A Hard Church To Join

A negro had applied repeatedly for membership to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Burlington, United States. Bishop Hall was not satisfied that the negro’s state of soul justified admission, so he kept delaying the matter.

At last he advised the applicant to pray that his spiritual condition might improve.

After doing so, he made a new application. The bishop told him: “Well, Erastus, have you prayed as I told you to?”

“Yes, indeedy suh; I done prayed an’ I done told de Lawd I wants to jine St. Paul’s Church, an’ de Lawd He says to me: ‘Good luck, Rastus; I been trying to jine dat Church fo’ twenty years mahse’f.’

That reminds me of the possibility of the Lord Jesus being outside the church. That is the teaching of Rev. 3:20—Jesus is outside the church, knocking on the door.

There are some places of worship where all there is of the presence of God is what you take yourself. Jesus will only enter where He is invited.  Have you invited Him in?