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The 
 >UNG CHURCHMAN 
 
 AND 
 
 HIS CHURCH 
 
 BY 
 
 IRVIN A. ENGLE, Ph.D. 
 
COPYRIGHT APPLIED FOR 
 
YOUNG CHURCHMAN 
 
 AND 
 
 HIS CHURCH 
 
 BY 
 
 Irvin a. Engle, Ph.D. 
 
 David Said, "I have set 
 my affection on the hou^e 
 of my Qod." ^ "^ ' 'K? - : » ', ; 
 — 1st Chrof. 29:3. 
 
 > » > .1 : .> 3 J 
 
 Published by 
 
 SPANISH AMERICAN INSTITUTE PRESS 
 
 Gardena, California 
 
DEDICATION 
 
 Tlxese pages are dedicated to 
 the two boys of the parsonage 
 whose appreciation of "Daddy's" 
 sermons and Junior talks is a 
 continual inspiration to produce 
 something they and others like ^ 
 them will understand. j ^j () "-' 
 

 > 
 
 t 
 
 ' »: 
 
 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 This little book is written as an out- 
 growth of a course given by the writer at 
 the Spanish American Institute, and 
 later used in his own church, and is 
 printed at the solicitation of many friends 
 who have desired to use the method in 
 their church. 
 
 It is not the purpose of the writer to 
 present a history of the Christian Church 
 as there are already many splendid works 
 on that subject and it is only necessary in 
 the development of this course of study 
 to briefly refer to incidents and persons 
 with the understanding that additional 
 information be ascertained from other 
 sources before any leader attempts class 
 room work. The leader will see that this 
 is only an outline and remember that he 
 is expected to use originality in the pres- 
 entation to the class. 
 
 Irvin a. Engle. 
 
 
 o 
 
 ■^ 
 
 » * ." 
 
» » »\ » » » » 
 
 ■< ^ 
 
 
 
 The YOUNG CHURCHMAN 
 AND HIS CHURCH 
 
 Cbaptkr I 
 
 THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH* 
 
 In the Greek there is a word "Ecclesia" 
 which in its Christian appHcation is usually 
 translated "church," though this word is used 
 in a purely civil sense to designate a gather- 
 ing of citizens in a self-governed city, as noted 
 in Acts 19 :39, "But if ye seek anything about 
 other matters it shall be settled in the regular 
 assembly" (Ecclesia). The word was adapted, 
 however, in the Septuagint to translate a He- 
 brew word "Qahal," signifying the nation of 
 Israel assembling before God, hence its re- 
 ligious aspect. 
 
 The term "Ecclesia" in the religious sense 
 
 is practically equivalent to "synagogue," the 
 
 Jewish name for the meeting to worship God 
 
 after the Babylonian exile. Paul uses the 
 
 word "Ecclesia" often in his writings but 
 
 probably the first chronological use is in I 
 
 Thes. 1:1, "Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timothy 
 
 unto the church of the Thessalonians." In 
 
 reference to Biblical order we find the word 
 
 "church" first referring to the Christians as a 
 
 body of believers. Acts 5:11, "And great fear 
 
 came upon the whole church." 
 
 *NoTE : The leader will adapt the introduction to 
 this stud)' to the age of the pupil, but by no means 
 should he leave out this bit of foundation. 
 
6 The Young Churchman 
 
 That the church has ever been noted as a 
 brotherhood of behevers is seen from Acts 
 1 :15, ''And in these days Peter stood in the 
 midst of the brethren." Here is an organized 
 fraternity, not a mere promiscuous gathering 
 and may it be said that this idea of a church 
 based on love should be established early in a 
 youth's conception of God's church. It ap- 
 pears that the Christians adopted the name 
 ''church" early in their organization to dis- 
 tinguish them from the gatherings of the Jews 
 in the synagogue. In fact, the followers of 
 Jesus Christ were a Christian synagogue, but 
 with this difference that the Christian church 
 had a God-given inspiration and a personal 
 consecration, the like of which had long ago 
 died out among the Israelites. 
 
 As Christianity spread, the local ecclesia 
 was designated as "The church in Jerusalem" 
 (Acts 8:1, etc.), while the term "church" took 
 on a collective meaning of the whole organi- 
 zation as the unit through which Divine favor 
 was to be given to those who should repent 
 and be baptized. 
 
 From the reading of the New Testament 
 it is evident that Jesus planned a church in 
 which a new order of things was to take place, 
 for instance, He says to Peter : "Upon this 
 rock I will build my church" (Matt. 16:18). 
 His principles were spiritual, not material, nor 
 can the address to Peter be construed as ma- 
 terial for in John 6:53 ("Except ye eat the 
 flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood 
 
and His Church 7 
 
 ye have not life in yourselves"), it is seen that 
 Christian experience is based on receiving Him 
 in faith. Again, "Every one therefore who 
 shall confess me before men him will I also 
 confess before my Father who is in heaven" 
 OMatt. 10:32). This has no reference to 
 church membership, yet one must not lose 
 sight of the central element of the fellowship 
 among men in the church organization, nor 
 that the church is the channel through which 
 God has poured out His grace unto all who 
 call upon His name. 
 
 While nowhere in the New Testament is 
 church membership an obligation by command- 
 ment, yet by the example of the early Christ- 
 ians and the inspiration if the Holy Spirit it 
 is evident that the church was intended by God 
 to be the united forces of Christianity. 
 
