THE CHURCH SINCE THE APOSTLES.
_The Apostasy of the Church._
The apostolic unity of the church was maintained for about three
hundred years. During this period the church endured the ten great,
general persecutions directed against it by the world-ruling Roman
Empire, which resulted in the martyrdom of almost all of the Apostles
and multitudes of other Christians. Despite the opposition of the
mightiest powers on earth, the church scored the most marvelous
victories and was on a fair way to conquer the whole world for Christ.
Satan, perceiving that his opposition to a united church under the
leadership of Christ was fruitless, now tried to get within the church
and to shear it of its power by confusing its counsels and dividing its
forces. Christ said, "Every city or house divided against itself shall
not stand" (Matt. 12:25), and Satan knew that if he could get
Christians to exhaust their energies by contending with each other,
their conquest of the world would be at an end. He filled the church
with speculative philosophy, heathen idolatry and the worldly spirit in
general. As always, he used the pride, vanity and ambition of
individuals to accomplish his purpose. If fallible human leaders and
their opinions could be put in the place of the infallible Christ and
his teachings, the work would be done; because this would arouse the
opposition of other ambitious human leaders and thus the church would
be torn asunder and exhausted with internal strife and divisions. Alas
that the church did not heed the earnest warning of Paul, "Now I
beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences
contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For
they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own
belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the
simple" (Rom. 16:17, 18). The selfishness of leaders and the lazy,
careless indifference of the masses who blindly follow on, is what
makes the creation and perpetuation of divisions among Christians
possible. Perceiving that the division of the church would destroy its
power, its leaders strove with might and main to preserve its unity.
Had they exalted the Christ and used his Word, the sword of the Spirit,
they would have succeeded. But they were ambitious and worked for a
united church so they could use its power to exalt themselves and their
opinions and crush those opposed to them. Human creeds, as standards of
orthodoxy, were invented, and more stress was put on correct
speculative opinions than on faith in Christ and Christ-like living.
Persons who would not subscribe to the speculative opinions of man-made
creeds were persecuted and anathematized. The church formed a league
with worldly rulers and used the strong arm of the law to crush those
who would not accept its human standards of orthodoxy. The Inquisition,
with the dungeon, stocks, guillotine and other diabolical means of
torture, was called into requisition. It is claimed that no less than
fifty million human beings were martyred in this effort of the
ecclesiastical hierarchy, calling itself the church, to maintain unity
on a human creed. Although this effort at union was largely successful,
it was not Christian union. Paul says that Christian union is where
Christians are of the same mind and judgment and all speak the same
things (1 Cor. 1:10), while this union was maintained by suppressing
conscientious convictions and their utterance.
_The Reformation of the Church._
The effort at a forced union on a speculative human creed was never
entirely successful. In the fastnesses of the mountains the Waldenses,
Albigenses and others, maintained their religious freedom. The fire of
religious liberty was smouldering, but not extinguished. It was covered
with the black coals of ecclesiastical ignorance, brutality and
tyranny; but by and by it worked its way to the light and illuminated
the darkness of the age. The great Reformation burst forth into a
mighty inextinguishable flame all over Europe, and, overleaping great
barriers, it blazed forth in America. The ecclesiastical shackles were
torn asunder and the people were set free. I speak of the ultimate
outcome, for this end was only attained after centuries of effort.
Hereditary religious ideas, prejudices and customs become petrified,
and it is only with the most desperate and long-continued efforts that
individuals and bodies of people can free themselves from them. Failing
to recognize how they are blinded through hereditary bias, environment
and limited ideas, people imagine they have attained unto the ultimate
truth, and thus their growth in knowledge ceases and they become
fossilized into a sectarian party. People imagine that they are free
when they are delivered from religious and political tyrants that
persecute and oppress them; but their greatest bondage, and the one
that makes the others possible, is the hereditary and acquired
prejudice, bias, bigotry and ignorance within themselves. The struggle
of the Reformation was for religious freedom. This struggle was by no
means always unselfish and consistent. Protestants as well as Roman
Catholics used force to crush those that would not submit to their
creeds. Both in Europe and in America men's bodies were tortured and
destroyed with the hope of saving their souls and in the endeavor to
maintain the unity of the church. Even where the church and the state
were separated so that the church could not use the civil law to
persecute its opponents, other means of coercion were used, such as
boycotting, ostracism, excommunication and anathemas. The idea of the
Roman Catholic Church is that you cannot trust the people to interpret
the Bible for themselves; the Pope and the church must do it for them.
