Christian herald. (Portland ;) 1882-18??, January 11, 1884, Page 2, Image 2

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    CHRISTIAN HERALD
WHERE DOES OO-OPERA scriptural and weak, but it is silly | dropped from such a connection shows that spiritual death is inevi­
TION BEGIN ?
to talk about sending missionaries with faith, for we have no more table.
-to-foreign lands, or to any other right to-say that we are justified by. . Why shouldLUod hAYfl. instituted,
land, while the home ministry is faith only than by any other one the church if it were not a necessi­
turned away with only the crumbs essential. We are said to be justi­ ty ? If one man can live the Chris­
which fall from the rich brethren’s fied or saveM by works, by grace, tian life without it, another can and
by the blood of Christ, by the name all can. Or..if one is to be saved in
table.
There are but few churches of the Lord Jesus, by God, by bap­ the church and another out, then
among us that are doing their duty tism, etc., but it is not said that a God is partial.
»
In
the
days
of
Abraham
the
at home, much less being in a con­ man is justified or saved by either
dition to do mission work. There of them alone. We could,as prop­ system of salvation suited to the
should be a general spiritual resur- erly say that we are saved by bap­ infancy of the race was very sim­
ractrorr-ni. this respect all over the tism only as by faith only, but the ple. A fuller code was given when
<*
try. t Then and not till then^ word of God does not so teach. We Moses led the sons of Jacob away
we expect that union and co­ are freely JustifieS' l>y al l of them from the leeks and garlic into the
other things being equal, is read
trials of the wilderness; but now
cooperation. On the pther hand, it operation so necessary in convert­ together, and not by any one to the
exclusion of the others. So we we dwell in the light, “ the house of
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is, useless to talk of cooperation or ing the world.
—---------- ♦..«-♦------- -—
conclude with the apostle James; the Lord, which is the church of the
to urge it on the part of that mem­
FAITH ONLY.
“ For as the body without the spirit living God, the pillar and founda­
ber or that church which has not
tion of the truth,” is ours. In this
«
been properly educated on the sub-
Some of the disciplines and con- is dead, so faith without works is
a a »• * -
ject. We had just as wellr com­ fessions of faith tell us that the dead also.
dwells the spirit of Christ which is
mence now, as any time, to learn doctrine “ that we are justified by
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST the only life giving spirit in the
the important lesson that other faith only, is a most wholesome
THE PLACE FOR CHRIS- kingdom of God. Hence ho whois
things besides charity begin at doctrine, and .very, full of comfort.” .... TIAMÈ..
, '
. . ' .
; -rightfully in the church is in eom-———-
lication
homoT Thatchurch wliicL is not This statement ofmail’s
God peopled the ocean with the munion with this Spirit and has
perfectly united in the- same mind may afford some comfort to those
and the same judgment and whose who have been incorrectly taught finny tribes; the purple mullet and life, while he who is without the
members do not cooperate among on the subject; but the apostles gold fish shimmer and gleam, as in church has no spiritual communion
* * *
themselves, is not likely to do much and primitive Christians evidently Sportive play they drag the sea and will surely die.
in sounding out the gospel. The saw the matter in quite a different weed through the mermaid’s cave
Selections and Comments.
trouble with most of our missionary light. Let us hear them. The and the dolphins tumble in glee
work is, that, the plans adopted and apostle James asks this question : above them. The water is their
T he P roposed R evision of
C reeds — -We notice there is still
carried on by the leaders, are too “But wilt thou know, O vain man, home; out of it they die.
