(The following is an editorial from the "Messenger of Peace, "of February 1, 1915.)

We wish to assure our brother that our delay in writing has not been because we thought the subject of little importance, nor from indifference to his request, but because we felt the subject needed a serious and careful treatment; and when we picked up our list of requests from brethren to write on subjects, tffought, Well, sometime we shall feel more like treating on this subject as it deserves, and so laid the request aside. We cannot say that this will be the time we can write on this subject as it deserves, but at least we can realize the importance of the matter, and perhaps will lead some members to think on the course they have been pursuing, and if they have not shown the interest in the church they ought to have done, to try to amend their ways so as to show a brother's love and act a brother's part.

In the church of Christ when a member is received he is on a level in obligation with all other members of the church, so far as membership can lay an obligation. The gifts of God may lay on some members heavier duties than fall to the lot of most of the members, but these duties are not the result of just having membership. No one is obliged to preach because he is a member of the church. Nor must he take upon himself the work of the deacon just because he has become a member of the church. These duties are not laid on all the members, but only on those who have been called to them, as were those under the old dispensation called to wait especially on the tabernacle. When the church sees one whom she believes to be specially gifted to fill any office, it is her business to take the matter up and set the member over the business that God has qualified him to do. But there are duties that come with membership, and which are universal, and which are laid upon all the members alike. One does not have to have a special gift that he may attend the regular meetings of the church. This duty comes with church membership, and falls on all the members alike. We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. True, there may be conditions that may excuse a member from attending the meetings of the church. If he is sick and unable to attend; if there is a real providential hindrance, which should only be made to include those matters which are beyond the control of the member, then it may be impossible to be at the place of meeting at the appointed time. But it would not be sufficient excuse to say that it required some sacrifice of time and money, for that sacrifice is conceded when one asks for membership. Members who desire to hold the confidence of their brethren should be careful not to offer excuses which are trivial. When brethren see that the excuses offered are trivial, and that proper interest in the church, and a little effort, would have removed the obstacle, they begin to think that this brother's interest in the church is not what it ought to be. As for instance, if one should offer the excuse that he did not feel well; and then it is seen that when he feels no better than he did that day, he can go to town, or be about his work; it is reasoned that if he felt more interest in the church he would come if he did not feel the best. If there is a hindrance that could have been gotten out of the way by proper management during the week, it shows lack of interest, and this serves to break down the confidence that the church would like to feel in every member.

A person may reason all he will that a failure to take his place with other members of the church does not affect his religion, but there is one thing that it does affect, and that very quickly, too; it affects the expectation of other members as to his being a strength to the church, or of his standing shoulder to shoulder with other members in sustaining the church. As before said, there are conditions that will be recognized as forming a good and sufficient excuse for not being at the meetings, but "framed up" excuses more often mislead the individual who offers them than they do the other members, and they certainly serve to lower the brother or sister who offers them in the estimation of the church and the world as well.

A brother wrote us not long since, saying that one of the most serious menaces to the progress of the church now was the neglect of attendance among the members, because so much of it was for the reason that members let their worldly affairs keep them away from the church. Even when members stay away from the Sunday services it is because in many cases they have worked so hard during the week that they do not "feel like" making the effort to get to church. They had not taken into account that next Sunday was meeting day, and then determined to arrange to be there; but had let other affairs so engage them as to leave neither time nor life for the meeting. This is a grievous sin. When membership was asked in the church, it carried with it the obligation to make every effort to keep up the services of the church.

Suppose a brother were to present himself for membership, and the question were put to him, "Will you make all proper effort to keep up the services of the church?" And he should reply that it would be a secondary matter with him; that he would attend services when it did not interfere with his worldly affairs, nor require too much effort or sacrifice; but if he could work, or could visit some friend or be visited, or did not just feel like making the effort to get to the place of meeting, he would not feel that he had violated his obligation. How would the church feel about receiving him? Would the church be glad to receive such a member? Would they not hang like a weight upon the church? If we manifest that same disposition, and the church were made of such as we are, could it continue its services?