 "And the Lord added to them daily those 
 that were saved" (Acts 2:47). To say the 
 least, this should offer an opportunity to every 
 believer to enter into God's only brotherhood. 
 \\'hen God saw that the old temple worshi]) 
 under the order of the priesthood had ceased 
 to honor Him or to build up strong spiritual 
 lives, and when He thought that this system 
 was not adaptable to the extension of His King- 
 dom under the new dispensation, He directed 
 His Son in laying the foundations of a new 
 order and organization of which all may be- 
 come members. This newly organized church 
 is later represented as the bride of Christ, and 
 therefore greatly loved by Him { Eph. 5:25). 
 It is also represented as His body, and there- 
 
8 The Young Churchman 
 
 fore it ought to be honored and greatly loved 
 by us (Eph. 1 :22-23). Agam, it is called the 
 Shrine of God which is holy, and therefore it 
 should be cherished as a means of communion 
 with our Heavenly Father (1 Cor. 3:16, 17). 
 
 If the church is thus a channel through 
 which God ministers to the souls of His fol- 
 lowers, it is necessary that the invisible in 
 some way be made visible and organic. x\t 
 first the followers met and the church was 
 organized in the homes of the principal 
 workers but with the growth of the "body of 
 Christ" there was a demand for a meeting 
 place. Consequently, the meeting place took 
 the name of the organization and the material 
 as well as the spiritual church has resulted. 
 It is with this material church that the m- 
 visible church, which has for its outward mani- 
 festations the Denominational Organizations, 
 will be illustrated. The relationship may be 
 clearly shown the young churchman by the 
 following illustration : 
 
 In Southern Idaho a few years ago a large 
 company planned to irrigate an immense tract 
 of land. To do this, it went up the Snake 
 River for fifty miles or more and began the 
 construction of a large flume to carry water 
 to its project. This flume was built of thick 
 staves held together by bands of iron and was 
 so large that a short man could almost stand 
 upright in it. It was built over hills, across 
 deep gullies, and over or under roads, and the 
 company even built a steel bridge across the 
 Snake River at its own expense to carry the 
 
and His Church 9 
 
 flume to its land. It was the talk of the whole 
 country ^nd became the Mecca for many 
 curious travelers. After many months the 
 flume was constructed to the land on which 
 the water of life was to be emptied. The 
 flume represents the organic church while the 
 water flowing through it to the arid land repre- 
 sents the grace of God to a sinful people and 
 the growing grain represents the invisible 
 church, or the result of an institution coupled 
 with God's agencies. 
 
10 • The Young Churchman 
 
 Chapter II 
 
 THE BEGINNING OF THE MODERN 
 
 CHURCH 
 
 The church to be studied and built began 
 its history as a world institution on the day of 
 Pentecost, in the late spring A. D. 30, just fifty 
 days after the resurrection of our Lord. In 
 building the church in the hearts and minds of 
 the young people, names, places, and facts will 
 become easily imbedded if they are visualized 
 in stones, windows, and boards. The material 
 used in building the church, shown on the 
 frontispiece was cardboard. Though the boys, 
 especially, will enjoy using the same pattern 
 in making a church out of thin boards, or wall 
 board, in the manual training room at school. 
 Much originality can be used in choosing ma- 
 terial, names, and patterns in window design- 
 ing. 
 
 Cost 
 
 Upon contemplating a building the cost is 
 first considered just as the Father in heaven 
 did when He saw that the old Jewish "flume" 
 was leaky and was no longer carrying His 
 Divine Grace to the needy world without an 
 enormous loss. He knew what it would cost 
 to mould a new dispensation* but He was will- 
 ing to pay the price (John 3 :16). 
 
 ^Explain meaning of "dispensation" for it is an 
 important word in ecclesiastical matters. 
 
and His Church 11 
 
 Architect 
 
 He then engaged the builder who planned 
 the building just like every boy and girl should 
 do in beginning their life. "Remember now 
 thy creator in the days of thy youth." While 
 God took the role of architect in founding the 
 new church and Jesus that of builder, it is in- 
 teresting to note throughout Jesus' ministry 
 how often he consulted the architect, just as 
 young people must do in this building. 
 
 Material 
 
 Every stone that Jesus used in the founda- 
 tion was picked from the sea shore or out of 
 the common material of His day. Very severe 
 tests were put on every piece before He al- 
 lowed it to bcome a part of His church which 
 practice He has been keeping up through the 
 years which have gone since the Acts of the 
 Apostles was closed as a book of the Bible. 
 
