The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-03-02
DAMAGING D1sAeREEMENTs.

DAMAGING DIsAeREE1gENTs.
1t is undoubtedly true says the
Cincinnati Gazette, that, considering
the number of churches in the coun-
try, there is as much harmony as in
other associations; yet it is true also
that disagreements in religious Or
ganizations are often bitter and hard
to reconcile. Where charity should
control there is little or no charity,
and where, above all other organiza-
tons, there ought to be unity, there
is discord. This is not consistent
with the principles Of religion, but
the opposite, and members who are
responsible for the strifes that occur
are hardly capable of appreciating
the damage that is done to the cause
by the ehvy and hatred SO often ex-
hibited. OF these organizations it
can not be said, as was once remark
ed of the early Christians, "See how
| those brethren dwell together in
unity;" hut, ON the contrary, it is
often said, and with sneer that facts
Justify. See how those people who
profess to labor for the good of man.
kind quarrel among themselves, and
speak evil of each other. People
acquainted with the history of
churches in this city can readily re-
call the number of oforganizations that
were rent and their usefulness severe
ly crippled, if not destroyed, by in
ternal discord; and this evil, for it is
an evil, is traceable to causes that in
business circles and by business men
would be regarded as too trif1ing to
merit serious consideration. ssThere
is less common sense" said an emi-
nent church member, sin religious
organizations than in secular socie-
ties with which I am acquainted.
Jealousies and unworthy suspicious
prevail to an extent in the former
that can not be found and would not
be tolerated in the latter"
lsnot this true ? Are there not
cases constantly occurring that afford
convincing proof of the statement ?
Upon this point we do not care to be
specific, though~it would he an easy
matter to specify, and not go very
far back, either, and it is doubtful
whether many such cases have oc-
Cured that could not have been fair
" adjusted by committee of fair
minded business men, as mercantile
differences are settled almost every
day in the week. But in churches it
is usually undertaken to settle dis
putes by the parties thereto, who are
full of prejudice, and who aim not to
adjust matterssin dispute in spirit
of fChristian charity, but to fan the
incipient fine into a flame with the
determination to rule or ruin.
IF half what is often said in church
disputes by members of each other
were true, it would be eyidence that
such persons are out of place in any
church. This is the way the world
looks at it, and the object of this ar
ticle is to remind church people that
the world is looking on, taking notes
and reaching conclusions.
The church is progressive organ
izatioa. It must go forward or il
will go backward. It can not stand
still. Whenever it reaches the stand
still point it begins to decay. The
harvest,is before it, and ifit would
care for Improperly it r1ust work and
not quarssL Disputing workmen
never accomplish much. Thisis true
as applied to secular affairs, and it is,
of course, especially true of those
spiritual affairs which comprise the
mission of the church.
# church peop,e could have
brought fairly before Them the OBJ
stacies that the scandals to which we |
refer place in the way Of church work
and the effect that is produced there
BY on the people over whom they
aim to extend the influence of relig-t
ion, eheE would probatly be startled.
no church can prosper under q load
ef internal disputes; and If members,
inssead Of lighting eyil, fight each