The idea of Protestant sectarian creeds is largely the same. The
members cannot be trusted to interpret the Bible for themselves, so the
creed-makers have to do it for them. The difference is in degree and
power of oppression rather than in kind. The entire idea is
fundamentally wrong. Speculative theology cannot save any one and
sectarian creeds are harder to understand than the Bible itself. The
people need the living, loving, personal Christ, and not the dry husks
of speculative theology. We want uniformity in matters of faith that
are clearly revealed and in allegiance to Christ, but do not need it in
speculative opinions based on inferences as to what the Bible teaches.
Freedom is absolutely necessary to progress and civilization. But
freedom may be turned into a curse as well as a blessing. Criminals
want freedom to gratify the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:13). Those in
bondage to their own carnal nature must be put under restraint by those
governed by moral principles. Even Christians need to be guided and
governed in spiritual matters, and have always felt this need. The
trouble has been that mortal men have been accepted as authoritative
spiritual guides, or have tried to control the religious convictions
and practices of their fellow-men by force. Christ is the Christian's
only safe and proper guide. As a final result of the Reformation the
Christian people in America and parts of Europe were set free from
religious tyranny and left to choose their spiritual guides. Although
they professed that the Bible was their only authority, they accepted
human leaders and their opinions as guides and permitted these to
interpret the Bible for them. Thus the freedom of the Reformation was
turned into the curse of division and sectarianism. Divided
Protestantism is better than the religious tyranny of the Dark Ages;
but it is bad, and will be replaced with the Christian union of the New
Testament when loyalty to Christ and his Word is substituted for
loyalty to human leaders and their opinions embodied in creeds. Christ
said, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation"
(Matt. 12:25). The truth of this has been sadly demonstrated in our
divided Christianity. In how many homes has sectarian division wrought
havoc with its religious life! How many husbands and wives have been
lost to active service for the Master because of the chilling effect of
indifference or opposition through sectarian differences! How many
children have become indifferent or disgusted with religion, because
their parents differed in their religious convictions! Again, look at
the effect of sectarian division in a community. Five church buildings
and preachers where one could do the work, while the balance could be
devoted to the evangelization of the heathen. But the financial loss is
the least. Preachers are poorly supported and therefore poorly equipped
for their work, and people are encouraged to join the churches on
almost any conditions through rivalry and the need of support for so
many churches. Sinners go unrebuked through fear that their financial
support will be lost; and, if disciplined, they are often received with
open arms into a rival church. When we look at the kingdom of Christ at
large, we see how it has come to desolation because of divisions.
Millions of dollars are wasted in rival churches, colleges, papers,
preachers, books, etc.; while the heathen stand with amazed incredulity
before the missionaries of a babel of denominations. Verily the
reformed church needs reforming.
_A Movement for Christian Union._
Divided Protestantism reached its climax in America at the beginning of
the last century. This land of freedom offered a congenial soil for its
perfect development and unfolding. Thus were exhibited more fully than
ever before the sin and folly of such divisions. The forces of Christ
were largely wasted and defeated through sectarian strife, and there
was the bitterest feeling even between different branches of the same
denomination. Infidelity was rampant in the land and Christianity was
at a low ebb. However, the love of the Master was strong in many
hearts, and these longed and prayed for better things. As by divine
inspiration, a great union movement sprang up simultaneously in
different parts of the country. The outcome was what may be called the
American Reformation, but is more properly called the Restoration
movement. The burning desire of the promoters of this movement was a
reunion of the divided followers of Christ. After a thorough and
prayerful consideration of the subject, it was decided that the only
possible basis of union is the Bible; and so the motto was adopted,
"Where the Bible speaks we will speak, and where the Bible is silent we
will be silent." It was decided to require a "thus saith the Lord" or
an apostolic example for every item of teaching or practice. The
reformers expected to bring about Christian union without leaving their
respective denominations and forming a separate religious body. But an
application of their motto in the study of the Bible led to results
that they never dreamed of. They were compelled to give up their
sectarian practices one by one, and soon found themselves forced out of
the denominational bodies. It now became clear to them that the real
cause of the origin and perpetuation of sectarian divisions was the
human element, in teaching and practice, added to the church since the
days of the Apostles; and that nothing but their removal and the
restoration of the primitive church in name, creed and deed, could
bring the Christian union of New Testament times. Learning that, aside
from the Apostles, there was no ecclesiastical authority or
organization in New Testament times, above the local church, they
proceeded to organize local churches of Christ after the primitive
model, and invited both saints and sinners to unite with them in this
work and in protesting against the sin of sectarian divisions.
