, 1874-07-20

"spiftrtal, invisible union," composed OF MI
parties. Moreover. many eblo thlakors teach
now bind tha srao body ot Christ. Nov, If yon
think at all upon the words. you n1uBt 1td that
tho theory, wfiatevor It mean, ia couohed In
vsgnc en.nysset1oas 1s'gqsgc Ihgt tho mansta s
lengea, ana hae now beco,no is II wcro atoroo-
typed. Neverthelose, wo PROPOSE to e1stnno 1t
Ior ourselves, and, II possible, Understand its
hdaon h A., w'ndo@ % or unTisew w are informed
thRt relates to tho spirit-tho spirit Of God and
tho Hplrit Of nn,l. by tho splrit Of man wo
mehn that doatless something TINT thinkB and
foals. All wo can know Of this spirit IN othors
Invisible" Ia that whioh cannot be soon.
by "unton " ne understand tho state Of being
Joined as one-an agroomout-a harmony. To1l
mo, thon whero fs tho evidence Of spiritual
union OF tho peoplo Of 0oa7 IH tho evidonoo
upon the edtot Of dogmatisu1-belng Invisible?
We mutt find somewhere tho proof that Chris
tians, although not united in ono organic body,
ere bound BY . oneness, AZ agrocmen-a har-
and IN love; or that according 10 tho Apostle,
thoy are OF one mind and ono spirit.
Whom NO go out into tho world we arc con.
frontod It once, aud eyorywhero, with party
chnpol llab somo distinctive title or, its front
and In these rory names n1ono wo read molan-
choly Treatise upon division, strife, and confu-
will exetnim, "whhy, my dear sir | do you not
know that thoro Ia nothing In q pnrno that
ohurchmon uhy wonr different namcs and yet
10 perfectly united In mind and spirit1" No,
do not. On TUG contrary, bctloye tho timo has
lilo. 4 name stands for On oblcct or thing It
Is used In language az the substitute or ropra.
sentative Of tho oD1eot, and Q namo ia important
{nss IN tho degree that the thing feprssetad s
namosi Il moans diversity Of things and H. D.
terosts. Tcro tho spea1kor illustrated humor-
oualy tho Importance attached to name by the
case OF q now.y.mar!iod couple, in which tho
groom wanted to DO unmarried because, tho
bride persisted IL the refusal to wear her h,1s-
band'a name. Also, by tho Huppos,tion that tho
nRmes On all the houHos of worship in this city
should some night, by n1iraole, bo changed.
The people forget the old paths and Zach
May be, tno Methodist brethron would happen
to come here. It would ba choory sight to toe
thcm go happy under their own fancied fig treo
They would think tho discourse on tho gloriea Of
DioBBiah good ofd-faahlonel Methodist sermon.
Indeed, bnt few nro 10 cdncatea in tho science
Of theology, ind in tho dilforantia OF orcodH, az
to bo ablo aodn to discover whothor, ag Ephraim-
ftcs. no pronounced the password " "Sibboleth."
OF. as GiloadiseB, "Shibbolethl"
1twonld cousun1o all our time to enu1nerato
oven Of bitter atrtfe In thought, word uoctrino,
aud theory, filling tho religious world with cou.
fusing and uncertain sounds. Churches, schools,
BOOKS, periodicals. and era,-everywhore m
people arc not Of one mind; they do not speak
the same thing, and how can they bo safu to 1.-Two
In spiritual union2. AS to loye aud genuine
charity, the songs and tho sermonB sometimes,
y theIr eoqueneo an boauty On extra ocea.
heavenly is tho aighsl" but who is 80 ignorant
rs not to know tint pnrtisau Jealousy ia tho
rankeHt plant ID cur gardon7 Especially among
ono-1dcad clorgymon has party spirit grown to 10
h3ugo nRast19G whose yory bFsat
every noble attempt to unite tho army Of Israel.
