The following pages contain the substance of the opening sermon preached by Rev. S. G. Yahn, of Mount Pleasant, Pa., before the West Pennsylvania Eldership of the churches of God, at New Brighton, Pa., Oct. 5, 1899,

      The interest aroused among those who heard it was such that many requests were made for its publication. And now, that all may see the importance of teaching and indoctrinating converts and that the ministry of the churches of God in the United States may be in harmony in the teaching of the Scriptures; and that the laity may be united in receiving and practicing the same, this little volume is sent forth on its mission.

WM. H. GUYER. [3]      

      "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 8:19, 20. R. V.

      This is the preacher's commission. He is commissioned to do three things: 1. To "make disciples." 2. To baptize them. 3. To teach them. The results of such work among "the nations" will appear in regeneration, baptism, and spiritual development: for true teaching is the proper directing of one's growth.

      This is the church's mission, as well as the preacher's commission. Omitting baptism, we have remaining the evangelizing and the teaching functions of the church and her ministry.

      Some churches neglect the first, and unduly exalt the second. The new birth and experimental religion are nothing, the catechism and confirmation are everything. We charge them with formalism and a lack of the spirituality that comes with a new heart. Other churches neglect the teaching function, and depend chiefly upon the revival agency. They are charged with having an emotional and superficial religion, resulting in multitudes of backsliders.

      The danger lies in both extremes, and the proper plan is to give to both the evangelizing and the teaching functions of the church the necessary share of thought and effort. And inasmuch as we cannot consider both at this hour, I shall direct your thought solely to the teaching function of the churches of God, believing that [5] we are more inclined to neglect this than we are to neglect the work of making disciples. Several hundred conversions and additions to the churches have been reported each year, but a comparison of our numerical strength to-day with that of a quarter of a century ago fails to show a proportionate increase in permanent growth. The fact is, our converts have not been thoroughly taught and established in the faith, and some have gone into other churches, and many have gone back into sin. If we would hope for better permanent results in the future, we must give more attention to this neglected part of our work.

      Let us consider,

      (a.) For the sake of the convert. His conversion is but the beginning. It is his enrollment, not his graduation. The soul's education implies its fullest possible development. This culture, found at the feet of Jesus, and not simply regeneration, is the one thing needful. Unless the convert receives this, and the strength, usefulness and happiness that come with it, he will turn again into sin and his last state will be worse than the first.

      (b.) For the sake of the church. Spiritual declension is demoralizing to a church. When children are not properly fed, clothed, and fitted for useful lives, their coming into the world is of no advantage to either the child or the family. So with converts and the church. The undeveloped and unused members are often a reproach, and always a hindrance. "It takes six live men to carry one dead man."

      (c.) For the sake of Christ. Just as strong, true [6] Christians are an honor to Jesus, so weak, inconsistent ones are a dishonor. Thus Christ's worst foes are in his own household. Quality rather than quantity should be our highest object in seeking to strengthen the churches.

      The importance of the teaching function of our churches is equalled only by its difficulties. It is more difficult than the work of making disciples. This is due,

      (a.) To the character of the instruction. The sinner needs but few doctrines, These are such as are generally believed, and a little teaching often results in conversion. But once in the church, the convert must be taught "all things." Many of these things are new and high, touching all the relations of life, and the teaching thereof requires the work of years.

      (b.) To the character of the converts. Many overrate conversion, thinking that they then receive enough to carry them "in through the gates into the city." They know Christ as a Savior, but never learn to know him as a Master to whom submissive obedience is due.

      Many lack stability. A willingness to begin and a failure to finish is a characteristic of human nature. They are not only unstable in religious matters, but they move from place to place. Thus converts go away soon after becoming members of the church, and other persons come into the community and are converted the following season. This condition of things makes evangelizing easier, but teaching harder.

      (c.) To the indifference of the church. The best season of the year, special meetings, and ministerial help are a part of the plan for saving souls, but not for training them. The successful evangelist is praised, the [7] faithful pastor is forgotten. Many church members who help in revivals to get converts, do not help in prayer-meetings and elsewhere to keep them. A cold, formal church is a convert's worst enemy.

      (d.) To the inefficiency of the ministry. Many ministers are not, as Paul says a bishop should be, "apt to teach." Nor are they willing to study that they may become capable. The pulpit has many exhorters to move sinners, but only a few teachers to edify saints.

      Other ministers are hindered by frequent changes. A new man may be as able as his predecessor to preach to sinners, but not to teach the converts of previous years, of whose attainments and characteristics he knows nothing. Churches that look chiefly to revival agencies for their success, change pastors frequently; churches that depend more upon teaching, have long pastorates. This indicates that a new man is better for the work of evangelizing, but not for the teaching of the church. Hence, I argue for longer pastorates in the churches of God, that we may be strengthened wherein we are weak--in the teaching function.