_The Restoration of the New Testament Creed._
In the evolution of the movement for Christian union, it was soon
discovered that human creeds, as standards of church or ministerial
fellowship, are divisive in their nature and prevent the reunion of
God's people. All claim to get their creed from the Bible; but since
creeds contradict each other in doctrine, they cannot all be right,
although they may all be wrong. Human creeds are responsible for most
of the heresy trials and have armed most of the infidelic attacks upon
the church. The only way to permanently solve the creed problem is to
restore the divine creed given by the Holy Spirit to the primitive
church. This is the only true Apostles' Creed and the only one that
will never need any revision. This is none other than the _divinity of
Christ_, the central truth of revelation and of Christianity. Jesus
said, in answer to Peter's confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of
the living God," "Upon this rock I will build my church" (Matt. 16: 16,
18). John declared of his Gospel, "These are written, that ye might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye
might have life through his name" (John 20:31). Paul commanded,
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts
16:31), and said, "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3:11). This is what the Apostles
preached everywhere, and required as a condition for baptism and church
membership; and it is the only creed they ever required. The church is
not founded upon a system of speculative theology that even the learned
cannot understand, but upon the loving, divine personality of Jesus
Christ, the Son of the living God. Get Jesus in the heart, and belief
in his word and a Christ-like life will inevitably follow. This is the
only creed that can reunite divided Christendom. Christians cannot
unite on human leaders and their finite opinions, but they can all
unite on Christ.
_The Restoration of Bible Names._
It was further discovered that human names for God's people were
divisive in nature and a barrier to Christian union. There is nothing
in a name until it becomes authoritatively attached to a person or
thing, but after it becomes so attached, there is as much in the name
as in the person or thing. Since the name Andrew Carnegie became
attached to him, it is worth as much in money and influence as Mr.
Carnegie himself is worth. Thus it is that there is salvation in the
name of Christ. "For there is none other name under heaven given among
men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
The Bible names given to the church and to the followers of Christ,
express true ideas and relationships; while the human names since added
express false and unscriptural ideas and relationships. The church and
its members should be named after Christ because they belong to him;
for the same reason it is wrong to call them after any other person or
thing.
Paul writes, "Every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos;
and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified
for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" "For while one
saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?"
(I Cor. 1:12, 13; 3:4). "I pray you," said Luther, "leave my name
alone, and do not call yourselves Lutherans, but Christians. Who is
Luther? My doctrine is not mine. I was not crucified for any one. Paul
would not that any should call themselves of Paul, nor of Peter, but of
Christ. How, then, does it fit me, a miserable bag of dust and ashes,
to give my name to the children of Christ! Cease to cling to these
party names and distinctions! Away with them all and let us call
ourselves Christians, after him from whom our doctrine comes!" Those
engaged in this restoration movement heed the admonitions of Paul and
Luther and call themselves "Christians," or "disciples of Christ,"
while they call the churches, "churches of Christ" or "churches of
God." They do not use these names in a sectarian, but in a Scriptural,
sense. They do not claim to be the "only Christians," but aim to be
"Christians only." We read in Acts II:26, "The disciples were called
Christians first at Antioch." "If any man suffer as a Christian," says
Peter, "let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name"
(I Pet. 4: 16). Any name used to designate a part of the followers of
Christ and to separate them from the rest, is wrong, because it
expresses a wrong and unscriptural idea. "Would to God," said Wesley,
"that all sectarian names were forgotten, and that we, as humble,
loving disciples, might sit down at the Master's feet, read his holy
word, imbibe his spirit, and transcribe his life into our own!" John
says, "We shall see his face and his name shall be in our foreheads"
(Rev. 22:4).
