CHRISTIAN HERALD
in which we " denied the fact that
the Catholic Church was the oldest
organization in Christendom,” we
will agree never to write another
word against that Church. What
we have repeatedly denied is that
Jesus Christ ever set up what our
contemporary terms the Catholic
Church, or that such a Church ex
isted in the days of Christ and the
apostles. If our brother thinks
that such a Church existed
himself to man, adapted himself to
mana understanding; thatbe spoke
to and cdmniHned with manas man
They need to know that God spoke
to man to be understood, and that
he expects him to exercise the same
degree of com mon-sense in accepting
the great principles of Christianity
and making a personal and practical
application of them that is exer
cised in the mere temporal and
business vocations of life. God
prayerfully tQ a study of it till fully
convinced of the truths and facts it
TCv eals.'a'nd then le t him- honestly ,
act upon its teaching in coming to
the Savior of the World and living
the~Ctiristian life. We are expressly
told that sinners are begotten
through the truth, and by the
gospel ; and that the gospel of
Christ is the power , of God unto
the salvirtion of all who be
lieve. Hence the inspired apostle
iiitf born again, ___
not
PeUr says. “ :___________
of corruptible seed, but of incor-
ruptible, by the word of God, which
liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Pet.
1 : 2-3.
too by Divine authority, let him ments should be destroyed in
undertake to point it out from the making them Christians, nor that
word of God. The Church that their common-sense shqpld be laid
was established in the beginning on the shelf in following Christ.
was the Church of Christ, or the It is not necessary to become a fool,
Church of nbdT«c>7 the Roman Ca-” ’ Tiloralty, ffi drdM IdWOHlU a Cliris-
AND WHAT IS NOW
tholic Church.
The Scriptures tian. While the Bible is emphat
NEEDED.
were first written out and given to ically the Book of books, and con-
churches of Christ for their guid- tainsabredth.aheightand a depth of
ancem saving sinners"andBin edify" meaning incohiffMiefl^blii
Christianity, did the church exert
ing saints, and net to the Roman minds, yet in many respects it is such a mighty influence, as during
Catholic Church. Hence the oft- like any other book, and hence is to the first centuries of its existence.
repeated assertion that the world be accepted and interpreted . in the One of the chief accusations
to-day is necessarily dependent on light of the same common-sense brought against the followers of
the Catholic Church for the Holy rules that are applied to the var Christ, in the days of the apostles,
Scriptures is both false and ridicul ious branches of scientific knowl- was that they had “ turned the
ous. Instead of her assisting to edge. It should be examined from world upside down.” When Chris
put the word of God into the the same rational point of view as
tianity began its career the world
ttiB'sereHcyef iw aihe m a tie s, • -HtentaU
was one vast sea of paganism, with
more to monopolize and suppress it philosophy or geology, It should
a pagan emperor firmly seated upon
' than all other powers on earth be accepted in the same light of the the throne. Its beginning was in-
are plain and gt
> of...„a father
combined: While then
signmeant ffT the extremeT Its
not denied that the Catholic Church to his child. And above all things
founder was born of a humble wo
is an old organization, we do deny must one get rid of the idea of the
man, in a stable. His work, during
that it has any necessary connec miraculous in conversion, if he
tion with the Church our Savior would understand the true relation the few years he lived was largely
p^r
of big na
set up in the beginning” Keilher the sinner sustains to God as reveal -
tion. He died in the most igno
does her age affirm her Scriptural
ed
in
this
Book.
There
is
nothing
right to exist nor improve her
minious manner, “ despised and re
moral standing.