 Going on this premise it will be unwise for 
 any scholar to build anything in his church 
 with which he has not first become familiar. 
 Therefore, wherever a verse of scripture is 
 used it should be memorized or wherever pas- 
 sages are used in portraying a character the 
 pupil should write them out in a permanent 
 note book for future references. When the 
 study leads to characters outside the Bible a 
 full outline should be made of each man's 
 life before he can be given a place in the build- 
 mg.- 
 
12 The Young Churchman 
 
 *NoTE : The leader may use his own discretion 
 as to the amount of memory work to be done, 
 though the whole purpose will have failed at the 
 end if the pupil does not have available material 
 in his note book, either in full or in outline, for 
 every timber used in his church. Experience has 
 shown that those who are too young to make good 
 use of the note book are not able to grasp the mean- 
 ing of these studies and they should be discouraged 
 in merely wanting to do the building part of the 
 work which would take away the interest at a 
 future time when they could do all the work. 
 
and His Church 13 
 
 Chapter III 
 
 THE BEGINNING OF THE STRUCTURE 
 
 After the cost has been considered, the plans 
 made, and the material selected, the foundation 
 is laid. The world has known men who 
 planned great structures which became so 
 much a part of their lives that eventually they 
 sacrificed their lives in the very foundations 
 of the gigantic enterprise. (Abraham Lincoln 
 and structure of human freedom, the leader 
 may enlarge on the thought before the class.) 
 This is the very thing our Savior did as He 
 planned the church of the Kingdom when He 
 became the chief corner stone as it was writ- 
 ten in Isa. 28:16, Psa. 118:22, I Cor. 3:11, 
 and Eph. 2:19, 20. 
 
 Corner Stone 
 
 ^ 
 
 As the corner stone laying is usually the 
 occasion of quite an elaborate aflfair it will be 
 well to emphasize the outstanding character- 
 istics of Jesus at this point (Acts 4:12, etc.). 
 It may also be shown how Jesus should be the 
 chief corner stone of every life for each one 
 is the temple of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 *NoTE : Take your class to look at the corner 
 stone of your church and get it to see how many 
 inscribed corner stones each member can find dur- 
 ing the week. By asking all to enter the game and 
 to bring a report on the corner stones and the enter- 
 prises which are related to the corner stone, lively 
 interest v/ill be created and kept up for several 
 weeks. 
 
14 The Young Churchman 
 
 Foundation 
 
 (See note at end of chapter) 
 Having learned about the corner stone, the 
 pupil is ready to finish the wall of the founda- 
 tion in which will be placed the apostles and 
 Bible characters used by God in establishing 
 His church. Detailed study of the three 
 greatest builders of the New Testament church 
 should follow. Peter, James and Paul were 
 the outstanding men throughout this period 
 (John 1 :40, Matt. 4:21, Acts 9:1-30). Though 
 no foundation would be complete if it were 
 not for the pieces of smaller rocks used to 
 make the whole strong, so all of the apostles 
 must be included omitting, of course, Judas 
 Iscariot (Luke 6:14-16). 
 
 The new apostles : Matthias and Barnabas 
 should be added here. (Acts 4:36, 37, 9:27. 
 1 1 :22-27. ) 
 
 Then the following should be carefully 
 studied: Stephen (Acts 6:5-8, Acts 7:1-60, 
 Rom. 16:1). Philip (this Philip is the 
 evangelist — not one of the twelve) (Acts 6:5- 
 8:5, 6-21:8). Timothy (Acts 16:1,2, 1 Cor. 
 4:17, 16:10, 11). Eunice (11 Tim. 1:5,3:15). 
 Mary (Acts 1:14). Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42). 
 Martha (Luke 10:38, John 12:2). Lois (II 
 Tim. 1:5). John the Baptist (Luke 1:17, 
 John 1:6-8, Matt. 3:4, 11:11). 
 
 The leader may add other men and women 
 whom he believes worthy of special recog- 
 nition. Where only one reference is given in 
 the above list the whole history of the' in- 
 
and His Church 15 
 
 dividual may be learned by the proper use of 
 the references given in the margin of any 
 reference Bible. 
 
 *NoTE : When the study is completed on this 
 chapter the leader can take the foundation strip of 
 a cut-out church and make the stone wall as shown 
 in the picture given in this book or better still finish 
 the church building. Then after showing it to the 
 class he may have each member make foundations 
 at home and on the class room black board until 
 they are able to make a pleasing design. xA.fter this 
 each may be given a foundation strip on which they 
 will put their best efforts in making the stones and 
 inscribing the names. When each piece of work is 
 done the leader should collect materials and keep 
 them for final assembling at the close of the study. 
 
16 The Young Churchman 
 
 Chapter IV 
 
 THE WINDOWS 
 
 Since the windows are made elsewhere than 
 at the site of the new building it is the best 
 policy to get them ready before the walls are 
 made, though the purpose of making the 
 windows first in this study is that the story 
 of characters may be continued without sand- 
 wiching in the doctrines of the church which 
 will be the walls, or the government of the 
 church which will be the roof, though other- 
 wise both would properly come before the 
 windows. 
 
 As the windows are planned in memory of 
 those through whose lives the light of the 
 Gospel has gone, after studying the following 
 suggested ones, denominational leaders of note 
 can be used as desired. 
 
 When the writer first used this plan a beau- 
 tiful young woman, greatly beloved by all who 
 knew her, was serving as a missionary in 
 South America, and when he asked whom 
 should be honored in the memorial windows, 
 immediately hands went up and a half dozen 
 voices cried: ''Marie McMillan." 
 
 Though Miss McMillan labored in the mis- 
 sion field only four years before she was taken 
 to her home above, her work will forever glow 
 in the minds of those in the home church and 
 even Luther's greatness is dimmed by the 
 nearness and brightness of the influence of one 
 
and His Church 17 
 
 who served and was loved as everyone loved 
 Miss McMillan. 
 
