The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-09-14
WEEKLY STATESMAN
AUSTIN.
THURsDAY......S SEPTEMBER II. 1876
The chri.tian church.

Christ certainly proclaimed himself the
head of a kingdom--''my kingdom"-and
founder Of the Christian Church. HUpon
this rock will build ny church." Hence,
let us inquire into the doctrine OF Christ
concerning the church. Whist is the church
according 20 his teachingl q
l. Il is founded upon affinity of moral
and spiritual nature and not upon the adoP
~ ton Of and agreement 70 = certain formn-
lated creed. The adherencs to Q certain
political platform may make q man par
isan, either . Democrat or Q Republican.
Rt Chr stisnf, or members of Christs
hurch are not made that way. Social
Wastes and intellectual associations may form
q sect or party but not the church. You
must be born into Christ's kingdom. Is is
question OF nature.
The child OF God can't be excluded. he
need not AJAX any bigoted sectarian the
privilege Of being amember of Gods family.
No man can de3y his mother. or EXCLUDE
his brother. After all his proud attempts
81 denying the fact, and disdainful treat
ment of them in society, they are still In the
nature Of things, his mother and brother,
and he can't escape it. So, il child Of
God, then you are an heir, and no sect or
creed can excommunicate you.
2. Christ taught that the church was not
exclusive but inclusive. 1t took in the Gen
tile as well as the Jew, the barbarian as
we'll as the Greek. There were but two
classes excluded, viz: The unbelieving and
unloving. HE that believe:h not shall be
damned" IF any man love not the Lord
Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Mara
natha." Trust in and love for personal
Saviour were the only conditions required.
Where these existed as the controlling
elements of the life, obedience to the COM
rnands Of God and the performances of good
works would follow as a natural and neces-
sary consequence.
3. Christ did not lay so much stress upon
external forms as the internal spirit. 1t is
true be appointed the sacraments, and they
have their uses; but he did not make them
the absolute conditions of salvation. He
would permit baby whose parents had
neglected To sprinkle" it into the kingdom
OF heaven, and 'the dying thief, without be-
ing Immersed" into the Paradise of God.
BE said very little about government in the
church, but was emphatic: IF any man
hath not the spirit of Christ, he is none Of
|, his" I u ~ " -
4. His church was Democratic and not
aristocratic-for the masses and not for the
favored few. The partition wall between
Judaism and Gentileism was broken down.
Priests were no longer selected from the
tribe OF Levi, but ministers of the world
from the seat OF custom, from the fisher
mans boat, and even the bloody prosecutor
on his way to Damascus bent on mission
OF murder, was disarmed, conquered and
enlisted as a champion of divine truth, en-
trusted with the gospel message to q dying
: race, and ordained the apostle of the Gem
tiles. The gospel comes not merely with
its unequaled ethics and sublime mysteries
for the philosopher to study and admire,
but also as good news to sin-burdened souls
and as consolation to sorrowlng thousands.
''rhe wayfarng man, though fool, shall
not err therein"
Jesus never suggested that We ought to
have magnificent catbedrals or gothic
churches for the rich, and mission chapels
for tile poor" That IS modern invention,
which Satan has patented for his special use
and not Christ's method and spirit.
BE never tolerated class gospel, but in
variably taught the brotherhood of be-
levers. The Bible plan is ''the rich and
poor meet together and the Lord is the
maker OF them ALL" Both classes are essen
tial to church's welfare. The poor need
the rich. They need their money, their
patronage and their superior advantages Of
social and intellectual culture. As Joseph
Of Arimathea took care of the dead body
Of Christ, so we need these rich men some
times as tombs in which to preserve q life
less church. They do keep it from the
sheriff. The rich also need the poor, as an
outlet fer benovolence, as reminders of the
uncertainty of riches and as monuments of
contentment. The poor are the church's
great dowry. Among them we find the most
p candidates for angelic thrones, the brightest
= examples of christian heroism, and the most
unspoiled hearts for Christ to reign in.
II you will carefully study Christs own
teaching respecting his church, you will
find that dogmatism, bigotry, Journalism
and aristocracy have no sphere in which to
operate. and that they are the creations of
men and not ordained of God.