C hristian H erald
maineth no more sacrifice for sins.”
We believe that this passage refers
to one of the manifestations of the
unpardonab’e sin. Hence we hold
that a wilful and continued absence
from the assembly of the saints is a
nhftT
fif thin fearful sin.
How then can a church, or any
number of brethren absent them
selves from the house of the Lord
and atrthe same'time do their duty
as Christian! men and women ?
And again; such brethren-evideot-
forms of sectarianism an<i~pai-ty
Church Going.
strife, the sooner it ceases to exist
the better it would be for the peo
We are in receipt of some letters
ple. But when we see the..ignor from brethren wishing to know
ance, superstition and sectarian op what must be done in case the
position even among many profes- members of a given congregation
not go. to church only when the
preacher comes to preach for them.
We would answer in a general way primary object for which the prim
that such brethren need to be itive churches assembled. There is
taught their duty in this respect in no evidence that their custom was
to meet for the express purpose of
Scriptures, and it is a part of the listening to a sermon preached by ia
preacher’s business to so teach them Paul, Apollos, Cephas or some other
when he.does come. The church good brother; but on the contrary,
that does not know and realize we are told that the disciples camo
that it is the duty of all her mem together upon the first day of the
bers when not providentially hin week to break bread. This, is the
dered "to assemble themselves to object for which churches now
gether on the first day of every should meet, and like the churches
week, has lost sight of one of the under the direction.of inspired men
primary object^ for whieh the they should do it on the first day of
u "~r-T 1 TJ :
_L /"it •. , «
With thi« number the C hristian
H erald enters upon its thirteenth
volume. As to the amount of good
—44m H vr h .1.1 Jias accomplished on
the Pacific coast during the past
twelve years, we leave for the
brethren to decide. We are now
concerned more especially with its
present aniitfutuic pros|H>etn! It in.
quite evident, however, that its in
fluence for good has been sufficient
ly felt during the past that the
brethren are willing to sustain it
lor the time to come. We came to
Oregon $nd took hold of the H er
ald , believing that the brotherhood
of the coast wanted a good paper
published at home and that they
would rally to its support, and we
are happy - to say that so far we
have not been disappointed in our
high
expectations. . Everything
points to the better. Almost every
mail brings us words of cheer and
encouragement; and not only are
the old suliseribers promptly re
newing, but new names are coining
in from ail parts of the country.
Many of our agents are also show
ing considerable interest and zeal
in behalf of the H erald . One
agent in a few days after our postal
card notice, sent in two post office
money - orders for $50.8a. These
names were all sent from his own
town.
We call this business.
While we do not expect this much
from all our agents, yet we are al
ways glad to have a prompt
response to our calls both for renew
als and for new names. We do not
believe that our agents and the
brethren generally are actuated by
any selfish spirit or party zeal in
their efforts for our paper. They
work for it because they feel that
such a paper is a moral necessity on
this coast, and is hence one of the
very best means of building up the
cause of Christ in this part of the
country. It is estimated that there
are at least 20,000 brethren in Cal
ifornia, Oregon and Washington
Territory, and that many others
are coming from the Eastern States
and settling among us amost daily.
—iL i* not too much to say, therefore,
in view of die future of this gfeat
Northwest, that on this coast is one
of the vciy best points in the
United States for the publication of I feeling that our bands will be .held
ganized, and have set at naught
some of the plainest and most im
portant exhortations and commands
of the New Testament. Such a
church can not grow in the grace
and knowledge of Jesus Christ, and
in fact is unworthy of its name and
existence. There may be times and
circumstances under which it is not
always practicable to meet every
Lord’s day, for so it was with some
ofthe primitive churches.
The
church at Jerusalem was scattered
abroad and*.the members went
everywhere preaching the word.
But such cases are very rare, and
are only exceptionstp the rule. Of
these txceptions, we are not now
writing. We are speaking of those
churches who have ample opportu
nities for assembling and who do
not feel obligated to do so, and
hence, through mere indifference,
neglect this allimportant duty. In
Hebrews the Apostle says to the
brethren, " Not forsaking the as
sembling of ourselves together, as
the manner of some is, but exhort
ing one another; and so much the
more as ye see the day approaching.”
What was written for the Hebrew
brethren was written for our admo
nition, and this passage comes to us
with the force of a command. Now
in the next verse the Apostle gives
us a reason why we should not
neg het t he assem fl i mi of ourselves
together, “ Fur If we sin wilfully
after that we have received the
I knowledge of the truth, there re-