 Jesus said: "I am the light of the world,'' 
 yet at another time he said : "Ye are the light 
 of the world." Again, "Go ye into all the 
 world and preach the Gospel." Therefore, it 
 is evident He expected His followers to be the 
 lamps in whom His Spirit might forever shine, 
 or the windows through which His light might 
 go to the darkest parts of the world. 
 
 The early church was perfect in almost 
 every aspect as evidenced by its strong faith, 
 its ringing testimony, its pure character, and 
 its abundant love but it had a great defect in 
 that it lacked missionary zeal. It was as a 
 beautiful building without windows. There was 
 plenty of light within but the joy of the new 
 experiences had eaten up the thought of the 
 extension of the Kingdom beyond the Jewish 
 people themselves. It required the ax of the 
 persecutor to cut windows in the church so 
 that the light might shine into the uttermost 
 parts of the world. 
 
 Though Stephen was used in the foundation 
 he becomes the first light through whom the 
 Gospel was offered to the Gentiles as shown in 
 the accusation against him (Acts 7:1-53). 
 
 Philip, another of the seven laymen, estab- 
 lished the first church outside of Judaism at 
 Samaria, and consequently should be remem- 
 bered as a window for light. 
 
 Simon (Mark 6:3), the younger brother of 
 our Savior and successor to James as the head 
 of the lerusalem church, had a broader view 
 
18 The Young Churchman 
 
 of the Kingdom of God and its work than most 
 of the Jewish Christians and was sympathetic 
 to those who beHeved Jesus meant what He 
 said when He proclaimed salvation to "all 
 people." This hero of the faith was crucified 
 in 107 A. D. 
 
 Ignatius was torn to pieces by the wild 
 beasts in the Roman Amphitheatre in 110 
 A. D. 
 
 Polycarp, in 155 A. D., was burned at the 
 stake rather than to curse Jesus. 
 
 Justin Martyr, an extremely large reflector 
 in the early church was killed in 166 A. D., 
 and because of his outstanding influence, a 
 memorial window should be dedicated to his 
 memory with a study of his life and person- 
 ality. 
 
 Origen, living at the period of the Alex- 
 andrian School (185-254), is another whose 
 greatness in influence as a thinker and writer 
 is worthy of sacred memory. 
 
 Following the persecution of the first and 
 third century Christians and the abdication of 
 Emperor Diocletian, a notable change took 
 place through Constantine, one of the con- 
 tenders for the throne and friend of the Chris- 
 tians. Although not a professed follower of 
 Christ, he claimed he saw during a great bat- 
 tle the sign of the cross in the sky on which 
 were the Latin words ''Hoc Signo Vinces" 
 (''By this sign conquer"). He did conquer 
 and with the spirit of conviction burning in 
 his soul he made an edict in 313 A. D. which 
 legalized the Christian religion. If for no 
 
and His Church 19 
 
 other reason his name should be firmly fixed 
 in the vocabulary of the young churchman for 
 not again during the time of the Roman Em- 
 pire were the Christians persecuted in their 
 endeavor to worship God in the new faith. 
 
 During the period which followed Constan- 
 tine's edict and the enthronement of Christi- 
 anity ten years later, much trouble was cre- 
 ated within the church, and many lost the true 
 spirit of worship and service, though as is 
 usually the case some noble characters were 
 developed. 
 
 John Chrysostom, the orator, was the great- 
 est preacher of this time, while Jerome was 
 the most learned. 
 
 Augustine, whose exposition in theology and 
 whose fearless preaching were excelled only 
 by the Apostle Paul up to this time, and who 
 so greatly helped to stabilize the church dur- 
 ing this period of unrest, was another of these 
 outstanding personalities whose life came out 
 of the mould of religious doubtings and care- 
 lessness. 
 
 In the next period of church history, which 
 runs from the fall of Rome 476 to the fall of 
 Constantinople in 1453, there were many great 
 windows through which the light of Jesus was 
 transmitted to the heathen world. Of these it 
 will be well to study the following : 
 
 Gregory the Great (590 A. D.), who sent 
 missionaries to England and to every part of 
 the church which had again become so worldly 
 because of an indifferent clergy. 
 
20 The Young Churchman 
 
 John Wycliffe (1324) was the real fore- 
 runner of the Reformation which seemed to be 
 born of God to counteract the papal power 
 and formal worship. While ^^'ycliffe was an 
 ardent reformer he deserves larger recogni- 
 tion because he gave to the world the first 
 English translation of the New Testament. 
 It will be well to study about him and his 
 translation of the Bible. 
 
 Following in the trail of Wycliffe was John 
 Huss of Bohemia, and Savonarola of Italy, 
 both notable transmitters of the pure light of 
 the Gospel. 
 
 However, the work of these men was onl}- 
 of a limited scope and was held down to a 
 single district or country, but when Martin 
 Luther, the greatest of all reformers, nailed 
 his ninety-five statements to the old door in 
 V/ittenberg Cathedral a great light began to 
 .shine that grew larger and more brilliant until 
 the Light of Jesus was not restricted by any 
 kind of ecclesiastical drapery throughout the 
 whole world. (A whole lesson could be 
 profitably spent on the study of this fearless, 
 truth-loving son of light.) 
 
 While Luther was busily engaged in Ger- 
 many, Zwingli began a similar though smaller 
 reformation in Switzerland. 
 