      We cannot hold our people unless we teach and establish them in the doctrines and ordinances of the New Testament. These are not obeyed and observed by our churches to the extent that they ought to be. The growing sentiment that finds its expression in the familiar remark that, "One church is just as good as another," has a tendency to disparage distinctive doctrines. This is unfortunate, for he who belongs to a church on any other than doctrinal grounds is a source of anxiety and annoyance. Moreover, we are more likely to be injured by this liberal sentiment than the larger religious bodies. They can stand on a numerical, social, or financial basis. In these things they are our superiors. But we must stand, if at all, solely on the truth. We have clearly [8] defined doctrines for which we stand. Unless we teach these truths until they find a firm place in the hearts of our people, we cannot hope to survive. Nor is there any other reason why we should survive.

      If this is our important and difficult work, we shall do well to consider,

      Unless each officer in the army has his own commission, confusion and defeat will follow instead of order and victory.

      The apostles were, in some respects, different from the preachers of to-day. They were men who had seen and heard the Lord; they were inspired men whose mission was to give the New Testament doctrines to the world; they were given the power to work miracles, and to confer this power upon others. These differences raise the presumption that they had a different commission. So we find it, in Matt. 10:1-8:--

      "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. . . . These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give."

      The principal difference between this commission and that of the text is in the matter of miracles. The [9] purpose of New Testament miracles was to establish the Christian dispensation by revealing God, Christ, and the divine authority of their doctrines. Matt. 11:2-5; John 5:36; 10:22-25; 20:30-31; Acts 14:3. Hence, we naturally believe that miracles ceased when this purpose was accomplished, or shortly after the last apostle's death. For while the apostles could impart the miracle-working power by the laying on of hands, the persons thus receiving it could not impart it to others. Philip, the deacon, could work miracles in Samaria, but Peter and John, the apostles, had to go down from Jerusalem to impart this special gift of the Holy Ghost to his converts. It was this power that Simon wanted to buy. The power to work miracles himself, he might have received along with the other converts. But he wanted the ability to impart this power to others. Acts 8:5-24. He sought in vain, for the ability to impart the miracle-working power belonged, in God's wisdom, solely to the apostles. Hence, when the last apostle died, probably John, about A. D. 100, the ability to impart the miracle-working power ceased. And when the last one upon whom this power had been conferred died, probably A. D. 150, the day of miracles ceased. Christianity was then established in the world. Since then the written record of miracles takes the place of visible miracles. To ask for their repetition now, is to discredit the Bible. Miracles were Christ's credentials. Those of us who came into the world too late to see Christ present his credentials in person, can go to the record and be convinced of their genuineness.

      "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." John 20:30-31. [10]

      It is but fair to mention, that Mark's record connects miracle-working with the last commission. Mark 16:15-20. Of this two things should be said:--First, That according to the two oldest Greek manuscripts this part of the record is an interpolation. It was the work, not of Mark, but of a scribe, perhaps in the second century. Dr. Adam Clarke says that Mark's Gospel "has suffered more by the carelessness and inaccuracy of transcribers than any of the others."

      "The great majority of modern scholars are agreed," says F. W. Christie, M. A., "that with the eighth verse of this chapter the genuine work of St. Mark comes abruptly to an end, and that the twelve verses which follow are an addition by another hand in the earliest sub-apostolic age." Second, That if this promise was ever given in this connection, it was fulfilled in the days of the apostles and then ceased; for since then these signs have not followed believers. True, some of these things, such as healing the sick seem even now to follow believers. No one disputes the statement that some are healed by the so-called religious faith cure. But it is equally true that others are being cured by hypnotism, Christian Science, sacred relics and the incantations of those who even reject Christianity. If, through the undue excitement of fear, despair, or anger certain diseases may be produced, as has been demonstrated time and again, it is but natural that recovery should come through the excitement of the opposite emotions of faith, hope. and love. And while a religious ceremony is the easiest way to stimulate faith, hope and love, it is not the only way, and hence this healing power cannot be confined to religion.

      All healing is by power that originates with God, and he should have the glory. The difference is one of methods. If some are so constituted that they can be healed by the power of mind over body, we need not [11] object. But let us not teach faith cure as a part of our commission, thus confining it to Christianity, when like cures are performed by men of the world. And let us not speak of it as "a miracle," or as "divine," when it is but the legitimate effect of a natural cause, and miraculous only to those who cannot understand it, as is the electric car to the child who cannot understand the cause that produces the effect of motion. And above all, let us not teach that those who seek health by asking God's blessing on a course of medicine are one whit less loyal to the Lord.

      But what of the other signs that "shall follow them that believe?" Let those who claim that they are healing the sick as the apostles did, "cast out devils"; drink poison with impunity; tread upon and fondle serpents without harm; restore the lost limb; raise the dead; and we shall hail it as the old-time power. If we handle this commission at all, we must, to be consistent, obey it all. If you omit one thing, and I omit another, of what worth is the commission?

      What, then, shall we do? Adhere to our proper commission as found in the text. It commands three things, which completely cover our work. Anything more we have never been commissioned to do. Such an adherence to our instructions from heaven will make our teaching clear and complete.

