Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-07-26
The Unity of the Spirit,

One swallow does not make summer,
nor does one Christian make the church.
A believer separated from his fellow crea-
lures by convictions which they do not
share, man living apart from the sin
about him in loneliness, woman shrink
ing from unsympathetic contact, and dwell
ling in seclusiOn with her own heart-for
these all there is communion with God by
the Spirit But there is an answer from
above, which is especially for the prayer of
two or three. And in an age of cOntrover-
sy separating believers from one another,
even though through it there should be
higher and better ground to be reached,
there is anirremediable, unavoidable draw
| back attendant, and that is the loss of the
unity of the spirit. The joy which a man
has in common with a multitude is not the
same joy which Lie has all to himself in
his closet. And however man may be
sanctifed by the Holy Spirit, through re-
ligious experiences apart from his neigh
bors, yet should he ever become one with
great body, wherein by that same spirit
all the members are harmonized together,
he would feel triumphant joy quite new
to him: and he would have such a sweet
confidence of Gods love to men every
where and in every state, as would be for
him like new sense of salvation.
Fearful is the penalty which the hottest
of dissenters incur, and sometimes without
knowing it, and even while, perhaps, it is
the voice of Christ from heaven which
they obey, though they do not go without
compensation from the grace of God, nor
yet without that crown which is specially
vouchsafed for martyrs. But yet, so it is
that, in the church of Christ with losing
the unity of the spirit, or Holy Spirit in
common, there is great grievous loss.
The spirit may be quenched in the pres
ent age from one cause and another, as so
largely it is; but it can re-assert itself. If
to-day beclouded by skepticism, tomorrow
may be broad daylight from sun with
healing on its wings" And if in this age,
because of sectarianism, Christians can
hardly be what they ought to be, as to
faith, hope and charity, perhaps in the
next age divisions will have ceased alto
gether 1t may be asked, perhaps, how
such thing as that can ever be hoped for
And certainly it cannot be expected hui
manly, as though from controversies hay
ing been argued out. But even as Jesus
Christ, after his resurrection, appeared am
ong his disciples suddenly, while the doors
were shut, so perhaps he may again and
thus it may happen that the various chur-
ches of Christendom, which to-day have
their doors shut against one another, will
some time find themselves all included in
one great fold, by the manner in which,
through the spirit, Christ will manifest
himself so as to be recognized of ALL in one
church and another, irrespectively of walls
of separation
And at that time-Oh dear anticipation,
sure though as the heavens themselves,
however far off!-at that time Christians
will know one another, almost without a
word, because of the spirit; and with as
sembling together, they will feel joy in the
Holy Ghost, such as at present public wor-
ship stirs but rarely. In meditation also,
because Of the ease with which men will
apprehend spirital things, it will be as tho
they were all taught of God" Miracles,
| Past and Present.