 He was followed in this work by John Cal- 
 vin, the matchless theologian of his 'time. 
 Calvin wrote very extensively, thoughtfully, 
 and convincingly and no doubt did much to 
 mould the thinking life of the church so long 
 throttled by a decadent papacy. 
 
and His Church 21 
 
 The next follower of Wycliflfe in the Eng- 
 lish reformation was another scholar, John 
 Tyndale, who also translated the New Testa- 
 ment into English and who had his works 
 printed for the common people. Though Wy- 
 cliffe was the pioneer in this work, Tyndale, 
 by the use of the printing press, was able to 
 reach a vastly greater number of people and 
 consequently claims fuller recognition at the 
 builder's hands. 
 
 John Knox of Scotland was to that land 
 what Luther was to Germany or Tyndale to 
 England. While he strengthened the faith in 
 Scotland and opened the way for the Presby- 
 terian church there as a result of his associ- 
 ations with John Calvin, he does not rank with 
 the others studied in this period. Yet his cry 
 "Give me Scotland or I die" has been a battle 
 cry phrase for many similar movements else- 
 where. 
 
 Mejthodism 
 
 Inasmuch as the purpose of this little book 
 is to instruct young Methodists and since the 
 time has come to study the founders of 
 Methodism other parts of church history which 
 deal with the rise of various other denomina- 
 tional bodies will not be followed out. How- 
 ever, should leaders in other denominations 
 desire to use this form of study, from this 
 period on, they can construct their own outline 
 and build upon their own doctrinal teaching. 
 The leader should not for a moment lead any- 
 
22 The Young Churchman 
 
 one to infer that those who are now con- 
 sidered are the only great church hghtgivers 
 beyond the period just closed, for the ones now 
 to be studied, while great, had great con- 
 temporaries. 
 
 Methodism is antedated on the English side 
 of the church by four great protestant de- 
 nominations, the Presbyterian, the Congre- 
 gational, the Baptist, and the Episcopalian. 
 The spirit of Luther has never ceased to shine, 
 but many times formalism killed the zeal of 
 the house of the Lord as it did in England 
 within the Established church in the early part 
 of the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, God 
 is not unmindful of these facts of decline and 
 thus far He has raised up one of His servants 
 to the ranks of wholesome leadership when- 
 ever it became necessary to purify or extend 
 His church. Nor did He fail this time, for 
 there were born in a humble minister's home 
 two boys whose careers were destined to mean 
 tlie establishment of that household of God, 
 called "Methodists." 
 
 John Wesley, whose life and doings should 
 be familiar to every child before he is per- 
 mitted to enter upon the erection of his church, 
 was the outstanding character of his day 
 and the father of Methodism. His brother. 
 Charles, the song writer, and Whitefield, the 
 orator, are also noted for their great influence 
 during this period of wholesome evangelism. 
 While it will not be possible to make a me- 
 morial window in each church for all worth}- 
 church leaders, this study would not be com- 
 
and His Church 23 
 
 plete if most of them were not mentionea. 
 Even though the pupil does not put the name 
 on his church window he will have become 
 familiar with it and the next time he sees the 
 name he will recognize it as that of one of the 
 great religious leaders and will be interested 
 to know more fully about the men whom God 
 had honored by blessing his efforts. 
 
 John Wesley did not expect to organize a 
 new church but his preaching was so evangel- 
 istic that he was put out of the church of Eng- 
 land and in order to care for the increasing 
 number of his followers he was forced to 
 organize them into societies or classes which 
 finally grew so fast that he is found today to 
 be the greatest single leader of like minded 
 worshipers of Christ. 
 
 In America the Methodist church received 
 its beginning at the hands of Robert Straw- 
 bridge and Philip Embury. The latter in 1768 
 built the first Methodist church on this conti- 
 nent, where there still stands in New York 
 the John Street Methodist Church. However, 
 some contend that Strawbridge led in build- 
 ing a church at Sam's Creek, Maryland in 
 1764. 
 
 Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury were the 
 greatest leaders of the early Methodist church 
 in America. The latter became the first 
 Bishop, although Wesley ordained Coke as 
 ■''Superintendent in America" before he left 
 England for his new charge. Together these 
 two men directed the affairs of the new 
 church. A detailed study of Bishop Asbury 
 
24 The Young Churchman 
 
 should be carried out by the help of any good 
 history of Methodism. Such men as Captain 
 Webb, Freeborn Garretson, Jesse Lee, Thos. 
 Fletcher, Bishop McKendree, and Peter Cart- 
 wright merit a brief study in the class. 
 
 John Stewart, a negro, was the first mis- 
 sionary to the American Indians. It was in 
 his memory that the great Methodist Cen- 
 tenary was staged in 1919. 
 
 ''Father" Taylor, later made a bishop, is a 
 most interesting character to study in con- 
 nection with missions. His career included 
 city missions,, foreign missions and frontier 
 preaching. 
 
 Jason Lee, who with Marcus Whitman was 
 the savior of the North West, cannot well be 
 left out of the study of church growth when 
 the scope and permanent value to the church 
 through life service is considered. 
 
 Of the more recently renowed bearers of the 
 Gospel light study may be given to Bishops 
 Thoburn, Warne, Hartzell and Bashford, to 
 Isabella Thoburn, and many others whom the 
 leader may select. For general missionary in- 
 spiration Judson, Cox, Livingston, Mackay, 
 and others may be included. 
 
