Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1867-03-14
Communicated.
CHRISTIAN UNION.



sert an article in ourpaper, by way
Of comment on an essay, headed
"Christian Union" in the journal
and Messenger, The writer observes
at The beginning of his article, that
"Much has been said recently about
/, the union Of all the evangelical
' churches. But he has seen no sat
islactory plan proposed by which
this desirable object can be brought
about" We remark upon this
point, that the writer admits that
this "union' is undesirable object; !"
! it remains to be seen, how much he
is willing to do for its consumma-
ton. He says, "Some broad churches
have, been organized, but it remains
to beproyed how they will succeed" :"
He is very careful not t. mention
the names Of these "Jroad chUrch-
es," for the reason, I presume, that
he very well knows, that one Of
them has, already, succeeded far
beyond his own in numbers, in evan
gelizing the masses, and in spread
ing christianity over the world. He
continues "It would seem unnatu-
raj that a body composed Of diverse
ingredients, should flourish in a
healthy state" This figure is a
very unfortunate one for the wri-
ter's purpose; for, in fact, our own
bodies are composed of very diverse
ingredients there are gases, liquids,
and solids; there are electro-posi-
tive, and electro-negatiye elements;
there are oxides, and salts; there
are acids, and alkalies; there are
metals and earths, all combined in
one living healthy body under the
controlling power ofthe Vtg aatur0e.
And Ipresulne that even pedo- bap-
lists and anti pedo- -haptists might
just as easily harmonizein one heal
thy body, under the controlling
power of the grace Of God. He
admits that forms" might be dis
pensed with; but there can be no
real union, where 'Jormal ceremo-
MES" are substituted for spiritual
life" l know of no evangelical
church, whose existence, as dis
tinct organization depends 50 much
upon 'J0rms,' or in which 'tormm
ceremonies" have been substituted
for "Spiritual life" to such an ex-
tent, as in theBaptist church. The
''form" of baptism is the very bar
by which they exclude other chris
tians from communion with them. \
Thus by the nonrobservance of this
formal ceremony" by others, they,
in act, deny the existence Of "spir-
itual life" in themi and mslie their
own depend uponit. The writer
thinks that there is no such "spirit-
ual difference" between the pedo-
baptist churches as to prevent their
"union into one body;;" that "cal-
vanists and armiuian Shibboleths
may so far be laid aside so as to
admit unrestricted individual opin-
ion" And yet he thinks the differ
ence between the pedo-b -baptists and
the anti-pedo- baptists is so great
that they cannot possibly unite in
one body. Here are the only di-
verse elements among evangelical
christians, that can no more unite
than fire and water. Amazing!
The doctrine, that God has from
all eternity foreordained the un-
conditional damnation of a part of
mankind, may harmonize with the
antagonistic one, that God wills the
conditional salvation of all men;
but if one man believes that an in
FAINT, who is already a member Of
Christs church land all infants are
members) should receive the initia-
tory sacrament, and another believes
that faith is necessary prerequisite
to its administration, the difference
is SO great, the spirituality of these
two so diverse, that they cannot,
by any chemical or christian
law, exist together, harmoni-
ously in the same body. The eye
of a baptist may see the subject in
this light, but l apprehend an un-
preiudi G mind cannot In speaking
of the union of the Non Episcopal !,
methodist churches, he says: "If l
understand it Alright, a part of the
platform upon which they unite, is,
to make the scriptures their only /
rule Of taiA and practice" He
comments upon this platform thus;
IL all evangelical churches adopt
this as their platform and faithfully
carry it out, and there will soon be
a union Of the churches, which the
world has never seen since the
days Of the apostles, or at least |
since the end of the third century"
| presume it would be task too s
hard even for a baptist to perform,
to find an evangelical church that ,
does not profess to take "the scrip :
lures as their only rule Of fajh and !
practice = and yet, from the man
ner of our writer, he seems anxious f.
to make the impression that this is
a new step in the history of evan
gelical churches, except among the ,
baptists. But this is in keeping
with that dogmatic spirit Of infalli- {
biHty which they arrogsntly claim
for themselves. 1t has been said /
by members &c the baptist church
IN OR bounds, that "There is but
one church, and that is the baptist;
that the other so-called churches !
are ohly organized bodies" Our !
,earasd writer says, sit was about
II - A