      We are not of the apostles, nor of the prophets whom God set "in the church." They were not permanent. Nor have we the temporary gifts which God set in the church and which Paul said should "cease, and be done away." But we have what he declared to be the "more excellent" gifts of faith, hope and love, that "abideth" forever. A foreign missionary when asked if he believed that the days of miracles were passed, said: "If God were to give me the power to work miracles on the body, I [12] should say, 'Lord, grant to me, instead of that, the miracle of a holy life.'" If we cannot have all gifts, we can rejoice that we have "the best gifts." He who said, "All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth;" and who therefore has the sole right to commission men to preach, has sent us forth with the power of mind to preach a pure gospel, and the power of heart to live a pure life. More than this we do not need.

      The next condition of success is,

      For this Paul pleads. Eph. 4:13. He cautions us against being "carried about with every wind of doctrine," declaring that there is, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." As an Eldership we have one Lord, and one baptism, but we do not always have one faith. And one faith is just as important as one Lord, and one baptism. But what is our faith? "The New Testament," says one, "is our rule of faith and practice." Yes, but other religious bodies say the same. How shall we distinguish? Our Testaments are all the same, and yet there are differences between us. The fact is, that a church's creed is what she believes to be the teachings of the word of God. Therefore, our rule of faith and practice is our interpretations of Bible doctrines, as they have been preached and published, sanctioned and sold by authority of the General Eldership.

      We may honestly differ as to what the New Testament teaches, but we cannot differ as to what the churches of God have taught since their first organization in the United States. With this we are all familiar. One may believe that the Bible teaches divine healing without the use of medicine; another that the Scriptures teach the doctrine of sanctification as an instantaneous [13] work of grace subsequent to regeneration; but they cannot be ignorant of the fact that these teachings are not in harmony with the teachings of the churches of God in the United States as a body: hence such teachers may think themselves in harmony with the Bible, but they cannot regard themselves in harmony with the Eldership to whose interests they have pledged their loyalty. All ministers are fallible. So is an Eldership. But a fallible Eldership is a better authority than a fallible Elder, inasmuch as the whole is greater than any one of its parts. With this superior authority an Eldership rightfully establishes and sanctions usages and doctrines to which those who compose the body must conform so long as they remain in its fellowship.

      This is the only true scriptural unity. Without a "unity of the faith," we are but a mere federation of churches. "United we stand, divided we fall." Herein wavers the hope of our churches. Unless we are united in doctrine, we are divided. Unless we teach the same things, one builds and another destroys. The builder of to-day has a heavy heart, for his structure is likely to be leveled by his successor of to-morrow.

      When the early church was perplexed with different doctrines, the questions were submitted to a council of "the apostles and elders" at Jerusalem. The questions were decided, and to this decision the churches and preachers were expected to conform. And we read that Paul and Timothy, "as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily." Acts 15:1-32; 16:4-5.

      Such co-operation and teaching will always bring success. Brethren, I "exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto [14] the saints." Let us "preach the word" in such a manner that our people may be "righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."

      This is the third condition of success in our work as teachers. We are to teach "whatsoever" he has commanded us--no more, no less. This instruction is in the Bible. May the spirit of the Master give us diligence in the study of God's precious word, and cause us to sit at the feet of the great Teacher of teachers.

      Buddha, when about to die, said to his followers: "Your teacher you will no longer have, but I will leave you my teachings." Jesus, when about to ascend, said to his followers: "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." We have his teachings in his Book. We have a personal acquaintance with the Author. And better still, we have the Author with us, in the person of the Holy Spirit, to explain his own Book. May the Spirit guide us "into all truth."

      More than three thousand years ago Moses stood on Mount Horeb before the burning bush and received from God his commission to lead a nation out of bondage. His heart was faint. But when God said, "Certainly I will be with thee," he went forth and success attended him. More than fifteen hundred years later the apostles stood on Mount Olivet and received a commission to preach deliverance to an enslaved world. The promise of the Lord's presence was again made and fulfilled, and multitudes were saved. [15]

      These instances remind you of a time in other years when with "clean hands, and a pure heart" you ascended "into the hill of the Lord," and stood "in his holy place." There you received your commission to preach, coupled with the precious promise of his presence. That promise has never failed, and it never will. Success has attended your efforts in other years, and the same presence will insure success in the years to come. Be faithful, and the churches of God will grow in numbers and power, and our work in the past will be but the beginning of our mission in the world.

      The nations are still in bondage. It is their privilege to be free. "Preach deliverance to the captives." Teach converts, that they may be "rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith." "Be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."

[TFCG 1-16]

      The electronic version of S. G. Yahn's The Teaching Function of the Churches of God has been transcribed from a copy of the printed text. Thanks to Jean Leathers, Archivist of the Churches of God Historical Society and Museum, for lending a copy of the pamphlet for this purpose.

      Pagination has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 3:      Mount Pleasant, Pa. [ Mount Pleasant, Pa.,
 p. 5:      Matt 8:19,20. [ Matt. 8:19, 20.
 p. 6:      (a) For [ (a.) For
 p. 8-9:    denned [ defined
 p. 12:     devils;" [ devils";
 p. 13:     earth;" [ earth";
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 30 August 1997.
Updated 17 July 2003.