"That they all may be one."--John, xvii. 21.
Surely there is nothing for which Christian churches have such cause to
hang their harps on the willows, as the extent to which the Shibboleth
of party is heard in the camp of the faithful--sectarianism rearing its
"untempered walls" within the Temple gates!
How different "the mind of Jesus!" Sent "to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel," He was never found disowning "_other_ sheep not of that
fold." "Them also will I bring," was an assertion continually
illustrated by His deeds. Take one example: The woman of Samaria
revealed what, alas! is too common in the world--a total absence of all
real religion, along with an ardent zeal for her sect. She was living
in open sin; yet she was all alive to the nice distinction between a Jew
and a Samaritan--between Mount Gerizim and Mount Zion: "How is it that
thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria?" Did
Jesus sanction or reciprocate her sectarianism?--did He leave her
bigotry unrebuked? Hear His reply--"If thou knewest the gift of God, and
who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldst have asked
of _Him_, and _He_ would have given thee!" _He_ would have allowed no
such narrow-minded exclusiveness to have interfered with the interchange
of kindly civilities with a stranger. Nay, He would have given thee,
better than all, the "living water" which "springeth up to everlasting
life!"
How sad, that when the enemy is "coming in like a flood"--the ranks of
Popery and infidelity linked in fatal and formidable confederacy--that
the soldiers of Christ are forced to meet the assault with standards
soiled and mutilated by internal feuds! "Uniformity" there _may_ not
be, but "unity," in the true sense of the word, there _ought_ to be. We
may be clad in different livery, but let us stand side by side, and rank
by rank, fighting the battles of our Lord. We may be different branches
of the seven golden candlesticks, varying and diversified in outward
form and workmanship; but let us combine in "showing forth the praises
of Him" who recognizes, as the one true "churchmanship," fidelity in
shining for His glory "as lights in the world." How can we read the 13th
chapter of 1st Corinthians, and then think of our divisions? "How
miserable," says Edward Bickersteth, "would an hospital be, if each
patient were to be so offended with his neighbor's disease, as to differ
with him on account of it, instead of trying to alleviate it!"
Ah! if we had more real communion with our Saviour, should we not have
more real communion with one another? If Christians would dip their
arrows more in "the balm of Gilead," would there not be fewer wounds in
the body of Christ? "How that word '_toleration_' is used amongst us,"
said one who drank deeper than most, of his Master's spirit--"how we
_tolerate_ one another--Dissenters _tolerate_ Churchmen, and Churchmen
_tolerate_ Dissenters! Oh! hateful word! TOLERATE one for whom _Jesus_
died! _Tolerate_ one whom He bears upon His heart! _Tolerate_ a temple
of the living God! Oh! there ought to be _that_ in the word which should
make us feel _ashamed_ before God!"
"ARM YOURSELVES LIKEWISE WITH THE SAME MIND."
Thirtieth Day.