The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-05-25
Revealed Theology
Dialogue Between n Rhansce and
q Naxarene.
The Gospel Already Preached to
Every Creature.
Gibbons Testimony Concerning
christianity In the First
Three Centuries.
Ancient Orthodoxy VS.. Modern
Orthodoxy.
l.

Pharisee.-Admitting. for the sake OF
gument, that the world to-day Is liki
in the days of the flood, when
flesh had corrupted G0d's'way upon
earth,n where Is the practical advantj
to us of the churches of the leading dend
nations which are scattered over
Nasarene.-There Is one way, and
way only, in which a benefit is confer
upon society by the churches you alll
to. These churches constitute Il king
ecclesiastical police, and frlglten a git
many weak-minded people into the pI
of morality who might otherwise be 81
%scoundrels. The majority of their ND
beers, however, are women, and these
men would be moral In all probabiH
whether out of the church or in isl
morality Is q virtue that was taught
practiced by the heathen.
Pharisee. 1t would be better, then,
der the circumstances, to be out ofs
churches than in them 1t is true
Paul said the time would come when
people giU not endure sound doctrine, y -.
they shall turn a,oay their ears FROM
TRUTH, and SHALL BE TURNED INTO
Tim. 4:3, A.; but ! had no
that this prophecy would ever be III
trated upon SO stupend0us n scale.
have proven to my satisfaction that
doctrine of the immortality of the 81
the doctrine Of the Trinity, the orthot
hell. and the orthodox heaven, are ALL
bles. Now, what is the use of giving,k
none to send missionaries to preach TIN
fables to the heather?
Nagarene.-None whatever. If AslaaM
Africa were like the United States af2
Europe, in Il religious point of view, theN
would still need to be converted. J.
Pharlsee.--But did not Christ say, I'M
gospel of the kingdom shall be preaches
in all the world for II witness unto aI nov
tons; and then. shall tlleenFcome
Nazarene.-That is true; and Chrysos-
tom. writer of the third century, has the
following remarks on this passages: AT
tend With care to what is read. He said
not when it hath been believed by all men.
but when it hath been preached to all.
For this cause he also said, for q witness to
all nations, to show that he doth not wait
for men to believe, and then for him to
come. since that phrase for a witness hath
this meaning-fOr accusation for reprOot,
for condemnation of those that have not
believed"
Pharisee.-If the gospel is to be preached
to "all men, before Christ returns, it will
be a long time before he gets back here, for
not more than one-tenth of the inhabi-
tants of London ever attend religious wor-
ship.
Nazarene.--We admit that Christ said to
his Apostles, $50 ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature
but we contend that the Apostles them
selves executed this commission, because
Paul tells us that the gospel WAS preached
to every creature which isunder heayen,'
/. 90. So it matters not now wheth-
er the people have their ears ''turned unto
fables" or stay away from the church al
together, tor the great commission given
to the Apostles has already been executed
Pharisee.-I would be pleased to heal
something about your W church. the
church of Nazareth. Are there many
Nazarenes in the world?
NdzdreRe.-Comparativelt few. And the
language of our ~revilcrs eighteen hundred
years ago is applicable to us to-day, to-wit
"As concerning THIS SECT we know that
ereryUhere ii is spoken dgainSt."--Acts % :22
Phdrisee.-But have you not sometimes
felt that you must be in the wrong, In view
of the fact that so many hundreds ofthous-
ands of people, including thousands Of
clergymen and ministers, are against you
Nasarene.-Never for q single instant
The Scriptures declare that very few re-
ceive the truth, and therefore it is idle to
rely on mere numbers in deciding ques-
lions of religious belief. Christ says that
"wide is the gate and broad is the way that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be
that 90 in Mereat - but ''strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way which leadeth into
life. and FEW THERE BE THAT 1 IT.
Matt. 7:l3, A.. So far as your great phi
losophcrs and statesmen are concerned, the
Apostle Paul says in his epistle to the
Corinthians, '.For you see your calling,
brethren, how. that not many cise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many no
bic. are called,"-l Co. | rs, '.For the WIS
o OF THIS WORLD is foolishness with
God."--l Co.3:l9.
Phdrsee.-Are there any churches OF
your denomination in this country?
Nd&drene.-Ics Il few. There was one
ut LnXahoma, Miss, several years ago, the
pastor Of which was an aged and venerable
man.. Whether it is still in existence |
know not. 1 have been informed that
there are several in Kentucky, and several
more in sollc of the Northern States; but
they are more numerous in England, | be-
lleVc, IMAM elsewhere.
Rdrtsee.-What is your church govern
ment?
Nazarene.-Our church government is
like that of the Baptist Denomination
Each church is an independent body.
Phdrisee.-What is your baptism?
Ndzarene.--lmmersiOn in water.
Phdrisee.--DO you consider baptism es-
scntial to salvation?
NdzareRe.--Most ~assuredly we do; for
Christ himself said, Except a man be
born of water and Of the Spirit he cannot
enter the Kingdom of Gods" and there is
believe. and are baptized.
Phdrisee.--In your church exercises do
you read and eXpound the Scriptures, sing
and pray like other denominations?
Ndzarene.--We do not pray in public,
either in church or in our families. We
sing. read, and eXpOund the Scriptures;
but whenever we pray we obey the iniunc.
ton OF Christ, which says. "Thou shalt not
be as the hypocrites are, for then love to
pray Standing IN the synagogues and i'm the
corners OF the streets. that they may be
seen OF men. = But then, when thou
prayest, enter into thy closet, and, when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father
which is In secret; and thy Father which
seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly"
Matt. $50.
Pharisee.--DO the bylaws Ofyour church
prohibit dancing, going to the theater, and
to the operap
Ndzarene.--The church of Nazareth has
no bylaws. 1t has nothing but a Consti-
and its Constitution is the Bible.
The Bible does not prohibit those amuse-
ments which you have mentioned, and
therefore we participate in them whenev-
we feel disposed, which is but seldom.
Pharisee.--What do you consider the
ideas of the Bible?
Nazarene.-The establishment Of the
Kingdom of God in the land of Judea, with
Is dominion extending over the whole
and the resurrection of the righteous
lead to reign with Christ over the nations|
or q thousand years. These two ideas IL
animate the Bible.
Pharisee.--And do you expect to be one
,fthe rulers In that grand Millennial dis