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OUR STATE MEETING.
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On next Wednesday, Oct. 3rd,
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will convene in the city of Salem.
With this fact before us it is now
time for us to begin to reflect
seriously on the object for which
we are to be assembled, and the
success of the work we propose to
accomplish. From the name above
given, one would naturally suppose
that the object of thia organized
effort is preeminently cooperative.
easy matter, we think, to arrive at
the conclusion that the fundament •
al idea is a Scriptural one. There
is no lesson more plainly taught in-
the New Testament than the lesson.
of cooperation among God’s people.
Indeed^ it would be difficult to see
how the work of preaching the
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gospel and converting the woi Id
could be successfully carried on
without cooperation. All the
people of God are represented in
' the Scriptures as forming but one
body. Hence the whole body u ust
move together, in the salvation of
the world. This necessitates c •
operation. While it is true that
the local congregations are inde-
penaunt or cacti otnvr m tnc sense
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of organization and self-govern­
ment through their divinely ap­
pointed board of officers, it is none
the less true that each congrega-
_ tion is bound to every other one by
the chain of godly and brotherly
love, sympathy and fellowship so
that the severing of the weakest
link would be detrimental to the
cause of Christ. As each member
of the congregation must cooperate
with every other member, so must
each congregation cooperate with
every other congregation to the ex­
tent of her ability when necessity
demands it. If one member of the
fleshly body suffers, all the mem­
bers suffer with it. So with the
body of Christ. If one member of
the congregation suffers, all the
congregation partakes of that
suffering. If one member rejoices
or is prosperous, all the members
rejoice together. And so, if one
congregation in our midst suffers,
all the congregations shpuld suffer
yfcith her. 1 If one is prosperous, her
prosperity should lead her to assist
the less prosperous. In this way
the strong could always assist the
weak. This is the Bible idea of all
cooperation. This is the principle
on which all Christians should- act.
Hence when we look into the New
Testament, we find the primitive
churches assisting one another in
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found in the State, and blessed by
sounding out the gospel to all the THE WORX AT ALBANY.
world. Their plan of cooperation
On last Lord’s day it was our water power equaled by none on
was a very simple one, yet it was pleasure to aipiin visit Albany in the coast, a city of wealth, of re­
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very pi'actical. It was a plan that The interest .of the “ehiirch lil that finement .^.of , educational faciliti
honored and exalted the authority city. It will be remembered by and high social standing, and having
of the churches. The officers of our readers ¡that about the first of no less than eight church edifices,
these churches were appointed by Julv Bro. H. T. Morrison arrived we believe, within her corporate
divine authority and the churches from the East to begin preaching limits. Besides, she is located on
which they fed and governed con­ in Albany and vicinity. It was the great railway thoroughfare
stituted the only ecclesiasticism on then hoped that the work there from East to West—from San
earth. To these organizations as would move on uninterruptedly. Francisco to New York city. Al­
such all were subject, and to these But we soon learned of Bro. Mor­ bany is free from much of the rush
ajone every missionary rendered up rison’s illness, and that thepros- and bustle incident to most new
hU AfiCQHXlt, Aay pjpn therefore,
to remain - cities where the people take but
that practically ignores the execu­ and continue the work were not
tive authority of the individual flattering. And so the matter less to think about religion and at­
congregations is not the Lord’s plan. rested till the other week, feeling tend church. The people of Albany
Cooperation can only be Scriptur- an interest in that field and know­ are mostly there for life, have situ­
ally carried on by and through the ing that the brotherhood was de- ated themselves comfortably, and
chur c h e s of Glt-rittt ae. h o many or ^IrOLW uf being informed ofrthe real are now ready to listen to the gos-
ganizations working to the same situation, we called for an official pel and to think about the. next
end. Hence any number or hotly report of the work in Albany. In world. In other words, they are
of Christians can only assemble and response Bro. Morrison writes us ripe for the harvest, and it is a
transact the. business mauthorTze<i -Irr - WToTlowing ¿Aid wlrfetrTully. u.v ¿hame Qll..tlie..„brotherhoo<l that a
the churches. Here the work and plains itself. He writes from Eu large portion of it has not been
authority of a Convention becomes gene city, Lane Co., under date of reaped ere this. We can not afford
apparent. As an organized body, Sept. 18, and says: “In the H erald to let the wrork in All»any suffer,
distinct from the churches, it can of last week you inquire about Al­ and we are glad to announce that
do nothing. A Convention there bany and myself. With respect to arrangements are being made to
forefrom the very natare of-tìringa-- AIbany ! wi)| say tliat lny ]ong fit supply them with regular preaching
can do nothing in the way of legis­ of sickness there caused me to inu in the near future.