The brother said, in his letter to us, "They come in, and it is cold, and find the house swept and warmed up nicely, but they never ask, 'How was this done? or who did it?'" This presents another phase of the church obligation, and that is meeting the expenses of the church.
It is truly astonishing how little thought some members do manifest about the expenses of the church. They must know, if they think about it at all, there is a constant expense, and they must also know that some one pays this expense.
They must know that if they are able to help, and do not do so, some other member is carrying a burden that they ought to help carry. Of course if they are too poor to help, no one expects them to do so; but even then, they ought to show a sensitiveness about such things, for it wins the confidence of their brethren to feel that if they had something to help with, they would do so. But for those who are in as good circumstances as other brethren, members who have to meet the expenses, (for this is a matter that some one just has to attend to), and then to manifest no disposition to bear equal burdens with others, is a spirit that shows a disregard for the obligation that was assumed when they obtained membership. It may be this is sometimes the lack of thought, but for thoughtlessness like this there can be no excuse. If someone came to their home, sat down to eat and enjoy the comforts of the home, without contributing anything to its upkeep, they would soon resent it. Then why should they take membership in a church, partaking of its privileges and consolation, and not bear an equal share of the expenses according to their ability? And they ought not to wait to be asked to join in this work. The church belongs to them as much as it does to other members; and its obligations, as much as it privileges, belong to them. They ought to be making it their business to know how this expense is to be met, instead of the deacon having to come to them, and ask if they do not feel like they can help some. It is his business to receive and disburse the funds of the church under its direction, but it is not his business to beg, nor to put the expenses of the church on the charity list. Instead of wondering, "how they are getting along, meeting expenses," they should ask, "how are we getting along meeting our obligations?"

Then there are those members who do not attend the meetings regularly; some of them possibly because they cannot get to the church from justifiable causes, but who are as well able as other members to assist in meeting the expenses of the church. We are glad to say, that some of these are careful to pay in a fair share toward keeping the church up but there are others who never send anything for that purpose. If they were to be at a meeting they would help, but if they are not there they seem to feel that their absence absolves them from all obligation. How they can feel this way, if they really do, is a mystery! They must know that the expenses of the church go on whether they are there or not, and that those who are keeping up the meetings by making the necessary sacrifice to be there, and another sacrifice to meet the expenses, are making sacrifices that they are not. To meet the members of our church as brethren indeed, we ought not to be willing to let them carry what we ought to carry. Members of the church who are situated so that they cannot attend the meetings should find out by writing to the deacons if they are bearing their part of the expenses. They should not wait for the deacon, or anyone else, to write to them about it; they should manifest an interest by keeping themselves informed about the church.

With the expenses of the church should be reckoned what the church is able to do for the pastor. They who do not attend the meetings are under obligation to help keep up the ministration of the gospel in the church. There is no plainer duty laid out in the New Testament than this. They should not only contribute in this direction, but they should interest themselves with the other members in knowing what is done, that they may come to a conclusion whether they are doing their duty or not, and whether the whole church is doing what is reasonable and right. Ever so much more could be said on this subject, but perhaps we have said enough to make those think who want to think. Those who do not want to know their duty, for fear they will have to do it, are hopeless as lively members. But they who want to do right by the church, and by the rest of the members, should think, think, and keep on thinking how they ought to do that they may do what is right; and then not take it all out in thinking, think right out loud, so that all the church may know what you are thinking, and it will contribute to their confidence in you if they know that you are doing as well as thinking. Let no one say, "Well, that cuts me out, for I am too poor to give." We have not said one word that can be rightly construed to mean that they who are not able should do what they are not able to do. If you know that the Lord knows you are not able to help, and that there are plenty of those who are able to keep the church up, there will be no one harder on you than your own conscience if you will let it speak. But if you are able to do but little, as compared to what others are able to do, then you are as much under obligation to do that little as the more able ones are to do what they are able to do. But it is not so much a matter of ability as it is of willingness, and that of being really interested in the welfare of the church. We cannot close without asking all who read this to consider well these questions: If you are a church member, do you realize that this means obligation? as well as privilege? Are you considering these obligations, and trying to discharge them with a thankful heart for the mercies and blessings that have been bestowed upon you?