will the Index be kind enough to
tell us what makes us one ? Per
haps when he convicts ns of being
a denomination, he will convict the
churches of Christ of Wing one on
the same ground.
The antecedent of “ everyoneof
you ” is unquestionably those who
repent and arc liaptized. Those
who repent and are baptized are
saved, and those who do not repent
and are not baptized cannot l»e
saved' This is rather strange doc-
trine-to- I found in, Presbyterian
R eap and R est .—Rarely does
any church maintain a uniform,
religious glow and growth. Though
this is its norntal condition, yet its
history proves that it is not its
usual experience. Like the solar
year, the Church seems to have her
four seasons—her spring time for
sowing, her summer time for
growth, her autumnal ingathering,
followed by frigid, fruitless winter.
God’s people seem to have formed
the habit of dividing up the matter
after this fashion, and to tlnnk that
these periods must, of necessity,
follow each other in the physical
world. ..Therefore, when a revival
comes, the notion aiJniclTmes^IiU^
tains: “ Reap ! and after reaping,
Rest '” And rest some churches
do, until struck through with the
dry rot. The evil is the outgrowth
of a wrong* conception.
There
never comes a time when a church
should cease sowing and growing
and reaping and praying and lal»or-
ing. The exhortations are: “Sow
beside all waters“ Grow in
grace !” and the promise is: “ In due
season ye shall reap, if ye faint not ”
The “due season ” might l>e in mid
summer, as well as in mid-winter.
The above from an exchange
contains a good thought. It would
seem from an observation of many
churches that the rest season is the
longest of them all. But that
church which does her whole duty
as a faithful steward of Christ,
knows no such thing as a season of
rest. It is always work from first
to last.
T rue C ourtesy .—The Christian
at Work gives us this item on true
courtesy which would do well for
Christian people to take home with
then». He who ties himself down
to mere forms in such matters at
the expense of sound judgment
shows an indifference towards the
feelings of his neighbor not alto
gether in harmony with the spirit
of Christianity :
Genuine politeness is not any too
common, for this quality is not a
matter of mere form or ceremony,
but comes from that sincere kind
ness of heart that tenderly regards
the rights and the comfort of
others. There is a class of people
who are very scrupulous as to cer
tain fonnsj and would rather violate
QUERIES AND ANSWERS
A R eader ,
answer .
city,~hos been disatdedTrom per
forming his. ministerial duties by
protracted illness. He has passed
through a Serious ordeal; but we
are jdad^to note the fact that at
latest accounts he was in a fair way
of recovery. We pray the Lord
that he may be fully restored to
Health, that he may resume his
position where his labors of love
are so highly appreciated and so
urgently needed;
We are sorry to learn of the sick
ness of Bro. Williams, .but are
astonished to see the Review going
over to the “progressive wing”
by writing him down as “ Pastor"
of the “ Christian Church in this
cityAn explanation from Bro.
Rowe is now in order.
1. It is not a Bible custom, inas
much as the family name is of com
paratively modern origin. In some
parts of the world the family name
is not ifsed to tins day. Not hav-
ing access to the proper authorities
at this writing, we arc uq^ble to
say just when and whore the cus
tom originated. Our opinion ”1«,
from what we rememljerjof Our
reading on the subject, that the
custom was of gradual growth, and
principally confined to the more
civilized ar£’»advanced nations of
the earth. We doubt if any
authority gives us the date or place.
2. Extortion is thé act or prac
tice of wresting any thing from a
person by an undue exercise of
power, or some illegal process. It
is intentionally taking advantage
of a person to his injury. There
are plenty of extortioners in the
world, and it requires but little
observation to put your finger on
some of them.
i
The Christian
At least fifty thousand votes must
be gained before such a result can
be chronicled.
And yet the Rescue criticises us
for saying that the temperance
cause is on a standstill. Better
jeommence nearer home, brother.
S ound D octrine The follow
ing note is clipped from the Old
Path Guide:
Looking over the Westminster
Question Book, which contains the
International Sunday-school Les-
I lia , G arfield C o ., W. T.
Rro. J. F Floyd :
1. Why do Christians teach and
believe that we shall rejoice in a
reunion of broken families in the
better world ?
2. Could we be happy when we
get to the better world if our rela
tions "were nof there, an<T we be
cognizant of it ?
J ohn W. B uford .
*
answer .
1. We don’t know unless they
have failed to learn something
better to preach.
2. We think so.