6
ÔTÎÎitsTt AN
They have become so completely His blessed name’s the theme of every this particular the religious world fection, he also included every sys- I
tongue!'
enveloped in the traditions of men
is moving. The late movements i tem of human ethics, and every
Jesus
is
there
—
no
other
name
they
and the mysticisms and contradic­
toward the revision of some * of the prescribed formulary, saving only
know ;
tions of conflicting creeds that they Why should we hear of other names creeds is an index of the restless­ the simple appointments,by which
we receive Christ and continually
.
can not and’ will not see the truth
ness and dissatisfaction on this walk in him, and partake .of his
below ?”
as it is in Jesus.
3. We have no greater hinderance question. But there is danger that „spirit, we have lost the only power
that can possibly save men.
Popular Christianity knows no to-Christian union than that grow- they will only be multiplied.
shm quutmiu i l fuIWWSW .....
.
ordinary and -ing out of the fact we do not nndor^ _. We no irorn nmrl rrmijn tliaii thtr
the extraordinary of the plan of stand one another. Much has been sunlight needs candles to add to its alarm sounded against thinking of
salvation. The conversion of a sin­ said concerning the fallacious and brilliancy. The sunset’s^ene needs " Christianity as a revised edition
ner is to be classed with the dangerous doctrine of the Catholic no painter’s brush; nature is her of Judaism, as being wholly com­
miracles of Jesus. Every revival church, but what know the Pro­ own apologist; and they teaching of prehended in a system of command­
is but another Pentecostial out­ testant churches of the real claims Jesus its own authority. I have an ments and precedents in which
pouring of the .Holy Spirit. The of that great hierarchy. Not only increasing confidence in the power everything we should do is laid
.... --poor- candidate for pardon and so but the Protestant churches do of the "Scriptures J and no respect ■flown in a series oT~distinct “ thpu
mercy must see Jesus and hear a not know the teaching of their for authorities however high and 8halts ” and everything we should
voice as did Paul or his experience nearest neighbors. How many venerable, with no regard for the not do is as clearly set forth in a
is not sufficient to enable him to communicants of one religious body solemn dicta of august ecclesiastic “ thou shall not.” Well, if the
w
enjoy the sweet consolations of the çoujd state the distinctive plea oL jææHou> in mat- New Testament does nW-
child of God.
another, or even of their own ? ters pertaining to our eternal in­ in what we should do and what we
The great central truth of Chris­ Many religious bodies and teachers terest, the world needs but one should not do, with all the force of,.
" thou shalt ” and rt thou shalt not”
tianity— Jesus the Christ, thé Son are misrepresented by those who teacher, and he is Jesus.
and the
| I
¡
If we have saught any faith then we have no guide
of the living God, has comparative­ differ from them, for this reason.
ly but little significance in the or­ Now i^he various churches could which does not concentrate in him, New Testament in what it does
thodox churches. When we can be i nd Wed to meet and prayerfully we have gone astray. If we have teach simply gives advice. He who
enthrone Jesus in the minds and consider the points of difference be­ fortified any position that he did can read the New Testament and
hearts of the people, then the ques­ tween them, and seek a common not point out or designate, we shall not see the “ thou shalt ” and “ thou
tion of baptism, communion, and and Scriptural ground of union then surely be driven from it. If we shalt not” has not learned the
Christian union will be solved. But we might hope for good results. have saught to aid the truth by alphabet of Christianity. Of course
our brnthan-«.* diristian Missionary ”’
_ _ it will be a Jong time before .this But any thing like ageuinral movo- .
can be done. How can we get the ment in this direction will not soon When the ’ planets need human and our brethren generally, even
people to understand the simple be effected.' Then our ignorance of hands to guide them in their orbits, those not very missionary, must see
gospel of Jesus—its facts'^ its pre­ one another constitutes an insur­ when the everlasting hills need and admit that the New Testament
cepts, and its promises ? How can mountable difficulty to the oneness guy ropes, and the eternal moun­ is our authoritative guide in faith
tains props, theh will the teaching and practice. The commandments,
we get them to appreciate the the Scriptures require.
beauty ^nd simplicity of a practical
4. All will agree with me when of Jesus and his apostles need but­ and precedents of the N. T. are all
we have to direct us, and no man
Christian life ? Tell me this and I I say that human creeds stand as tressing by< human creeds.