 Whatever is done it is not wise to hurry 
 over the study of the great leaders, though on 
 some studies where a whole lesson is not to be 
 devoted to a single life, assignments may be 
 made for reports on several lives at the next 
 meeting.* 
 
 *NoTE : A visit to nearby churches to study 
 window designs, help froin a friendly architect, or 
 
and His Church 25 
 
 Having completed the study on the window 
 making, it will add interest if patterns of both 
 the large and small windows are given out so 
 that the builder may begin to paint his designs. 
 Ordinary writing paper does very well for 
 windows. Usually several sets will be made 
 by a pupil before he is ready to lay them aside 
 for gluing in his church. Care must be taken 
 that a margin is left around each window for 
 gluing purposes. A good way is to make 
 several windows on the same piece of paper, 
 for it will be found that they are more easily 
 adjusted. In this case it will be necessary to 
 have a sample pattern of the walls ready that 
 the pupil may properly space the windows. 
 
 reference to works on architecture in the library 
 will furnish suggestions for individual designs and 
 colorings. The leader should not give out the walls 
 of the church at this period for they may be soiled. 
 If interest lags after a few lessons on this chapter 
 let the class begin home work window designing 
 with suggestions during class work. When the 
 finished windows are made they should be collected 
 by the leader and kept for future use. 
 
26 The Young Churchman 
 
 Chapter V. 
 
 THE FRAMEWORK 
 
 The foundation has been laid, the windows 
 have been ordered, and everything is in readi- 
 ness to enclose the building. The walls pro- 
 tect those within the building and hold the 
 building firm, therefore the doctrines have 
 been chosen as the walls of the church. A 
 study of these may be had from all sources in 
 any denominational reading course or study 
 book. They must be made brief, clear, and 
 important in the student's conception of his 
 church. \\'ithout going into detail, which may 
 be explained by the leader, those doctrines 
 embraced in IMethodist teaching and in which 
 her people believe are as follows : 
 
 1. We believe in one God whose nature is 
 a trinity of three persons who are of like sub- 
 stance, power, and existence (Matt. 28:19. 
 John 1:1-4). 
 
 2. We believe in Jesus Christ as the Di- 
 vine Son of God who died for our redemption 
 and arose from the dead as the Christian's 
 hope in glory (Phil. 2:6-9, John 3:16). 
 
 3. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third 
 person of the Trinity ^ given to men to convict 
 them of their stns^ to turn them towards Jesus 
 and to enlighten them in the way of holy liv- 
 ing. (The Holy Spirit is promised as a com- 
 
and His Church 27 
 
 forter, a witness, a guide, a teacher, and a 
 helper, John 14:16, 6:7-11, Acts 1:8, etc.) 
 
 4. We believe that the Bible is the word of 
 God, that it contains all things necessary t^ 
 guide men into the way of salvation and to 
 teach them to live righteously (Psa. 119:105). 
 
 5. We believe that because of man's nature 
 it is easy for him to sin and that he cannot 
 live righteously without Divine help (Romans 
 3:23,8:7-8). 
 
 6. We believe that God has given every 
 man the power of will to receive or to reject 
 Jesus as a personal Savior (John 3:16, 6:6, 
 37, Heb. 7:25). 
 
 7. We believe that every man must repent 
 in order to be saved (Matt. 4:17, Acts 3:19, 
 2:38). 
 
 8. We believe that all who repent of their 
 sins and seek Jesus as their Savior receive for- 
 giveness of sins, are made new creatures, and 
 become children of God. (Sometimes these 
 three steps are called Justification, Regenera- 
 tion, and Adoption.) (Rom. 4:23-25, 5:1, 
 8:1, I John 1 :9, John 3:3, 2 Cor. 5:17, John 
 1:12, Rom. 8:15, 16.) 
 
 9. We believe that all who become Chris- 
 tians may know that their sins are forgiven 
 and that they have become children of God 
 (Gal. 4:6, I John 4:13). 
 
28 The Young Churchman 
 
 10. We believe that all should love God 
 with their whole heart and their neighbor as 
 themselves. (This is perfect love or Santifi- 
 cation, I Thes. 5:23, Luke 10:27, I John 1:7, 
 2 Tim. 2:21-35). 
 
 11. We believe that good works cannot 
 save men yet that they please God, and are a 
 part of a Christian's duty (Eph. 2:8, 9, I Cor. 
 
 15:58). 
 
 12. We believe that when a Christian 
 ceases to honor God in holy living and returns 
 to a life of sin, he cannot enter the kingdom 
 of heaven but that he can again repent of his 
 sins and find salvation in Jesus Christ (Matt. 
 24:13, Luke 9:62, Rev. 2:10). 
 
 Bishop Mncent has summed up the beliefs 
 in what he terms ''Ten Doctrines of Grace," 
 though the beliefs presented here seem more 
 clearly to adapt the doctrinal points coexistent 
 with Methodism. The references need not. 
 for the junior mind, be memorized, but it is 
 important that the doctrines be committed to 
 memory. Plenty of time must be given for 
 this part of the study or the full meaning of 
 the Doctrinal life of Methodism will not be 
 grasped by the young churchman. "^^ 
 
 Doctor Andrew Gillies says there are but 
 five fundamental Doctrines of Methodism, 
 namely : "Free Grace," ''J^^stification by 
 Faith," "The New Birth," "The Witness of 
 the Spirit," and "Christian Perfeciton." 
 
and His Church 29 
 
 While these are included in the beliefs here 
 given there seem to be other facts which war- 
 rant the use of the above longer list. 
 
