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About Christian herald. (Portland ;) 1882-18?? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 1882)
N® '1 il CHBISTIA » fact is based oiir plea for Christian hhibh. Ntrtt If Urb in the New Testament “ Church of Christ,” as freely admitted, and this same X I scribe us alone as an organization, then in every Sitbh bahte llib jihrase 4< Clitirch bf Christ ” is Used in a inere restricted ahd sectarian sense, and the fchtirch thiis adiijAihg ahd Uslhg it becomes a sectarian church »-just to that extent. We have-no right to wrest "words and phrases from their proper connection ami Scriptural meaning and restrict thehi a use unknown to the word of God. We can hold on to lucre names and Scripture forms of expression and still become secta- • rians. It is not so much the use of words and phrases themselves as theii4 cdifrently accepted, 'meaning that constitutes sectarianism. I t is bail enough when we are sometimes compelled by the force of circum stance to use nam.es in a restricteil ami unauthorized sense; Inti for a convention to adopt sU’cli a use by which we aixi to be always known, we think is without excuse. 2. When we come to look into the New Testament Scriptures, we find that the church is to be known by different names. The question of the name of the church has been settled from the Very beginning,and that too by the inspiration of God. What need we then to attempt to legislate in this matter ? Now see- ing that the church is to be known by a number of names if we shall adopt one to the exvlUsioh of the rest, we endeavor to liecome wise above what is written, and to set up our knowledge against the posi tive legislation of God. If God in- tenled that his church should be uniformly known by one name, then why has he given to it more than one { We should accept all the New Testament names of the church and use them in their differ ent relations to the institution, and to one another, and not one to the exclusion of all other. In this way only can we expect to ' avoid drifting into sectarianism. Remember we are not finding fault so much with the phrase “ Church of Christ,” but it is its uniform and restricted use to which we object. “Churches of Christ,” and “Church of Cod ” are found in the New Testament, and hence we are au thorized to use them : while such ex pressions as Camphellite church, and Disciple church are as/nnscriptural and sectarian as Methodist,’Baptist, or Presbyterian church, for none of ✓ a HEHALD. ~v ter who refuses to enter this fight with all nis consecrated power and talents tor God and Humanity, is a betrayer of bis trust, a Benedict Arnold, a Judas Isca riot, a traiter to his country and church. Unite ffud fight a common foe and the best agent of the devil, with half the zeal that the doginas and doctrfgevdEtT' S alvation E asy • claimed that it is iffin|>ly used as a least moral and conscientious people are ‘‘The terms of salvation are easy. fought and the end of the traffic in synonym of1 Chilrch of Christ. But Whosoever believeth. Mark the word homes, hearts and souls, will come like we aiiswer, the phrase Christian Lelieteth. Mark tile word Whosoever.”— the “crack of doom.”— The Worker. church is almost itivaHubly em Christian Index. them are to be found in the Bible Neither <lo We faiicy the phrase “ Christian church.” It is true that this form is often used among us, indorse all this/ But then would it not be well after all for them to give up something, for exainple, the name “ Baptist ?” And is baptized. Mark the word ployed io describe us alone, and hence in a circumscribed and sec baptized. Then please give heed to tarian sense. And again, it it is We "Savibr! " And if any iiiuii ahull only used as a synonym of Church take away from the words of the of Christ, then why not use the book of this prophecy, God shall original plffaHb ilselt Wvtlitf than take dway His part oiit Of tile book its synonym / In this way we of life, and out of the holy city, and could at least avoid the double work from the things which are written of first using the phrase ami then in this book.” explaining that we use it as a mere A ll P arts U nison .—Here is the synonym. But we ask, Is Chris tia.fi clitlrbll a true synonym of way an exchange proposes to solve Church of Christ ? We leave this the mysterious Hymnal question : we proposo prupuHU that iuu& me uuun uw We the nywu hymn book dis- for..our readers,„tu.answüi’_ foil pn^Bro; themselves. There is one thing Eirelt will raise the tune. Bros. Rice certain, it is found nowhere in the and Johnson wilt sing bass. Bros. Bishop and and Boswoith will ply tht Bible, In the meantime, if it -alto,—Bro.—Fillmore—will beat time. shout! be 4wuhd that It fails to The Standard Euhlialiin^ Co. will play the organ. Here we go : express the true Scripture meaning, “ How sweet, how heavenly in tlie fight. Wheu thoKH who love the Lord, then we think it should be dropped In one another’s peace delight,. Anil so fulfill the word !” from our '' theological vocabulary and a substitution made of such We further suggest, that while this names, and such only, as arc found song is being sung, the remaining portion of the biotherhood pay in the Scriptures 3. While we have no particular strict attention to the rests. objtCtiUil to being correctly repre R et . tr. ionin B usin ess .