The Ohio Independent Baptist, September 1969

THE SERMON TASTER or the RELIGIOUS HOBO Jeremiah addressed a very blunt iuestion to hi countrymen: ' 'Why ;addest rhou about so much to change hy way?' ' ( Jeremiah 2: 36). A later -Iebrew patriot spoke a similar repri– nand: 'Ephraim also is like a silly love, without heart· they call to Egypt, hey go to Assyria' ) (Hosea 7: 11). For trade purposes certain people ire employed as tea tasters. It is 1 uite evident that some practical pur– >ose can be served by one whose >alate is so sensitive as to test dis– :riminatingly samples of a particular ood or drink. This more than hints 1t the aim of this discussion. There 1as risen to prominence in the re1ig– ous world a species of church mem– )er who is "a sermon taster." All of 1is energies are expended in man- 1ing a circuit to observe the order tnd performance of undry ahurches 1nd pastor s . To him, virtue lies in the 1umber and variety of pulpiteers he ~an hear within the span orf a year. i\lso the list of churches whose mem– ,ership records his name has so 1obly graced. A man bore testimony n our hearing recently that he had >een a Presbyterian, then a Baptist, 1nd then a azarene. Were he a rare ~xample of a common one, no atten– ion would be necessary. o church can be dee] ared the ~ole proprietor of blessed fellowship 1nd sound preaching. There are many ,laces to obtain soul food and find )pportunity, in as ociation with other :,eliever , for the employment of one's ~ifts. However, there is much to be >aid in objection to the church tramp ind nibbler of conflicting doctri nes. It is written of a ble ed man: 'H e )hall be like a tree planted ," not ike a Jog floating. Food For Thought! A tl1ei n1 ne\ 1 er co111po d , sy111- phon}' · ' er painted ,1 n1a terpiec . e 1 er di p lied a fl:ar. e er l1c .. led di ea . e,,er ga,,e J ac of n1i11d. e,, r dri d a tear. ev r e t, bli h d pl1ilanti1ropy. 1, , r g 1 e an int'") li– nt n v.. er to th ,,a t Jll)'St f)' f • tl1 e,, r ga , n e ning t 01an' n art 11 . (:),,er t,uilt a p ace u] "'orld. J , r l>uilt n 11 uri11g i iliz ti n. - ·,c..·opie fl by Dr. Earl G. Griffith ote some evident things in our friend the Gad-abouts. First, they give proof of an unconquered deprav– ity. If the doctrine of depravity needed final proof, it would be fully pro– vided by tho e people who cannot su tain a church relation hip or sit under the in truction of one preacher. I rael vi it to Egypt were a testi– mony of the urviving trait of the pa t. Dr. Earl G. Griffith Second, uch a spirit displays super– ficiality. The reader will have met ome student who e training came from mixed ource . He i the product of an a ortment of chool and teacher . U ually uch po es the minimum of genuine cholar hip. In fact a lack of d epth load to wander– lu t. David' ~trong n1en \\ ere tho e who ta)ed with him in fi,lir and fot1l weather. he writer \\.a ., approachcJ at the church door by a ) ot1ng la(l) \\rho aid: "I attended a U nitar1an erv1ce thi\ n1orning, and hd\ e C\.)fil\! to hear yot1 tonight." tier f,tce l1e poke a n1ind de "'erted ()f all J) )\\'~r l(l think. Want of ingrained lovalt\ 1 both to ., ., per o n and principle i al o a mark of these globe trotter~. I rael began to eek coun el and help from ur– rounding nations only after the heart of the people \\ a turned from God. A \.e tigate of lo)·alty· to Chri t and H i \Vorld \\ 1 111 keep an) one from deserting a church v.:ith a go pel program. Ho~· i an ailment uch as tlru (fraught as it i 'with o n1uch injury to ound, con tructi,·e cht1rch \\ ork. as \Vell a ~ ith danger to the \ ictim of the weakne s) to be remed1 d~ Let churches in i t upon tability. concen– tration, and continuation . a funda– n1ental to piritual progre . \\'arn people of the illine of for- aking an e tabli hed church for the late t faddi t \\ ho de cend upon the con1munit). \\' ithhold pla and pec– ial pron1inence from tho e \\ ho. figt1rati\ely peaking. ha\ e fought o n1any battle in other land . Keep th adn1ini trati\ e ff ice f the cht1rch for uch people are \\ illing to .. f 1r t be proved.' ' Abo, e all let the n1ice know that if they go no ing fron1 one chee to another the\ \\ ill t1ltin1atel, 1 ~ ~ wear a \\Jire collar n t ea it,, lln- ., buttoned. Let ti get beneath th\; 1 ad of ot1r churchc . and \\ ith ~111 rhe \trength d 1 v in e grace 11 pp l 1 ~ 1 if t ll n t 1 l J e ti, con1e\. n, feather c.1n hlo\v t 111e ~ ne\\ \pot for a n1on1cnt\'.\ rcpt1 e ie,1ther i\ a p r "' n1bt1l t I J l h 1, t1,1n. hcltt!\ er t\ ,l ,tc,n~: · 't c .. tl \.' ,1\ It\ e} \ ~ l l) 11 t! ~ ~l re l1 ll ti l ll () a p 1 1 l lJ, l ht)t1,c " .. r gt!t fatls. '>1 ..ln l 111 \ ur \.\ 11 pat "h ")f lentil.. ~•n l dcfe11 I it . l~c a captain, 11 t ~1 ,,, ar I. If ltit fc111a11 Is i11k \\ itl1 111~ l1ip. "'\\ 1 l1) ,l .. ltl lt;st tl1 )tl al) tit '. ' t, Write I or fre copy of M SSAGE TO #S,RAEl with radio log , Founde r oulson Sheph rd • Bo 'Y 01 k 117 2 P MB R, 1969