, 1875-02-28

passing through, had escaped on the other side.
! Zeal in behalf OF the Church NAV be commenda-
| BILE, but to be profitable it shculd be zeal &C
cording to knowledge. acd' should be tempered
| and controlled by spirit Of love and concilia-
| ton. We read in the Scriptures Of fiery 1enl-
] a consuming zeal. Alas fo- sIe history OF Chris
tendom it has too often had lltoral ILLUSTRATION
| in firing tho fasots ard consuming the hapIesz
victim accased OF he1esT.
Aa fzrtter illustration, let Us call to raind
The Iccen. troubles in the Baltiat denomination
which resulted in the establishment Of the
Ami:r ~ Church, and the resignation Of the
pastor OF another church. The whole .biog wae
. diegrace. burlesque upoa civilization, and
the fight would make London fsll-vomau
blush, The pastor Of the leading church OF
that denomination in this city waB openly charged
in public sermon (duly advertisedl O; fraud
nnd nissapnropriatiop OF sacred trust funds and
those men 50 arrayed against each other pro-
tossed one faish, and had received one baptism.
being as they claim By that rite, .'buricd, With
Christ"
Is it any wonder, my brethren, th:...those out
side tha fold grow inc1edalous regarding tho
merits and genuineness or Christianity. whea
those who are ordained as its teachers 40 far for
get thels high mission as to engage in wicked
praW!s, aud avail themselves OF the medium Of
the eecular papers to tell tho world at large how
corrupt SONS OF their associates ars?
Uniformity Of belief upoo Don-essrptizl points
At III necessary to unity OF purpose and 3
friendly cooperation i'll tue great work Of prac-
t1cat Christianity. Long and learned disserta-
tons upon the comparative merits OF
q shower-bath or d plunge-bath as means
Of, Of sasing grace; a the f5'a eosm. Of Ih tie
instantaneous and miraculous regeneration of
an unconscious infant BIZ the act OF baptism
she doctrine of Election, and numerous other
grave matters which have been the subject Of
much resocrcn, and the occasion ct many and
sore disseusions ase, as it seems to Isyman of
doubtful utility
''Gy their fruits Bhall &c know then," mas the
declaration Of the Master, and when the world at
large shall sea Ill WHO protsss to bo Christians
exhibiting in their intercourse With tho world =
alnoag themselves. their influence for
good will be vastly augmented. ANY
system which does not commend itself
by wholesome practical rcsn':p sn,ong ita
adyocates will nasurally DC ri: "i>' -:!th dis
trust bv others. When the NJ 70 saall
see that Christianity. in tno ~: :r2c!.-
ers, lB yielding the peaceabc f.. .;:a:-
ncsk, It will do more to attract: ,eda-
brace it than all tho doctrinai Sc. .ahcd
from the tmcs OF Faul to Patton. i. coa-
full wrapglings, crimiuations and recr.mlnasioas,
among protesting Christians and cIergynlca,
they will bs repealed rathcr than attracted.
- First pure. then peaccable," il what ia do
manded, and never more than At tha present
time, when thousands aro drifting into skepti-
cism, aud rejecting all religious beliefs.
In selecting the three particular denominations
s]lnded to BY way OF illustration, there was no
intention to single them out as worse thnn 9th
e1s. but Elmuly because their transactions hare
been more prominently before the public Of late
There arc IN al of them good and pure 1nen and
women who are inezpressibly grieved when they |
see Christ wounded III the house OF H!a friends. !
Let Us all, 1hen strive to bring about different
state OF things 40 that Ta say, With JOYFUL
"Behold how good and how pleasant |
it is for brethran to dwell together in unity" "