_The Ordinances Restored._
In addition to the restoration of the New Testament creed and names, it
was found that there can be no organic Christian union, after the
primitive type, without a restoration of the ordinances as administered
by the Apostles. Protestants all accept two ordinances, baptism and the
Lord's Supper, but they differ greatly in the manner of observing them.
Some have open and others close communion. Some observe the Lord's
Supper monthly, others quarterly and still others annually. In looking
for apostolic precepts and examples, it was found that the early
Christians met on every first day of the week to break bread; and that
each Christian was commanded by Christ to partake of the Lord's Supper,
after examining himself to see that his heart was prepared for this
spiritual feast. We have neither the authority to decide the frequency
of the service, nor who shall partake of the Supper.
The greatest hindrance to a practical working union of the followers of
Christ is the babel of teaching and practice as to baptism. Some hold
that the mere baptism of infants will save them, while others belittle
baptism or ignore it altogether. Some baptize infants, others only
adults. Some sprinkle, some pour, and others immerse for baptism. Some
sprinkle, pour or immerse, just as the candidate wishes it. Does the
New Testament teach this babel of confusion or has it come from human
inventions and additions? It has already been pointed out that only
those who had previously been born of the Spirit, or undergone a change
of heart through faith and repentance, were baptized by the Apostles.
We are told that Jesus never baptized any one (John 4:2), therefore he
never baptized any infants. If we examine carefully the cases of
household baptism recorded in the New Testament, we will find that in
each case infants are necessarily excluded; as those baptized "heard"
(Acts 10:33), "believed" (Acts 16:34), "were comforted" (Acts 16:40),
"addicted themselves to the ministry" (1 Cor. 16:16), etc. These acts
all refer to people who had reached the age of intelligence and
accountability and, therefore, cannot refer to infants. Infant baptism
is based on two errors that crept into the church--the doctrines of
infant damnation and baptismal regeneration. Infants are saved without
baptism, for Jesus said "of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt.
19:14), and baptism is of value only because of its relation to Christ
and the faith of the sinner (Mark 16:16). The greatest emphasis we can
put on baptism is to say that Christ commanded it and made it a
condition of salvation to those that hear the gospel and have the
opportunity to obey it. To refuse to obey this or any other commandment
of Christ, reveals a rebellious heart that cannot be saved.
Of the action of baptism we speak in a previous chapter, therefore we
need not treat of it here only to say that all churches agree that the
immersion of a penitent believer in water is Scriptural baptism, and
this is the only practice on which all can unite. Thousands of those
that are contented to be Christians only have given up sprinkling and
been immersed after studying the Bible on the subject.
_The Bible Restored._
Christian union on the primitive gospel necessitates the restoration of
the Bible to its proper place and authority. Sectarianism has largely
displaced it with creeds and other human standards. Recently I read the
following in an introduction to a catechism: "This catechism has well
been called a Bible for the laity." When we remember how contradictory,
and, therefore, erroneous, these human deductions as to Bible teaching
are, we can see the need of putting them aside and restoring the Bible
as the Christian's all-sufficient and only sufficient guide.
The Bible has also been thrust aside and kept from the people by false
theories of conversion and the consequent erroneous practices in
evangelistic work. People have been taught that they are totally
depraved and can do nothing towards their conversion, that faith is a
direct gift of God, that the Holy Spirit converts sinners by immediate
miraculous power, that the evidence of pardon is in dreams, visions or
feelings, and that sinners have to wait until God by entreaties is
reconciled to save them. All these theories are erroneous and logically
set aside the entire gospel plan of salvation. The Holy Spirit, through
the Apostles, used the truths of the Word or gospel to convict sinners,
and taught penitents, out of the New Testament, on what conditions they
could inherit the salvation Christ purchased on the cross. The sinners
that wanted to be saved accepted this salvation by complying with
Christ's conditions of pardon, and went on their way rejoicing, because
they had the infallible Word of God for it that they were saved. In
other words, the Apostles preached the gospel, and penitent sinners
were immediately saved by believing it (Mark 16:16), repenting of their
sins (Acts 2:38) and openly committing themselves to Christ in baptism
(Acts 22:16).