 *NoTE : The leader should be able to answer 
 questions relative to the soul's relation to its cre- 
 ator for during this doctrinal training period young 
 minds will crave satisfactory answers. 
 
 It is not wise to undertake to fold and glue the 
 walls in shape at this time though the leader may 
 let the pupils experiment by drawing walls for a 
 church during this somewhat tiresome study. 
 
 As this is perhaps the most important part of the 
 study for membership classes, do not pass over this 
 ground partly finished. 
 
30 The Young Churchman 
 
 Chapter VI 
 
 THE ROOF 
 
 When the frame work has been completed 
 the roof is put on because the roof is the part 
 of the building which protects the whole and 
 preserves its life. 
 
 The church polity or form of government is 
 that which keeps alive the doctrines peculiar 
 to any denomination so that putting on the 
 roof of the church will give an opportunity 
 to get acquainted with the mode of a church's 
 life and government. See note end of chapter. 
 
 Ministry 
 
 1. The Methodist ministry is composed 
 of Local and Traveling preachers. Local 
 preachers are men or women who are licensed 
 to preach by a Quarterly Conference, but who 
 are not members of an Annual Conference. 
 Traveling preachers are members of a con- 
 ference either "on trial" or "in full con- 
 nection." There are two classes of ordained 
 ministers, deacons, and elders. Often we hear 
 the word "supply." This includes a host of 
 good men who are either local preachers or 
 retired members of another conference doing 
 work as a resident pastor within the bounds 
 of an Annual Conference."^ 
 
 *NoTE : Permission to license women as local 
 preachers was granted by the General Conference of 
 1920 though they may not yet become members of 
 ;.n annual conference. 
 
and His Church 31 
 
 The ministry is divided in another way by 
 their field of service. The pastor has charge 
 of a church or circuit of churches. The Dis- 
 trict Superintendent presides over a district 
 and supervises the work of a given number of 
 pastors. 
 
 The Bishops are ministers elected as Gen- 
 eral Superintendents by the General Confer- 
 ence. They have supervision of a given num- 
 ber of districts and conferences within an 
 Episcopal Area. 
 
 Then there are the Supernumerary minis- 
 ters, and retired ministers. The former are 
 temporarily incapacitated for service and re- 
 leased from work. The latter are those who 
 are released from active service because of 
 permanent disability. They become claimants 
 on conference funds for support. 
 
 There are also ministers under "special" ap- 
 pointments. In this list are included Edu- 
 cators, Editors, Publishers, Secretaries of 
 Church Boards, and those in outside Christian 
 work which is endorsed by the Annual Con- 
 ference. 
 
 CONFKREJNCKS 
 
 The Quarterly Conference or Local Confer- 
 ence is the local governing body. It is com- 
 posed of Exhorters, Local Preachers, Retired 
 Preachers, Class Leaders, Unit Leaders, Stew- 
 ards, Trustees, Sunday School Superintend- 
 ents, Epworth League Presidents, Junior 
 League Superintendents, the Presidents of the 
 Women's Missionary Societies, the Ladies' 
 
32 The Young Churchman 
 
 Aid, and of Brotherhoods or other regularly 
 organized general church societies. 
 
 The District Conference, where organized, 
 is presided over by the District Superintendent 
 in the absence of a Bishop. By its action, 
 men and women are granted licenses to preach, 
 and those eligible are recommended to be re- 
 ceived on trial in the Annual Conference. 
 
 The Mission Conference is similar to the 
 Annual Conference except that its members 
 do not have the power to regulate the 
 ministry, to vote on constitutional changes, or 
 to elect delegates to the General Conference. 
 
 In the Foreign Mission Fields, by the action 
 of the General Conference, a Central Mission 
 Conference may be organized. 
 
 The Lay Electoral Conference is composed 
 of laymen elected by a church after the order 
 given in the Discipline. These laymen, elected 
 every four years, in turn elect their ratio of 
 members to the General Conference. 
 
 The Annual Conference is made up of min- 
 isterial members belonging to it by right of 
 ordination and election. It examines the 
 character of its members every year ; votes in 
 new members ; elects to orders such as deacons 
 and elders, those seeking ministerial service ; 
 expels unfit members ; looks after all minis- 
 terial support, local conference educational, 
 hospital, and other interests ; elects its dele- 
 gates to the General Conference; receives re- 
 ports from each pastoral charge or circuit ; 
 votes on all constitutional changes ; and such 
 other work as the General Conference directs. 
 
and His Church 33 
 
 A Bishop usually presides over the Annual 
 Conference, and after conferring with the Dis- 
 trict Superintendent, appoints the members 
 and supplies to their next year's work. 
 
 The General Conference, which meets every 
 four years, is the governing body of our 
 church. It is composed of an equal number 
 of laymen and members of the Annual Con- 
 ferences. 
 
