Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1919

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 25the past year the net decrease in the great Methodist EpiscopalChurch is reported as nineteen thousand, and that the net decreasein the United Presbyterian Church is reported as threethousand. The United Presbyterian Church also reports thattwo hundred and sixty-nine congregations have not had a singleaccession and that five hundred • congregations are smaller thanlast year.We feel however the seriousness of the situation revealedby these statistics and that the fact should be faced and honestlyconsidered. Certainly these facts call for an awakening onthe part of pastors and people. They demand that we set outon a campaign of aggressive Evangelism—a campaign born ofa passion for Jesus Christ himself because "the love of JesusChrist constrains us," and carried on with a faith in the powerof the gospel of Christ to save," because "it is the power ofGod unto Salvation."When we know that there were only 192 accessions on professionof faith in Christ in the past year, and only 1,237 in thepast five years and that the very large percentage of these arefrom the families of the church, then we realize how little weare reaching the unbelieving outside. Neither can we excuseourselves on the basis that many of our congregations are incommunities that are well churched. In every community thereare multitudes who are unbelievers in Christ.In our covenant we have convenanted to be faithful toChrist in the work of evangelism, both pastoral and personal.We quote from the Covenant:"Rejoicing that the enthroned Mediator is not only Kingin Zion, but King over all the earth, and recognizing tiieobligationof His command to go into all the world and preach thegospel to every creature, and to teach all nations, baptizingthem in the name of. the Father, of the Son, and of the HolyGhost and resting with faith in the promise of His perpetualpresence as the pledge of success, we hereby dedicate ourselvesto the great work of making known God's light and salvationamong the nations, and to this end will labor that the Churchmay be provided with an earnest, self-denying and able min-•J?\. pound,y conscious of past remissness and neglect, w»will henceforth by our prayers, pecuniary contributions andpersonal exertions, seek the revival of pure and undefiled religion,the conversion of the Jews and Gentiles to Christ, that allmen may be blessed in Him, and that all nations may call Him?wv « We as, Pastors. Elders, and People, have covenanted* faithful ship, »s neglect to *«« and gation. •4.v.!hiai,the a do Gentile serious by conversation this Saviour. and ^ Evangelism We Personal Evangelistic indifference urge and we sad upon concerning exertions" youth have difildence the all and work, not oi home, our begin been Christ our we people that about the will faithful Church at we maintaining at the once seek mentioning the confess duty may to the family our resting seek be salvation the of covenant the saved circle. to family sin upon lead name of we There wor­obli­them men our Jew urge of more