Finally, the Bible has become a meaningless riddle and uninteresting to
most people because it is not rightly divided. It is assumed that all
parts of the Bible are addressed to everybody. This is far from the
truth. While we must recognize the unity and interdependence of the
entire Bible and that each part teaches great spiritual truths for all,
we must also remember that its different parts contain specific
precepts addressed to different classes of people and only applicable
to them. Thus the Mosaic law was for the Jews only, and was superseded
by the gospel (Gal. 3:24, 25). Turning to the New Testament, we find
that the four Gospels were written to make believers (John 20:31), the
Acts of the Apostles, "Book of Conversions," to tell and show people
how to be saved or become Christians (see chapters 2, 8, 16, etc.),
while the rest of the New Testament is addressed to Christians or
church-members as their rule of faith and practice. The churches in
this Restoration movement aim to restore the Bible to its primitive
place in producing penitents, guiding them unto salvation and in giving
all instructions to the churches needed for their edification and
guidance.
_Restoration of the New Testament Church Government._
We have learned that all sectarian divisions have resulted from
exalting human leaders and their opinions. Ambitious ecclesiastics have
exalted themselves with the help of misguided people; and, usurping
authority, have lorded it over God's heritage. How wide the difference
between the simplicity of the primitive gospel and the pompous
ecclesiastical organizations and titles of modern times! It is
self-evident that Christian union cannot be restored until this
ecclesiastical machinery be put aside and the administration of
Christ's kingdom be again entrusted to the local churches and their
officers as in New Testament times.
It will be noticed that this modern movement for Christian union does
not seek to introduce new doctrines into the religious world. It seeks
rather the restoration of the old Jerusalem gospel with its doctrines,
ordinances and fruits. Its promoters thoroughly believe in all the
truths accepted by evangelical bodies and simply strive to remove the
sectarian growths that have fastened themselves to the old ship Zion
during its course through the centuries. Among its favorite mottoes are
these:
No Book but the Bible.
No Creed but the Christ.
No Plea but the Gospel.
No Name but the Divine.
In Christ--Unity.
In Opinions--Liberty.
In all Things--Charity.
_Is One Church as Good as Another?_
The mere hint that there might be something in the doctrines of
different churches that is erroneous and needs to be dropped or
modified, is usually met with a frown of disfavor, by the
supersensitive sectarian world. The sectarian sore is grown over with
the agreement to disagree, and woe unto the doctor that insists on
probing the wound to effect a cure. The effort at probing is usually
met with the declaration, "One church is just as good as another, they
are all aiming for the same place." Let us try to discover what truth
or error is wrapped up in this statement, and what are the religious
conditions that inspire such declarations. In the first place, it shows
a disposition to apologize for sectarian doctrines rather than to
defend them. This is a hopeful sign. All the large denominations in
America originated in European countries under the bitter religious
controversies and cruel political strife that followed the Dark Ages.
It was these stormy and abnormal conditions that gave birth to these
sects and largely moulded their peculiar doctrines. One extreme begot
another, and while each of these denominations emphasized some
neglected religious truth, it emphasized it so strongly as to often
twist it into an untruth or out of proper relationship to other truths.
The people in free America are not interested in the polemical
controversies that resulted from religious and political conditions in
the old countries. Thus it has come to pass that scarcely any
denomination seriously and persistently urges the ideas that gave it
birth, and their creeds have to be revised continually to hold their
preachers and church-members. The result is that the great mass of the
members of the sectarian churches neither know nor care what the creeds
of their churches teach. I say that this is a hopeful sign, but there
is also a great danger involved in it. Learning that the doctrines of
their own and other denominations are not of saving or vital
importance, people are likely to jump to the conclusion that no
religious doctrines are of vital importance, and so lose their interest
in Christianity. No one can deny that thousands have reached this
condition, and are either members of no church or merely nominal,
indifferent members. Since all sectarian doctrines are of human origin
and of no vital, saving importance, we can endorse the statement that,
from a sectarian standpoint, one church is just as good as another.
