—Ml
• OlJttiS’l’l AN Il kit At, t).
as Churches of Christ all seem to and to plead with religious parties
admit. But the question that ex to drop their party names, party
ercises our scribos, mainly, is WLat creeds and party organizations and
shall be our name in the aggregate? unite with each other on the
A name is wanted that will include original foundation, wearing the
all who have accepted the principles name of Christ. We are not an
_ piece of Plymouth Rock has
of the refarmation-we 4>lpad. and ^coLesiaatioaLbody. but a communi-
nTorwardecTby the Pilgrim So-
no body else, and at the same time ty of individuals and of churches,
y of Plymouth, Mass., to Rev.
be Scriptural! The Religious Her­ cooperating in a great religious
ry Allon,of the Mission Chapel,
ald quotes the Christian Standard movement—the most important of
gton, London, to be built into
as saying : “ No name that does not the present century—having for
th£B chRPei pulpit. The original
clearly distinguish our brotherhood its sublime aim the reproduction of
tb®ck is now sheltered by a hand-
shoulJ be used.” And yet of course New Testament Christianity. We
granite
canopy,
th**
floor
-oh
-H -
the »SVrrvvTfrrr^ wontd’ drmand ' that are not a corporate body;.. in-ow-----
,h|eh ii so built around the rock
such name must be Scriptural. But entirety, but a voice in the wilder­
°|||l only two square feet are visi-
clearly such a name cannot be ness of denominational confusion
This was found necessary to
found. If it be a Scriptural name and strife, crying, “Return ye to
^Hherve it from the depredations of
Come back to the
it will include all God’s people, and the old paths
rs, who cliiseleTahiT Kammer-
since no one claims that all Chris­ name yon have discarded, the •
>ieces from it to carry off as me-
tians have as yet adopted the foundation which ye have left, and
toes.
principles for which we plead, it the commandments you have neg­
il&l ■
-
—"
follows that it will include others lected, and dwell together in peace
a he case of the late Dr. Beard of
than ourselves. The only way we and unity, all ye children of the
vtew York ought to be a warning
Such missionary
can be diatingrrished from other living God' ”
orgainst citing death-bed testimony.
Christian people is by their use of organizations as we have formed
iawlcase occurred recently’ in this
denominational designations which are for the purpose of sending this
ity where a celebrated citizen died
are not found in the Scriptures. As voice into all the sections of our
) a hotel, and his death was her-
soon as they begin, to use the same own land, and around the whole
e*1ded as having been ^peculiarly
Scriptural names that we dox they earth. 'They are not ecclesiastic-
dBppy oner* NoVbrily waslhTTnot
-w4-U- rm longer be dist inguished -from- -tS«W:------------------------------- ------------------------- *—-
itfbut the sick man when near the
us, nor will there be need for such
The Lutheran Reformation of the
which he knew could not be
distinction.
1 sixteenth century was a power to
ch longer delayed, put his feeble*
A few years since we pointed out shake the pa]>al throne, and cause
ature to a check which drew
the error of using such names as the nations to throw off the yoke of
all his funds from the bank, and
“ Church of Christ,” or “ the ecclesiastical bondage and supersti­
ed them beyond reach of his
Christian Church,” in a denomina­ tion, while it consisted of a few
lord, to whose request for at
tional or sectarian sense, as is done great principles earnestly plead by
partial settlement of his board
when we apply them to our re­ men whose soul« were on fire with
he paid no attention. That
ligious movement. Such a use of the importance of the truth they
rneflord is still ready’ to receive the That Denominational Name. th'O terms is so manifestly improper preached. But, crystalizing
into
i
t •
*»-— 1
.........
. *
,
loney due him.
that
we
marvel
at
its
being
sorom-.
denominations,
it
has
lost
its
pres­
A discussion has been going on
mon.
Not
only
ought
we
to
use
tige
and
power,
largely,
and
itself
NWhe Government of Chili, on the for somo time in some of our papers
“ Bible names for Bible things,” needs reformation.
if^sal of the Vatican to approve on the question of what name we
but w’c ought to use them in their
Human nature is ever the same.
omination for Archbishop, has shall bo known by in the Census
Biblical meaning and scope. It is The constant tendency among us
and
in
current
history.
