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il
CHBISTIA
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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