We will also grant, for the sake of the argument, that from the
standpoint of piety, talent, learning and consecration, one church, on
an average, is just as good as another. But does this go to the bottom
of the subject? The doctor who, through ignorance of medical science,
gives your child medicine that cripples it for life or kills it, may be
just as good morally and intellectually as other doctors who know their
business. His blunder of ignorance may not destroy his hope of heaven;
but is that a reason why you would just as soon have him treat your
child as another doctor? So sectaries who teach erroneous doctrines may
be just as honest, consecrated and learned as those who teach the
gospel truth; but does it make no difference to the cause of Christ and
the salvation of souls, whether they teach sectarian vagaries that
divide and desolate the church, or exalt the Christ and his Word so as
to unite all his followers in the conquest of the world? But, you ask,
how can good and learned people differ so in their beliefs? We may not
understand how it is, but we know it is and ever has been so. Our minds
are so constituted that we must see all truths alike, logically,
mathematically and in every other way, if we see them at all. The
trouble is that our vision is so warped through prejudice and limited
ideas and information that we fail to see the simplest truths, and find
in the Bible and elsewhere what we bring with us through heredity and
environment. The Bible recognizes this truth. Jesus prayed, "Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Paul says,
"I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" (1 Tim.
1:13), and again, "The times of this ignorance God winked at; but now
commandeth all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). It may seem
paradoxical, but it is nevertheless true, that the greatest hindrance
to the spread of the truth of God has come from pious, consecrated and
God-fearing souls who were misled by their hereditary prejudices. The
majority of those converted under the preaching of the Apostles, as
recorded in the New Testament, were devout saints who needed to be
delivered from their hereditary Jewish prejudices and enlisted in the
re-alignment of religious forces for the conquest of the world for
Christ and his kingdom. The Pentecostians were "devout men," the eunuch
was a devout worshiper, Saul of Tarsus was a conscientious man,
Cornelius was devout and a philanthropist. A large per cent of the Jews
were honest and devout people, but were fighting against Christ because
they were blinded by hereditary religious ideas. Peter, even after
Pentecost, was subject to these influences, for it took ten years, with
special miraculous manifestations, before he could see that Gentiles
were creatures to whom the gospel was to be preached as well as to the
Jews. While sectarian divisions are largely due to selfish and wicked
men, most of them are due to devout Christians who are misled by
inherited prejudices or simply drift with the tide.
If these things are true, we should tremble lest we are upholding error
and opposing the truth unintentionally through hereditary bias. We
should make a prayerful and diligent search for the truth as it is in
Christ Jesus. Although we have discovered that none of the sectarian
doctrines are of vital importance, let us remember that it is different
with "the faith [system of teaching] which was once for all delivered
unto the saints" (Jude 3) by the Apostles and for which we are duty
bound to "earnestly contend." Since so many devout and learned
preachers are teaching so many contradictory doctrines, which cannot
all be true, let us not accept their statements unchallenged, but let
us test them (I John 4:1-6) by searching the Scriptures daily to see if
these things are so (Acts 17:11). After that we are assured that we
have found the truth ourselves, let us "be gentle unto all men, apt to
teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves:
if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of
the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the
devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (2 Tim. 2:24-26). In
view of the fact that at least the great majority of the members of
denominational churches must be in error, it should be a crowning glory
to change one's religious affiliations through an investigation of the
truth. The hope of the cause of Christ lies with those who, hearing the
voice of God's truth in their conscience, are ready to obey it, even if
it results in breaking the dearest human ties and leads to ostracism
and persecution. Almost all the promoters of this union movement have
themselves found their way out of sectarianism after heart-rending
efforts to rid themselves from their hereditary prejudices and errors.
They are simply entreating others to do what they themselves have done,
for the sake of Christ's cause, and help to establish local churches
of Christ after the Apostolic model. That they have fundamentally
reoccupied the primitive ground is admitted by all who have fairly
investigated the subject. If they are yet in error on any points, they
are in a position and ready to correct these as fast as they discover
them through a further study of God's Word.
