The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-09-26

conflicting parties These schisms had\ -,
| ripened into separate communities, for sucl |
! thing as a separate communion was as yet u
known in the church Of God. But Paul saw thu
there was danger Of IT, and he knew well that "a
set up a separate communion is to consummate
and crown schism. To prevent this, be says,
l Cor. x, 16, II: "The cup of blessing which we
bless, is it not the communion Of the blood of
Christ The bread which we break, is il not the
communion Of the body Of Christ For we being
many, are one bread and one body for we are all
partskers of that one bread Two things are
| here taught US LIST. That the church Of Christ,
however much il may be divided into sects and
parties, is one body. %. That in the Lords
Supper we hold and declare our fellowship-not
merely with the party to which we may happen
to belong, but with the whole church. Ii is the
| communion Of the body of Christ-forJwe being
many, are one bread and one body, &c. Now let
red INA, Thv desigh 81 I'aui VIM ",
heal divisions in the church and to prevent them
the setting up Of separate comm1nions. And TO
do this he tells them that in spite of their sects
and parties. they were really but one body, and
that they declared this oneness every time they
partook Of the Lords Supper. Where, then, is the
idea, that by Withdrawing from other branches of
the church, and setting up new organizations, we
get rid Of the evils which are ip the old As Mr..
Gordon truly says, eve only change ecclesissti-
cal localities in the kingdom of Godp The evils
we seek TO avoid are still in the church, and we
are in the church. And every time we sit down
at the Lords table we declare our communion
with the whole body What then, have we gained
by secession? We have swept off what we con-
slider to be a clean place at the table of the Lord
and have taken our seat. But while we are
glorying in our purity, we cast our eye along
! the table, and find the whole church Of Christ
sitting with us there! We have acted as wisely
as my little finger would act IT, grieved at its
nection with diseased body, it were to "change
its locality" by ascending to my elbow or to my
shoulder, or take some other position in my body.
IL might shift and shift its place as much as it
pleased but still be member of that very body
whose diseases 1t wIsned 10 shuu II the fooi
shall say, "because am not the hand, Fam not of
the body" is it therefore not of the body7 And
if the ear shall say, "because am not the eye
am not of the body is it therefore not of the
body1 An such protestations are vain, and Paul
uses this argument to show us the folly of making
or keeping up parties in the church. Now, let il
not be said that our secession, brethren argue in
favor Of Withdrawing from apoStd,s churches
alone. Mr.. Gordon says, in his sermon, page
6 Her aggrieved members are not to wait
until she is certainly apostate" And again, at
is a mistake to suppose that we are to remain in
church until we are satisfied she is anti-chrstian
dressed not only to Christians who may be in
apostate churches, but others who are in churches
still holding fellowship with the Head They
call upon such, to "change their locality in the
kingdom of God,o that they may get rid Of slave
holders. Our reply is, if that kingdom be one
and the Lords Supper be what Paul declares il
to be-not the badge of party, but token o
fellowship with all the citizens of that kingdom
we may as well stay where we are. 1t is like re
fusing to sit down at the end Of the communion
table where bad man is seated, and fiatterinl
ourselves that we have no fellowship with hin
because we take our seat at the middle or at thu
other end No, it will not do. Our communion
is either with the whole church or with the who'll
world And it is remarkable that our brethren
the come-outers proclaim this very principle
They make it the basis of all their argument
and appeals If we tell them that the particular
congregation 10 which we belong is anti slavery
they reply, "being constituent part of the who'll
denomination, you hold communion with tina
whole denomination" Thus Mr.. Gordon says
"The Presbyterian church is one consolidate,
body, under the control Of the Assembly. Conse
HeeRRttke N88l@pHHHff eHF eriaSSiQn virtual
: the fellowship Of the Shareholder when separate
!. a thousand miles than ten feet" This propositio
2 is undeniably true And we do not change it, bu
Q only extend its application when we state it thus
: The church of Christ is one consolidated BODY
4 under the control of its Divine Head. Cons,
I quently we commune on every occasion virtual
I with the whole church. and we no more escape th
fellowship of the Shareholder when separated
thousand miles than ten feet. Let the advocate
of secession reject the principle on its application
} if they can III. s. FULLERTON.