The word of God is larger than can ever know whether what he
will tell you how to remove one of adamantean walls between the
the hinder ances to Christian union. various religious bodies. Creeds any-definitionr broader than any does is acceptable to God unless so
Tell me how to induce the Chris­ are the foundation or basis of formula, and m,ore sublime than guided. To be sure we have not -
tian to he satisfied with only the parties. As creeds multiply so do' any symbol. Jesus left the truth the punishment for transgression
immediately following, but are be­
names found in the Bible. O that parties. The Nicene creed like all freer that was to make man free.
cause of this to think of N. T. pro­
the people could realize the honor others was born in schism, and was Leavenworth, Kan.
♦ -
• —
hibitions to be simply advice. What (
and dignityj)£rfhe names given by nursed and fostered by strife and
CHRISTIAN CO-OPERATION thaugh the Decalogue as repeated
divine authority.
jealousy. Had they been necessary
AGAIN.
in the N, T. (save the Sabbath day—
•’ Say not, ’ How otherwise shall we be the Lord would have provided for
injunction) does not begin with
known ?’
their existence and use. They are Bro. Floyd:
“
thou shalt” or“ thou shalt not” is
Did Panl or Peter such distinctions not a miniature of the Bible. They
I promised two things, viz. ” 1. I
own?
said I would in this paper point out it less binding ? And beyond the
Say not, Names nothing mean ; alas f give no light as to its correct teach-"
ing. The difference between creeds some errors into which our brother Decalogue where we have " neither
we see
How oft they move the heart to jealousy, and the Bible is as great as that “ Christian Missionary ” has fallen murmur ye” “ neither tempt God”
Say not, * They are harmless,' for too between the fallible and the in­ in -writing on Christian Coopera­ “ be of one mind” “ love as breth­
well we know
fallible or the finite and the in­ tion. 2. I propose to show that ren,” &c. Does any one suppose
How under them what fierce conten-
finite. Human creeds have made Missionary Societies as our brethren these should liegin with “ thou
*
tions grow.
shalt” and “ thou, shalt not ” to
They gather to their standard—not the heretics not Christians; parties not have them are divinely authorized
make them more authoritative ?
union; martyrs not saints. They expedients.
Lord;
Enforce their own enactment«—not the have conduced to wars, not to
First, then, I must quote from Read the commission “ Thou shalt
word.
peace ; to hetred, not to love ; to " Christian Missionary’s ” article in go into all the world and preach
♦
the gospel to every creature,” if you
Just think of heaven, where happy one­ death, not to life. If they contain the H erald :
ness reigns,
If we lose sight of the great fact like, for that is what it means and
more than the Bible they contain
A gathering place for parties, sects and
too much ; if they contain less than that Christ is a personal rather so too in all the work and worship
names !
than a doctrinal Savior—-that he of the Church. The obligation is
Ah, no I it would dim the glory of that the Bible they contain too little; came to nail to the cross' the system
and if in their teaching they are of Jewish commandments contained higher as Christ is superior to
place,
’Twould throw a cloud o’er every saved equal to the Bible then they can be in ordinances, which had failed to Moses, and the force of any N. T.
one’s faoe,
of no service—for the Bible is give salvation as it was intended, teaching is intensified accordingly.
One namq alone the heavenly hosts
sufficient. It is gratifying to see and natural that it should,—that No one .ever read a sentence in the
adore;
with this system, which was “ holy, N. T. which weakness or dispara­
Nor is there space or room in heaven many brave men throw off the just and good,” and human philoso­ ges the “ thou shalt ” and
thou .
shackles of confessions and creeds ' phies which partake of the nature
for more,
sfyalt not.” On the contrary the '
Jesus is there—His wunc alone is song, by which they have been held. In of their originators, namely imper- Holy Spirit as our teacher intend-
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