_The Church Triumphant._
Christ declares that the evangelization of the world is dependent upon
Christian union. Therefore, the ultimate triumph of his church
necessitates the triumph of Christian union. We praise God for every
movement that looks toward a closer union of Christians; but we are
sure that nothing short of the removal of every vestige of
denominationalism and the complete restoration of the one body or
church of New Testament times will satisfy the demands of God's Word. A
number of forces such as the Sunday-school, C.E., Y.M.C.A., Evangelical
Alliance and Church Federation are destroying the sectarian spirit and
the field is getting ripe unto the harvest for the restoration of the
unity of the early church with its converting power. The success of
this movement for Christian union on the primitive gospel has been
phenomenal. In eighty years its adherents have increased from ten
thousand to about one and a third millions. The per cent of gain in
membership, from 1890 to 1905, in the six American religious bodies
that number a million each was as follows: Christians or disciples of
Christ, 94 per cent.; Roman Catholics, 73 per cent.; Lutherans, 51 per
cent.; Methodists, 40 per cent.; Baptists, 38 per cent., and
Presbyterians, 35 per cent. Barring out the Catholics and Lutherans,
who get most of their gain by immigration, the Christians or churches
of Christ show more than double the gain of the other three bodies. We
glory in this growth only as the glory of Christ is involved in it. It
is an earnest of what Christian union will do even through very
imperfect instruments. What will the harvest be, when the prayer of
Jesus is answered and all his followers are united in one "glorious
church, holy and without blemish, not having spot or wrinkle or any
such thing" (Eph. 5:27), going forth to the evangelization of the world
"fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners,"
"looking forth as the morning" (S. of Sol. 6: 10)! May the prayer of
Jesus for the union of his followers be our prayer, and may we do all
in our power to bring a speedy answer! Amen.
The following is a splendid statement of the aim of the Restoration
movement. I do not know its author:
OUR AIM.
1. The restoration of primitive Christianity and consequent union of
all the followers of Christ in one body.
2. To build a church of Christ, without a denominational name, creed or
other barrier to Christian unity, whose terms of fellowship shall be as
broad as the conditions of salvation and identical with them.
3. To lead sinners to Christ in the clear light of the New Testament
teaching and example.
I have summarized the situation as I see it as follows:
ARE THESE THINGS TRUE?
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES AND SEE. ACTS 17:11.
1. Christ wants all of his followers to be united in one church as they
were the first three centuries (John 17:20, 21; 1 Cor. 1:10-13; Eph.
4:1-6; Rom. 15:5-7).
2. Sects and divisions among Christians are wasteful, carnal and sinful
and result from exalting human leaders and their opinions above Christ
and his opinions revealed through his Apostles (1 Cor. 3:1-4; Rom.
16:17, 18; Gal. 5:20).
3. As soon as we drop human names, creeds and customs and build
churches after the divine model, by teaching and practising as the
Apostles did, the unity of the primitive church will be restored (Heb.
8:5; 1 Cor. 11:16; Jude 3).
4. Churches on an average are about the same in piety and consecration,
but so long as they teach contradictory doctrines they cannot all be
right, but may be wrong. _Therefore you should examine for yourself and
be sure you are guided by God's Word rather than by inherited
traditions which perpetuate sects_ (Mark 7:6-13).
The following _guide to salvation,_ which I take from one of my
circulars used in gospel work, has the merit of being taken entirely
from the Word of God, except the word "warning" and the few words in
parentheses. If it is in harmony with the context, and we sincerely
believe it is, then it is an infallible guide, and those who follow it
cannot be mistaken.
"These men are the servants of the most high God which show unto us
THE WAY OF SALVATION"
(Acts 16:17).
"WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?" (Acts 16:30; 2:37; 9:6).
"_Believe_ (unbeliever) on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be
saved" (Acts 16:31). (See also Acts 8: 12, 37; Mark 16:16; Rom.
10:9-11, 17; John 3:18; 20:31; 1 John 5:1.)
WARNING.--"He that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16).
"_Repent_ (believers) and be baptized for the remission of sins and ye
shall receive _the gift of the Holy Ghost_" (Acts 2:38). (See also Acts
8:22; 26: 20; Luke 24:47; 2 Cor. 7:9, 10.)
WARNING.--"Except ye repent, ye shall all perish" (Luke 13:5).
"_Confess_ (penitent believer) with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and thou
shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:9, 10). (See also Matt. 10:32; 16:16; 26:63; 1
Tim. 6:13; 1 John 4:15.)
WARNING.--"Whosoever shall deny me, him will I also deny" (Matt. 10:33).
