Where in the Bible do we find the idea of sects being branches, as
people talk about? "What branch of the church do you belong to?" is
a common expression in these times of antiscriptural language and
practise. Why do not people read their Bibles better and learn that
every individual believer is a branch in Christ--John 15?
If a whole sect is a branch, then the individual must be a
sub-branch; but this would make each one dependent upon the
sect for his union with, and life from, Christ. This would be
second-hand salvation. We should not like to risk the coupling--I
prefer a direct union with Christ.
Taking Christ's parable of the Vine and Branches, there is but
one way to represent branch sects; that is, imagine the branches
adhering directly to the vine but pressed together and tightly
bound into several bunches. Thus drawn together each bundle would
have the appearance of a branch; but upon closer examination it
would be found to consist of many branches each adhering to the
vine, except a good many dead sticks, that had been killed by the
unnatural confinement, and had rotted loose from the trunk.
We think it is the great business of the pure gospel sword of
holiness to cut those soul-killing chords, that the Father may
purge the several branches, and that they may all straighten out in
natural position--live, grow, and bear fruit unto holiness.
His account of how he was led to sever his connection with the
holiness association, which he began to see was but a milder form of
sectism, is given in an editorial for June 1, 1881.