—There is sentedin tables uf statistics, etc:. and of thus being made known to much wholesome food for the pro- the world in our numerical strength • fessor of Christianity in the follow and financial greatness, yet we do ing, from the North British lieview: not care to sacrifice a principle or The pressing need of our faith is not faithful evangelists to proclaim do violence to the word of God to simply its doctrines, but legious of meu couse obtain this end. We should be crating their worldly vocations, witness careful that we do not become ing to the truth on which much skepti cism prevails, that Christianity so re pulled up with pride and thus fall ceived as to become an integral part of into the condemnation of the devil a man, is omnipotent to keep from him the ovil, not by taking him out of the If our neighbors have a desire to world, but by making him victorious fairly represent us. or to learn more over it. Ho is a most worthy disciple of Christ, who, like Palissy, or Button, of our work, we apprehend they or Badgett, or Perthes, eihibits religion can very easily do so ; and if we as “ the right use of man's whole self ” —as the one thiug which gives dignity are only faithful to the principles and nobility to what is in itself sordid committed to Us, God wilL make our and earthly—as the mainspring of earn est and successful strivings after loftier influence felt for good to a greater ends and a purer life -as the power out extent among the nations of earth side of and w ithin man, which, lifting up conduct in the individual, raises the than could otherwise be done «lone by comm unity'—and not as a state of miud the silly and hurtful adoption of njystical, and in active life unattainable, high up among things intangible, sep all the Scripture names under arated from contact with work-a-day heaven. life, appropriate to Sablmth days and Selections and Comments. The Christian Index, a Baptist paper published in Atlanta, Ga. says : We say , amem But we don’t un- derstand Bro. Neal to contend that jxumhjiJLdLiLlW great fight he must necessarily don all the blue, red and yellow ri bixins of the day, join all the temperance organizations that are set oh foot, or that he must even become a fa natical prohibitionist. Tlieone point before him is the fact that all min isters must jight Good men may differ as to tiny manner of attack, and there is indeed, more than olio way of making effectual fights; but - . . strli there into question aUnit tko fact that all must fight. us see to it. a— Then let -G ood A dvice . Standard, under the head of “ The Winter Campaign—A Suggestion,” says: The suggestion we have to make, is this : Dismissing all these incidental changes iu themes or in the method of their treatment, lei this winter be given up to genuine, old-style presentation qf the Gospel, and aggressive Warfare against sectarianism. There are several reasons — for this suggestion. 1 I'll is is a good suggestion ; but why confine it to this winter’s cam paign ? We had an idea that the greater portion Of the minister’s time should be devoted to this kind of work. But Bro. Errett, what . shall be done about those who do not believe in preaching “ first prin ciples ?” As one of the reasons for pursuing this course, the Standard adds : There is much yet to call for aggres sive warfare against sectarianism and corrupt teaching. If, in the discussions of the last half century, many batteries of the enemv have been silenced, the victory is yet but partial. On the ques tions of converting power, the source of faith, the evidence of pardon, the basis of Christian fellowship, the spiritual charset eristics of Christian brother hood, the sin of sectarianism, the abso* lute necessity of the abandonment of party names, creeds and polities for the sake of oneness in Christ, and the ac tion, subjects and designs of baptism, there are yet great battles to be fought before the dual victory can be won. special hours, old age and death-beds. Every tn in who is “ diligent in business, serving the Lord,” isra sermon brimfull of tho energies of life and truth, a wit ness to the comprehensiveness and adaptability of Christ's religion, a preacher of righteousness in scenes I n eidel P reaching .—As another where none can preach so effectively oi so well. specimen of infidel preaching read The Index has given up nothing ; nor have the Baptists of the south. So far as we know, none of the evangelical de nominations of the Bouth have given up . M IN ISTERS M GST F10 ht auything unless we fxcept infant bap Many of the preachers would do well tisrn, which some of them seem to be to call to mind often Pres. C. L’ Loos' giving up practically, though they still earnest talk at thoLexingtou Convention contend for it iu words. al^out playing “ fust and loose in the How about Dr. Graves and “ Old . ivuu uuuu work. nviAi ” xuu i traffic is temperance The the Landmark j-mi ?’ Dotfs the I irtrcw’P deadliest foe the I--------- church* '---- of — L‘ The minis- f » the following from an exchange : Rev. Dr. L« D. Wat Von, a New York Methodist, in a recent discussion on baptism, having defined baptiso as mean ing “ to purify,” said : •• I hold that' Christ was never baptised ; I do not think he possibly could have been bap tized.” w