Truly 1nhy we exclaim, the union is invisiblel
There ia no union-let uB face tho sad fact
spiritual Or organic. Aud nov lot uB look for
tue denominntional walls, party lines, Of any
kind whatevor batween God and Jesus; who can
conceive tho barriers ecparating Christ from his
followorsl Lot him road tho Sayior'a prayer,
and thon tho eighth chapter Of Romaus. God
and the son are one in nature (so far as nature
may bo affirmed Of Deity. ono IN spirit. thought,
will, and work anu tho Kodeemor prayed that
all Ills disciples those then living and tnoso nho
should yet bo born, might 90 bo one. II there
what OF tho aatno love and harmony that exists
betwoon the Father and tho Eoti-betwaon Jon1,B
and his first diaciploa. Whonovor thoro shall ho
oven tho distant approach to such sweet aud
aaa intimate n'on' M saoa onens5s of i n Of
Tho loving chiEdrn1 cannot DO kept apart by
bhnnered walls. There must 10 courtBhp and
q marriage. OH then tho bells, tho great bolls
aud tho little bells which now peal out their
eoltish dacorda, will grnntly chime together tho
glorious Wedding march.
The 1iillo toaohea that al Christians should
lo in an organic union. Tho Church ia tlgura-
lively represented as body, and it is expressly
stated that thare il ono badly" aud that too in
distinction from ono spirit Which animatog tho
viduM Christians arc members. Thoro ia ono
Shophetd aud ono foldl Thore ia ono King
and one Kingdom It is not doscribod as .
petty limited monarchy, with no territory, and
arehy, in tho best aense-a dospotism. having
fnilliunsof Subjects q fixed constitution, and m
nl-sufloiont statute-book. A9a'n, Jesus, apoak-
ing to his followers, Bays: - am tho true vino
-yo aro tue branches" You cannot lind tho
passage whore tue great Masser ever spoke Of
tho ai1fer0nt "brapchoB " OF tho Church. Each
lowly liRciple can thank God for this honor-
that he belongs to no branch church, but IL
himaolf u branch OF tue great life-giviug yine:,
betrothcd Bride h ot the I haa Thera d d only My
one groom and ono bride. The boantiful crea-
ture will bo aa one body in hosVeu aud surely,
II We can understand HIs Language. she shonld
not DO divided upon the earth. All who lovo
AAA ASAL @AA A1OAA NA4A4k w aSAA@ AnAt0AE AOt
Ills sake, for our own sake, and for tho salio of
tho dying world. Listen tonight to Him tear-
fully pieading. 'sThat they all may bo one.-that
tho world may believe that Thou haHt sent me"
This, Ill prayer Of Him who was God manifest
i'll tho teHh, waB nj expression OF divine will,
aud may bo regarded ~ 3 prophecy. Upon its
fuliillment, moro than all else, depends now tho
salvation OF thin ruined and iost world. With
intouso oarnestuoss can VIC say Ameul to tho
memorable words Of Wesley, "Would to God
that oil party names we're forgot. and that We,
as humble, loving brethren, might sit down TO-
getler ut Tho Alastor's feet, road his Holy Word,
lmblbe His spirit, aud tranBcribo His life III our
own."
What tremendous influence united Church
would speedily layo upon tie world no mortal
could toretell. With hot,.oBaenttalB all Ignored,
human opinions aud theories held III abeyance,
aVery pulpit and overy hroBiao III Israol llghtod
with tho blarlng glory Of tho croaa, tho Church.
would appear a il suddenly wakeaod from the
dead, and tho powors Of sin aud darkneba would
tromblo. All Christian mon and women stand
inH panoplod in the living forces Of living re-
ligtou, speaking the Bamo thing, moved by tho
sumo spirit, tho places OF iniquity aud death
would ts closed, the mouths Of gainBayers ho
stopped, aud thousands who now sit in tho scat
Of tito scornful would BooM bo brought in penl-
tence to tho Savior. Thon would be proclaimed