Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

LESSON HELPS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 1, 1954THE FIELD IS THE WORLD, THE SD CS THE WORDOf GODVOLUME LIII WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1954 NUMBER 2The Church Goi ng HabitWhere were you last Sabbath morning? Youwere not at church, for your pew looked lonesomewithout you. The call of the country with an automobile at your disposal may explain the absence. Youwere tired after the recreation of Saturday night andyou slept overtime. Perhaps you saw in your newspaper that the regular minister would not be in hispulpit and you complimented him by staying home.The regular habit of going to church was broken.People go to church through force of habit. Thenthey stay away from church through force of habit.When people go to church regularly for a time, thehabit is formed and it is easy to go. When people stayaway from church a little while, it becomes easyto stay away. There are two habits: the habit ofgoing and the habit of not going. Which habit has itsgrip on you ?What would happen if every member of thechurch in your town next Sabbath made a determined effort to be at the worship? The churcheswould not hold the people who would come. Thechurches would take on new life and ministers wouldpreach with new power. This message is directedto the man and woman who once went to church andthen dropped out. You could hardly tell why you quitgoing to church. If you treated your profession oryour business as you treat your religion, you wouldsoon go bankrupt. We have so many people who arespiritually bankrupt. They are ready to follow anynew voice that calls. There are church members whohelp to swell the audiences in clubs where movingpictures are shown on Sabbath evening. Can theworld see any difference in your life and that of itsown?You need the church. The church can get alongwithout you better than you can get along withoutthe church. There are six days for work, for recreation and for pleasure. The Sabbath belongs to theLord for praise and prayer and worship. "Rememberthe Sabbath day to keep it holy" and it will help tokeep you wholly. The worship of God meets a need ofthe human soul that cannot be satisfied anywhereelse. The church is a place of self-examination. It isa place of correcting our moral standards. It is aplace of refreshing our souls. It is a place of fellowshipwith the Saints. It is a place where we meetupon a common level. The banker and the baker, thelawyer and the bricklayer are on the same footing.It helps to keep us human and it whets our souls forthings divine. Fill your pew next Sabbath. Bring ablessing to the worship and take one home with you.Form the habit of going to church, and let the habitgrow until it becomes second nature.If you like our leaflets and would like to haveadditional copies for distribution, they will be gladlysent you by writingTHE CHRISTINA PUBLISHING COMPANYDiamond Bank BuildingPittsburgh, Pennsylvania