"_Be baptized_ (confessor) and wash away thy sins" (Acts 22:16). (See
also Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Gal. 3:26, 27; 1 Pet. 3:21.)
WARNING.--"Rejected the counsel of God, being not baptized" (Luke 7:30).
_"Walk in newness of life"_ (those buried with Christ in baptism) (Rom.
6:4).
WARNING.--"Walk not after the flesh," "For to be carnally minded is
death" (Rom. 8:1, 6).
"Then they that _gladly received_ his _word were baptized;_ and the
_same day_ there were _added unto them_ (joined church) about three
thousand souls. And they
CONTINUED STEADFASTLY
in the _apostles' doctrine_ (no human creed) and _fellowship _(weekly
collections, 1 Cor. 16:1, 2), and in _breaking of bread_ (weekly
communion, Acts 20:7), and in _prayers"_ (attending prayer-meetings,
Acts 2:41, 42).
"The disciples were
CALLED CHRISTIANS" (Acts 11:26).
"For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; _are
ye not carnal?"_ (1 Cor. 3:4). "If ye are reproached for the _name_ of
Christ, blessed are ye... if a man suffer as _a Christian_, let him
glorify God in _this name"_ (1 Pet. 4:14-16, R.V.).
"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the _name_ of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that ye all _speak the same thing,_ and that there be
NO DIVISIONS
among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the _same mind_
and in the _same judgment._ Now this I say, that every one of you
saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of
Christ: _is Christ divided_ (I Cor. 12: 12)? _Was Paul crucified for
you?_ or were ye baptized in (into) the name of Paul?" (I Cor. i:
10-13). "Therefore,
GO ON UNTO PERFECTION" (Heb. 6:1).
"_Grace_ and _peace_ be _multiplied_ unto you through the _knowledge_
of God and of Jesus our Lord. According as his divine power _hath given
unto us all things_ (in Bible) that pertain unto _life_ and
_godliness,_ through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory
and virtue. Whereby are given unto us _exceeding great and precious
promises;_ that by these ye might be partakers of the _divine nature_,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And
beside this giving all diligence,
ADD TO YOUR FAITH
_virtue_ (courage); and to virtue, _knowledge;_ and to knowledge,
_temperance_ (self-control); and to temperance, _patience;_ and to
patience, _godliness;_ and to godliness, _brotherly kindness_ (love of
brethren); and to brotherly kindness, _charity_ (love of _everybody_).
For if _these things_ be in you, and _abound,_ they make you that ye
shall _neither_ be _barren nor unfruitful_ in the _knowledge_ of our
Lord Jesus Christ. But _he that lacketh these things_ is _blind,_ and
cannot see afar off, and hath _forgotten_ that he was purged from his
old sins. _Wherefore,_ the rather, brethren, _give diligence_ to _make_
your calling and _election sure,_ for if ye do these things, ye shall
never fail: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you
_abundantly_ into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ" (2 Pet. 2:2-11).
"GOOD WORKS."
"For the _grace of God_ that bringeth _salvation_ hath appeared _to all
men, teaching us_ that _denying ungodliness_ and _worldly lusts,_ we
should _live soberly, righteous_ and _godly_ in this present world;
_looking for that blessed hope_ and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who _gave himself for us,_ that he
might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a _peculiar
people, zealous of good works_" (Tit. 2: 11-14).
"WORKS OF THE FLESH
are manifest, which are these: _Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions (parties), heresies (sects--R. V.), envying,
murders, drunkenness, revellings,_ and _such like;_ of the which I tell
you before, as I have told you in the past, that _they which do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God._ But
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
is _love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance,_ against such there is _no law"_ (Gal. 5:19-22).
"FINALLY,
brethren, whatsoever things are _true,_ whatsoever things are _honest,_
whatsoever things are _just,_ whatsoever things are _pure,_ whatsoever
things are _lovely,_ whatsoever things are _of good report;_ if there
be any _virtue,_ and if there be any _praise, think on these things"_
(Phil. 4:8).
"Now
unto him that is able to do _exceeding abundantly above all that we ask
or think,_ according to _the power that worketh in us,_ unto him be
glory _in the church by Jesus Christ_ throughout all ages, world
without end. Amen" (Eph. 3:20, 21).