lation, for Christ has done that. It tually abandon the idea of continu-
NONE OTHER NAME.
regulate, .the •ing-tho wofk-r—I kd‘t .tltereXhe^UL.
churches, for they contain the high­ -of August, while yet quite ill, and
When the apostle Peter was set
est board of executive officers on came to this city and immediately before the council at Jerusalem and
earth for. the government of God’-s began to improve in health'. I am asked by what authority he had
people. In short, the Convention now well again and as able to healed the lame man at the gate of
must be subject to the churches, or preach as ever; and for the time the temple, he, filled with Holy
it is simply no Convention author­ being I am acting as county evan­ Spirit, answered: “Be-it known
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ized by the word of God.
unto
you
all,
and
to
all
the
people
gelist in Lane county. T do not yet
With these facts before us let us fully know what my course will be of Israel, that by the name of Jesus
go up to the coming State Meeting in the future. I have been urged Christ of Nazareth, whom ye cruci­
bearing with us the interest and to go to Washington Territory to fied, whom God raised from the
work of the congregations. Instead take charge of a work there.”
dead, even by him doth this man
of going up to legislate for the
So when Bro. M. left Albany, the stand here before you whole. This
shurches, let us go up to talk over church there was left without re­ is the Stone which is set at naught
and advise as to the best methods gular preaching. They have how­ of you builders, which is become
of maintaining and executing that ever had preaching occasionally by the head of the corner. Neither is
authority already invested in the visiting brethren. Notwithstand­ there salvation in any other, for
churches by Christ,their Head. This ing all these embarrassing circum­ there is none other name under
we can do, and this we should do. stances, this little band of disciples heaven given, whereby ye must be
That the churches of Oregon need has not given up the work. They saved.'’ Does the world fully real­
largely to learn the lesson of co are still laboring on as best they can ize this fact? We think not. If
operation in preaching the gospel and are zealous and hopeful. We they did, they would come flocking
will hardly be denied. We have had good audiences last Lord’s day home to this Jesus of Nazareth.
weak churches that need assistance, both morning and evening, and the There is “ none other name,” is a
and we have stronger ones who can people were attentive and interest­ thought that must take deep hold
and should render them aid to the ed. Indeed we have never failed on the mind and heart of the people
extent of their ability. The pros­ to have a good hearing in Albany. before they can be move to accept
pects so far as we have heard, arc We are only sorry that the work Christ. So l°ng as there is one
good for a fine meeting at Salem, there should be called on to meet a surmise on the part of any one that
and we hope that all will go there single disappointment, for in our there may be some other way, that
in the spirit of the Master feeling opinion there is not a city on this soul does not know its. own fearful
that there is a great work before us coast in which money and labor can condition. If that Stone is set at
and that we will be held responsible be spent in the cause of Christ to naught the building for heaven can
for its completion.
better ad vantage than in Albany- never be erected. The Jews tried
It is one among the important this and found that they could not
“ One day is worth three to him cities of Oregon, surrounded by
climb up some other way. We
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who does everything in order.**
fine agricultural country as can be must enter in through the door, and
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