 The General Conference receives reports 
 from all Boards and Societies formed and 
 recognized by it. It makes all the laws of the 
 church and when ratified by the action of the 
 Annual Conferences it may change the consti- 
 tution of the church. 
 
 The General Conference elects the Bishops, 
 the Publishing Agents, the Book Committee, 
 Editors, General Secretaries, and such other 
 officers as desired by action of its members."^ 
 
 As the ministers are responsible to the An- 
 nual Conference of which they are members^ 
 so the Bishops and other elected general 
 officers are responsible to the General Con- 
 ference for their actions and work during the 
 quadrennium. 
 
 *NoTE : It will be well for the leader to become 
 familiar with the whole branch of ministerial in- 
 terests for pupils will ask all manner of questions 
 about their pastor's relations to the church, both 
 past and future. The leader should also study his 
 discipline and be thoroughly familiar with the 
 polity of his church before he attempts to conduct 
 the study of this chapter which has been purposely 
 treated very briefly. There is no handwork necesr 
 sary for this chapter's study as the roof will be 
 fitted after the rest of the church is completed. 
 
34 The Young Churchman 
 
 Chapter VII 
 
 THE STEPS, DOOR, BELL AND 
 STEEPLE 
 
 1. The Steps: 
 
 Prayer is the first step into the Christian 
 Hfe, hence the first step into the church Hfe 
 should be by sincere prayer. Prayer rightly 
 represents the steps over which one should go 
 as he progresses in soul experience through 
 the church life, therefore, the pupil stands 
 ready now to add the steps to the building 
 through committing the following selected 
 prayer verses: Jer. 33:3, Matt. 26:41, Phil. 
 4:6, Mark 11:22-24, John 15:7.* 
 
 2. The Door: 
 
 David said **I was glad when they said, 'Let 
 us go into the house of the Lord,' " Psa. 
 122:1. The door is the way to the "house of 
 the Lord." Jesus said : "I am the door, by 
 Me if any man enter in he shall be saved, and 
 shall go in and out and shall find pasture" 
 (John 10:9). This is the door to salvation: 
 Heaven; the Abundant Life; Happiness; 
 
 *Norii: After an elementary study of prayer the 
 pupil may be given the steps of his church to glue 
 and fold ready to set against his finished building. 
 The use of some good glue is preferable as library 
 paste is not strong enough to be of the best service 
 for this work. Great pains will be needed in fold- 
 ing and shaping the steps. Fold correctly each step 
 of the pattern and advise the pupil to let the glue 
 partly dry before attempting to make it stick. 
 
and His Church 35 
 
 Love ; Holy Living, and Peace Among 2^1 en. 
 The pupil should try to build these facts in 
 his life as he fits the door in the building, re- 
 membering always that the door of the church 
 leads into the fellowship of the Holy Spirit 
 and the children of God.* 
 
 3. The Bell: 
 
 It is to be regretted that this generation has 
 gotten quite generally past the day of the 
 church bell. Every time the church bell rings 
 many are reminded of the days when they at- 
 tended church and worshiped God. In this 
 church at least, be old fashioned enough to 
 put in a bell and to build a spire. The bell 
 rings out as a warning (Mark 8:36), and an 
 invitation from God (Isa. 1:18), from His 
 Son (Matt. 11:28), and through the Spirit 
 (Rom. 10:13. Rev. 22:17. 2 Cor. 6:2).-* 
 
 *NoTE : The pupil may be given a pattern of the 
 door so that he can try various ways of making a 
 pleasing effect. Some prefer to make diagonal lines ; 
 others, panels for decorating, while some want to 
 inscribe the words which they learned in the 
 study of the door. If the upper part is made of 
 paper like the windows light will show through when 
 a candle is placed within. The doors may be glued 
 on, either before or after the foundation. 
 
 **NoTE : The pupil may either draw pictures of 
 a bell for each window of the belfry or as many' 
 prefer he may purchase a small mission bell which 
 can be suspended from the steeple so that it hangs 
 in full view from the outside. 
 
36 
 
 4. The Steeple: 
 
 The steeple points to God who says : "My 
 thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my 
 ways your ways, saith Jehovah" (Isa. 55:8). 
 Yet it should be the purpose in entering into 
 fellowship with Him through church member- 
 ship to make His ways the way of every soul. 
 May the spire not only point each to the ways 
 of God but to Heaven, the home of the re- 
 deemed who die in the lord.* 
 
 *\ote: After the steeple has been folded and 
 glued the foundation can be glued in place; the 
 back part of the tower can be put on ; the steeple 
 base can be added ; and when all is folded and 
 squared by stiffening on the inside of the building, 
 the roof can be added and the steps fitted. In clos- 
 ing the study have a public demonstration and re- 
 ward the one having the best completed structure. 
 
 Note: Cut-out churches bearing on the 
 outline of this book may be purchased from 
 the Spanish American Institute Press, Gar- 
 dena, California, for 25c each. If several 
 sets are ordered at once color combinations 
 will be made up so that the color of the 
 church will differ from that of the roof. etc. 
 Window and foundation coloring can then 
 be made to harmonize. 
 
 Enough cut-out churches should be ordered 
 so th'it each member of the class will have 
 one, but the leader should keep the churches 
 -nd give out the parts only as directed by 
 'he footnotes. 
 
It 
 
 ItliV 
 
 
 
b \Or 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF CAUFORNIA LIBRARY