It
would
>rol|en relations with the Pope.
seem rather late in the history of a quite right to designate our congre­ wdl be to denominationalize, like
¡Herbert Spencer, Profs. Huxley, religious people, after a half century gations as churches of Christ, for so the parties around us, and to take
Tyndall, John Morley, and has gone by, to be discussing what they are; and ourselves as Chris­ a place among the Protestant
t 20b of the leading literary name we shall wear. We are not tians, for such we claim to be; but ■ Churches of the land. When we
| scientific men of England, have surprised that several of the de­ the name “ Church of Christ,” or of i have consented to this, and have
ed a memorial to be presented nominational organs have made God, is shorn of its broad catholici­ accepted our denominational name,
he Home Secretary, protesting this fact an excuse and justification ty of meaning when applied to only then the religious parties will bury
their tomahawks, and we will be
inst the continuance of the im- for applying to us names that we a part of God’s people.
do
not
and
cannot
accept,
seeing
The
error
of
regarding
our
move-
admitted i-nto the charmed circle of
onment of Mr. Foote, the editor.
that
the
question
is
still,
apparent-
|
tnent
as
a
church
in
the
aggregate
orthodoxy. But our glory and
£he Freethinker, for blasphemy,
asking for his release. Sir Jy, an unsettled one. But we de­ after the manner of the “ Meth- strength will have departed,
iam Harcourt?, it is understood precate this discussion, esp**ci»41y, od?st~ Church, ’ “ the— Pr e sbyt eri an r— It must not be so. We must not
|1 refuse the’ petition. Public because it seems to us to indicate a ’ Church,” “the Universalist Church,” I sectarianize. But to avoid it let us
ing against atheism is strong, wrong tendency in our thought, “ the Baptist Church,” etc., is a bew’are of too much anxiety about
it is said that Lord Randolph and a misconception of our aim and very natural one, considering the being distinguished from other
rchill is preparing a bill to dis- work. Let us explain what we habit of current religious thought Christians by having one name
mean.
and speech ; but for that very rea­ only, and about having large num-
* dify atheists from sitting in
It is not so much a question as son there is special need for being bers in Census reports. Rather I at
liament.
to what shall be the religious name on our guard. We are not a us be anxious that our growth in
^hp^Southern Baptist Foreign of the individual, or of congrega­ church, and never professed to be. Scriptural knowledge and piety
raion Board prints its thirty- tions, as such; for the name Cfrris- We never started out to found a shall keep pace with our increase in
tith report, somewhat abridged, | tian or disciple seems to be quite new church, but to build up and numbers, and that we keep clearly’
ts organ, the Foreign Mission acceptable for the former, while the organize congregations or churches before
____ ___
_ f..„ the vast
.^,v differ-
the r
people
mal. The past year,, it is . propriety of designating the latter | after the New Testament models, ence between the Church of Jesu^
a misprint for vineyard, a
int organ 125 years old, and a
ety stairway leading to the
ry. If you visit the “Hub”
’t fail to pee this church.
stated, has been a year of prosperi­
ty, The income of the board was
$56,&05. It has at the end of the
year over $6,100 in the treasury.
The Mexican mission hasG5 church
members, 13 having been baptized
tha. paat. yAsir Tai:a..t uisbkuxmi.es.
with three assistants, besides native
helpers, are employed. In Brazil
there are 50 church members, w’ith
5 baptisms during the year. The
stations are in Santa Barbara and
Bahia. The two missionaries with
thct
dent be^
lief in future success. They have
secured a hearing, and hope in time
to have a mission in the capital.
In China, there are three missions,
viz., the Tung Chau, the Shanghai,
and the Canton. During the year
G2 persons were baptized. The
whole number of members is 587 ;
of pupils 202. The contributions
amounted to $54G. The church in
Tung Chau, has, it is said, “ grown
in knowledge, self-reliance, and
efficiency, having supported a native
preacher ” this year and promised
to do so next year. The church re-
ceivea no fund s frem d he mi ss ion.
The Shanghai mission maintains
regular service in five places. The
Sunday morning attendance in
Shanghai is 150. Dr. Yates la­
ments the absence of indications of
revival. “ The mission,” he says,
“ that uses money freely among the
Chinese will be popular.” ___ _