Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-03-24
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ADVERTISEMENT
NO XIII
The Historic Church of Christ,

through history he traces this same
church down through the centuries TO
and present time. After proving the
visibility and unity of tho church
during the first century l propose
to follow this identical church down
through the centuries to the present
time to set forth the perpetual
identity of the church of Christ. In
other words to hold up the eye to
the historic church Of Christ.
From its birth on the day of Pen
teeost the church has been composed
of human beings; this no one will
dispute; but, what is q human beingY
One with soul and body: this no
one will dispute, but such an one is
ulSible; therefore we justly conclude
that the church composed of such
ones must necessarily be a visible
church.
And by this fact our Saviour and
His apostles were governed both in
their words and proceedings toward
the building of the church.
Jesus knowing that divisions In
the church would be powerful in
strument in the hands of Satan
against His church, prayed "that they
| all may be one: rs Thou Father art
in me and in thee; that the world
may believe that thou has sent me-"
Here not only the organic one
ness of all who compose the church
of Christ is declared to be the design
Of the divine architect of the church,
but also its visibility for, what kind
of unity but that which could be seen
by men, would have any good effect
upon them
In these words of our Lord He de-
clares His church to be one Organise
ed visible society. | say organised,
because the words ''all who believe
on me through their word" uttered
in the preceding verse, declare the
perpetual existence of the church 10
the end Of time; and such being the
case, it must necessarily be an organ
ised society, that Satan might not
prevail against it.
The following could not have been
said and done if the church was not
visible:
In the case of the brother who has
trespassed the final direction is, "Tell
it unto the church, &c."-Matt XVIII:
IS.
81 am not meet to be called an
apostle, because | prosecuted the
church Of God'-1 Cor. XIV: 8. eat
that inc there was great persecu-
ton against the church which was at
Jerusalem. Acts VIII: /. Then had
the churches rest throughout all Ju-
dea and Galilee. Act TX: 81.
"Tidings ofthese things came unto
the ears of the church which was in
Jerusalem Acts II: %.
Prayer was made without ceasing
of the church Iunto God for him
Acts XIII IS.
"Let not the church be changed
I Tim V: Is
81 wrote unto the church,
III John TX: g.
We cannot but perceive that in all
these instances the church of God is
spoken of in such manner as neces>
sarily to imply it's visibility.
And the good reason for its being
isible church is thus ably given
by Bishop Butler in his analogy-p.
II, c. l.
"a visible church was established
in order TO continue Christianity
and carry it on successfully through.
out all ages. Had Moses and the
Prophets, Christ and His Apostles,
only taught, and by miracles proved
religion to their contemporaries, tho
benefit of their instructions would
have reached but small part of
mankind. Christianity must have
been in great degree sunk and for>
got in very few ages. To prevent
this appears to have been one reason
why a Visible church was instituted;
to be like city upon hill, a stand
ing memorial to the world of the
duty we owe to our Maker; to call men
continually, both by precept and in
struction, TO attend to it, and by the
form of religion, ever before their
eyes, remind them of the reality; to
be the repository of the oracles of
God; to hold up the light of levela.
ton in aid of that of nature, and
propagate it throughout all genera.
tons to the end of the world"
The unity Of the church is also
clearly seen in this scripture:
"By one spirit we are all baptised
into one body COR. XIII Is.
There is one body, and one spirit
even as ye called in one hope of your
calling; one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, one God, aud Father of ALL"
Eph. " 4. 5.
As we have many Nom bers in one
body, and all members have not the
same office, SO ,Ce being many are one
body IN ChriSt-Rom. XII: 4. 5.
Unity is also seen to be tie will of
Christ in this, His scriptures agains
division in the church. Now
beseech you brethren, by the name
of our Iold Jesus Christ that there
he 80 divisions Cor schisms) among
you, but that ye be perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the
same judgment" Again, in 1st COR.
XII: 25. Paul says-"that there
should be no schism in the body
Our Lords present will is to unity
even visible unity, is so clearly de-
ciared IN that sublime prayer. (JoHN
XVIII that one who truly loves Him,
and through this love is perfectly
willing to keep His commandments,
is very apt to see that divisions are
contrary to the present will of Christ.
When we consider that the church
is militant against the world, we per-
ceive that by united action it is all
the more victorious in the contest
against all who would destoy her or
any part of her. But united action is
not possible if the church be divided
into seperate independent, mutually
conflicting bodies.
am concious that in the endeav-