodness he was a member of my church!" (Text.)—

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CHURCH-MEMBERSHIP

It is not enough to say that you can be a Christian outside of the Church; an occasional boy can be a scholar without going to school; an occasional vine can grow in a lane instead of a vineyard, and an occasional newsboy can sleep in a barrel, and survive, instead of a home. But don't stand outside of the Church and then crawl out of your barrel, and later on ask for all the privileges of the household. Some men watched the great parade in 1865, and regretted that they had not been in the ranks for the grand review. And if you come to the end of your career, never having shown your colors nor had a part in the fight, you will never cease to feel the regret that you did not die on the battle-field, and were not carried home like the heroes upon their shield.—

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CHURCH, MISSION OF

In a sermon by Dr. James I. Vance in The Christian Observer, on "The Harbor-light on the Church Spire," he points out the mission of the Church. He gives this as an illustration:

Recently, while on a visit to the old historic, picturesque city of Charleston, on a Saturday afternoon, I was taken for a sail around the harbor and a short distance out to sea. A friend took me to the forward deck and pointing to a light that glowed above the city in the distance, said: "That light is in the spire of St. Philip's church. It is the harbor-light of Charleston. The channel here is an eddy channel, deep but narrow, and every vessel that enters this harbor must steer by the light in St. Philip's spire."

As I stood there in the deepening shadows,