"Does the Methodist Church teach holiness?"
"John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church," said Mr. Jones, "taught holiness, and sanctification subsequent to regeneration. But we do not preach much on that subject now."
"What I am thinking about," said Robert, "is this: I am longing for a real church home, where I can feel at one with, and in fellowship with real Christians. Pastor Jones, there are so many professing Christians who are Christians only in name. I cannot fellowship them. They engage in questionable practices; they are dishonest and tricky; they use bad language; and their bent is more toward pleasure than religion. My soul really craves a church home. Can you offer me such where I shall have the fellowship I crave?"
"We need just such members as you and Mrs. Davis would be, Mr. Davis," said Pastor Jones. "Many of our members are not spiritual. I have tried to arouse them, but it seems in vain, but if we had more members like you, we should have a spiritual church. Old Mother Piercy claims sanctification, and there are three or four who are praying members."
"I will pray about it, Mr. Jones," said Robert.
On the next day, Mr. Percy Johnson visited them on the same mission, and on the day following, Mr. Claude Perkins came. To them, Robert replied much as he did to Mr. Jones. All of them deplored the lack of vital godliness in their churches and bewailed the lack of spirituality among their numbers. It was a fact that on prayer meeting nights very few persons were out to either of their churches. On the outside, Robert could discern little difference between the various denominations. He had learned that they held different doctrines, and had different schemes of government, but as to the real church life, the heart and soul of them, he saw little difference. He was about to decide to join by casting lots, when something providentially started his mind along another line of thinking.
Robert Davis suddenly bethought himself of the new religious paper. Those words which he read when he first saw a copy stood out before him again:
"A Definite, Heart-Searching, Non-Sectarian
Religious Weekly
Published in the Interests of
THE CHURCH OF GOD."
"Mary," Robert suddenly said to his wife, "there is beginning to form in my mind an idea of what a church ought to be. I suppose that text in the Acts that you read this morning for worship, and that religious paper, are responsible for it. These words paint a beautiful picture:
"'And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of these things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.'