The subjoined any more miraculous nowadays in jected of men,” and when he was
passage is a fine sample of fanatical becoming a believer in Christ and
twaddle from some preacher of acting upon this conviction than about to leave the world he_.com
whom we know nothing, and has there is in becoming a believer in mitted the affairs of his kingdom
into the hands of a few humble
no weight or point in settling the
the
science
of
astronomy
and
speak
question before us. By the way, is
men, many of whom he had called
the Sentinel certain that the Roman ing and acting accordingly. Scient-, from their nets at the sea of
Catholic Church is the oldest de isfes have swept the heavens with
nominational organization on earth ? their mighty telescopes and brought Gallilee. Such a small and humble
beginning was fitly likened by the
down
to
the
student
in
the
form
of
COMMON SENSE IN RE-
prophet to “ a little stone cut out
text books on astronomy, evidence
LICION.
of the mountain without hands.”
sufficient tofully convince the latter,
One of the greatest needs of the when properly submitted to his un Looking at Christianity from a
day is the exercise of more good derstanding, of the true movements human stand-point, there .was little
common-sense in matters pertain .of the solar system. The student hope of success. But we follow the
ing to the Christian religion. This does not throw away his practical -hi+^o-ry-, - and,- strange—as It may
important element in human nature judgment when coming to a study seem, paganism, in less than three
is too often overlooked in coming of this subject; but on the contrary, centuries, fell before the victorious
to Christ and serving him accept when he takes up his text book he march of Christianity, and the very
ably. Men and women of fair edu allows it to address itself to his un emperor upon the throne became a
cation,' excellent judgment and derstanding while he applies him vassal to Jesus of Nazareth. In
quick perception when they have self diligently till fully convinced, the days of the apostles the Church
to do with temporal things often of the correctness of the science, of (^pjgp^-s "firmly planted in all
i
show a weakness at this point and then he shapes his course of the
principal cities of the Roman
when speaking and acting on re conduct accordingly.
The establishment of
__ ... ___' empire.
ligious matters that is truly alarm
Now in like manner should the Christianity in the beginning looEa
ing. Such persons need to take seeker after: spiritual light come toi more like a stupendous miracle than
their first lesson in learning the the Bible. The Bible is addressed anything
else ; but it was not. The
'
alphabet of Christianity. They to his understanding; and let- him "ock WjVt41one by and tlijough the
. need to learn that God, in revealing apply himself thoughtfully arid noble” men and. women who corn-
■
■
, • *
SSL
;________
posed the church.
word. The following are a few of
the principle..reasons why such
great success attended the church
in the beginning.
. 1. It was a united church.
There was simply “ one body,” the
Church of Christ, moving upoa
society, as one man. They, all be
lieved alike, and were perfectly
one heart and one. soul, 'file
church in that day was not split up
into Episcopalians, Lutherans,Meth
odists, Presbyterians, Baptists and
.almndrcd others,all laboring largely
to build up parties, instead of the
Church of Christ, bu£ was a unit,
moving as one man and throwing
The old saying, '* in union there is
strength,” has I mh o fully proven in
the history of the ancient church,
for it had a power that enabled it
to triumph over obstacles that were
truly appalling. And what ia to day
needed more than any one thing to
enable Christianity to conquor the
world is a united church. Not
simply a friendly feeling among
sects and parties that will cause
them to let each other alone, but
the annihilation of all these and the
restoration of the one body of Christ,
the church just as it was in the be
ginning. We believe this is coining
of this world will be conquered for
Christ.
2. The simplicity of what was
preached and of what was required
of sinners to become Christians,
gave the ancient church a power
that the religious world to day
lacks. The primitive preachers
went forth holding up before the
world a person. They would know
nothing among the people but Jesus
Christ and him crucified, and when
sinners believed in him as their di
vine savior, and wanted to know
what they should do to be saved
the way was so simple and easy
that it-could be made plain to them
in one sentence, so that all who de'
sired salvation could go forward and
put on the Lord Jesus. If any one
will take the time to examine the
many cases of conversions recorded
in the Acts of the the Apostles they
will be struck with the difference
between what was required of sin*
"hers then and what is required of
them now, in some of the modern
churches. That there has been a
great departure from apostolic
pn^' J
postonc pr«*
? ZZ_
, Zl. to
Z all
_ . . who
’ care-
—“
tice
in u ..ZZ
st be plain