No less does the eagle feel the some discussion concerning the ne-
far in advance of the churches. We that faith without works is dead ?”
need to “bringtheteamtackTroth’
sunlignt as WsSity“ Of a ‘ revi^
hitch it onto the load. Before the Abraham, and shows that he was he sails proudly out of sight into this discussion should lead to the
preachers talk too much about justified by works, as well as by the heaven that bends so blue above abandonment of all human creeds,
County, District, State or United faith, when he had offered his son him; the lark trills her roundelay we think great good would be ac­
States cooperation, they should see upon the altar, and further, that by and rises up to meet the sun, for as complished. Human creeds must
to it that the members of their own his works was his faith made per­ God s creatures they have tire air be devisive in the very nature of
churches are actually engaged in fect. If a man therefore is justified as their abode. Away from it they things, since they .are finite in their
cooperating among themselves; for by faith only, he is justified by an perish. God has appointed that the comprehensiveness. No man or or­
if a mistake is made at this point, imperfect or dead faith. Besides, spiritual home of his children shall ganised set of men can concoct or
the work will prove a failure from on this principle the devils them­ be in Christ; out of him spiritual comprehend a system larger than
first to last. It matters not how selves would be justified, for we are death is inevitable. But to be in the combined scope of their own
strong our desire may be to send distinctly told that they “ believe Christ is to be in his body, which minds. And this being true it must
the gospel to the heathen or how and tremble.” But look at the two is the church bearing his name, for be evident to all that their systems
loud we may call for the money to following statements of the case; it is he “ of whom the whole family will be applicable to such persons
support those who have the faith the discipline say: “ Wherefore, in heaven and earth is named.” If only as are equal or inferior in
and courage to go, our efforts will that we are justified by faith only, we dwell in the church and “ walk mental capacity to the author or
all be in vain unless the churches is a most wholesome doctrine, and in the spirit,” we shall enjoy a vig­ authors of the systems. Conse­
• are first Scripturally instructed and very full of comfort.” The apostle orous and happy life; just as the quently superior minds cannot be
set in order. If a church is not James says: “Ye see then how denizons of the sea, in coral groves accommodated by these human in­
. willing and redy to help itself it is that by works a man is justified, underneath the green billows fill ventions. Hence we must conclude
not likely to render much aid to and not by faith only.” Now reader, the full purpose of their being.
_____
that in orejer to meet
the wants of
A fnlce comes over the snow*^ic immense'variety
its weak neighbor. The cooperating which will you accept ?
nse>ariety of
of mind,
mind, the
the
Now that man is justified by crowned mountains asking, “ Is it number of creeds must be very
spiritually dying or dead churches
is not an every-day occurrence. faith, the Scriptures expressly teach; not possible for a Christian to live great; unless we can find one which
While it is true that the love of but it is nowhere said that a man out of the church ?” Do you not is equal to the requirements of the
money is said to be the root of all is justified by faith only. It is also see the danger as you look, about highest as well as the humblest in­
evil, it is none the less true that aught that man is justified by you ' Who would be a mollusk of tellect in all the world. Reasoning
money must lie at the foundation works, but not by works only. so little vitality that it may be a priori, we would expect just such
enee Paul says:
Hence
says: “ Therefore be­ possible to sustain a declining life a creed from an author whose attri­
of much of our missionary work, ii
and the missionary work must be ing justified by faith, we have paace for a short time out of the native butes are infinite, and from none
carried on by some kind of cooper­ with God through our Lord Jesus element! -Lukewarm Christians other. And as the Bible is the-work
ation. But what can be expected Christ.” But he does not say we may show signs Of spasmodic ac­ of just such an author, it is logically
of that church which is not willing are justified by faith only. The tivity though away from assembling demonstrated to be the only book
to sdt itself in order and support word “ only ” is added to complete in the house , of God for months, that is adapted to every creature
its home work ? It is not’only un­ unscriptural theory. It should be but experience without exception as a sufficient rule of faith and prac*
ft begins first with the individual
. disciple of Christ, and in the second
place, with the chui-ch of which is
a member. Each disciple of Christ
must be taught the necessity of co­
operation in preaching the gospel to
the whole world and then made to
feel that it is his individual duty to
assist in the good work to the full­
est extent of his moral and finan­
cial ability. That church whose
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