The Church is worse than as ‘sounding brass’, it is as silent brass and an untinkling cymbal, unless the individuals that belong to it recognise God’s meaning in making them His children, and do their best to fulfill it.  ‘Ye are my witnesses,’ saith the Lord.  You are put into the witness-box; see that you speak out when you are there.

Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: Second Corinthians, Galatians, and Philippians… — notes on 1 Thessalonians 1.8