Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-01-07
&eadina fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH.

[orlginal.l
THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH.
Paul, in the first chapter of his first epistle
to the Church at Corinth, uses these words:
81 beseech you, brethren, by the name OF
our Lord Jesus Christ, that We all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions
among you, but that we be perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the same
Judgment" There can be no doubt that
this language. was primarily designed for
the members of the Church at Corinth, but
it is just as certain that it was designed by
the Holy Spirit, for all men, in all times
and in all places. The epistle is addressed
by Paul, first to the Church of God which is
at Corinth, but he adds with equal empha-
sis, "with all that in every place call upon
the name Of Jesus Christ our Lord" The
Catholic feature of the epistle is further
emphasized, by stating that Jesus Christ is
both "our Lord and their Lord" that is he
is Lord of all who call upon his name, no
matter where they live. Jesus Christ is
Lord of all.
In the Church which was at Corinth there
were divisions, or, more correctly translat,,
ed scisms Paul knew this. They had
written to him about the matter, and some
member or members of the house or family
of Chloe had declared the fact to him. One
object which Paul had in writing the first
epistle, or letter, to the Church at Corinth
was to unity it. .ThaEe were in the Church
of Corinth, apparently four parties. One
party claimed that it followed Paul. an0th-
another were the followers of Cephas and
another party claimed to be the followers Of
Christ.
On what these parties differed we are not
able to say with certainty. We dare not
conclude that they separated on any car
dinal doctrine, unless, in their ignorance,
they misunderstood or perverted the teach
ngs of Paul, Apollos, Cephas and Christ.
No one, who has studied carefully the Scrip
lures, ever yet found in them any contra
dictions either in doctrine or practice.
The Church at Corinth had fallen into
rrievOus sins. Scislns had sprung up in it.
Whether these scisms led to other errors, or
other errors led to scisms, we dare not say,
positively, but since Paul mentions this first,
| he no doubt regarded it as the most danger
Gus error. The other errors into which the
Church of Corinth had fallen were fragrant
violations of the seventh commandment !;
unchristian conduct with regard to sacriti-
cial offerings and feasts of the heathen; an
unbecoming manner in celebrating the
Lords Supper; going to law before unbe-
levers, and some of them called in question
the resurrection of the dead. Such was the
Church at Corinth. 1t was not unit: 1t
was divided. There were four factions,
each claiming to be better than any one or
all of the other three.
The Church in Corinth presents minla-
ture picture of the Church to-day. There
are in the Church, at the present time, more
than three hundred factions. TO all these
Paul says, "brethren, beseech you by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we all
speak the same thing" What was begun in
the Church at Corinth has, atpresent, reach
ed fearful proportions. So far as Paul informs
us, neither party in the Church at Corlnth,
had gone so far as to unchurch either OF the
other parties. Such is not the case to-day.
There are to-day parties in the Church,
who are connected with their party, and
there are other parties which, no matter
what may be their theory, practically un-
church all others. Thisis serious business.
1t is a dangerous business. There is but
one heaven, the future and eternal home of
all believers. There is but one Bible, there
is but one faith, but one baptism, but one
sacrament of the Lords Supper, but one
Church. This is the doctrine of the Bible,
but it, manifestly, is not the doctrine of all
of us who claim that we are Christians.
1t scarcely need be said that it is the duty
of all who profess to be followers of the Sa-
viour, to labor earnestly and prayerfully for
the unity of the Church. The form of
speech used by Paul indicates this 81 be-
seech you, by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that We all speak the same thing"
He does not beseech them in his own name
or in the name of any created being, but in
the name of Jesus Christ. To beseech in
the name of Jesus Christ, is the same thing
as to command by the authority of Jesus
Christ. Christ disapprOves of scisms, both
in the church as a whole, and in separate
congregations. Hence, when Paul says 81
beseech YOU in the name of Jesus Christ to
speak the same thing" it carries with 1T all
the weight and authority Of command IN
the name of Jesus Christ TO beseech in
the name of Jesus Christ is strong mode
of insisting on obedience out of proper
divisions in the Church springs out of disre-
spect for the will of the Saviour. The fol-
lowing remarkable words constitute a part
of our Saviour's intercessory prayer. "Nei-
ther for these only do pray, but for them
also that believe on me through their word ;
that they may all be one even as thou,
Father, art in me, and l in thee, that they
also NAV be in us ; that the world may be-
lieve that thou didst send me. And the
glory which thou hast given me | have
given unto them that they may be one,
even as we are one; l in them, and thou in
me, that they may be perfected into one.'
These words do not admit of comment.
From the whole scope of the Scriptures
we learn that scisms are neither designed
nor desired by the Saviour. They are sim
full They have their origin in sin and their
existence is perpetuated by sin. This is
strong language, but it is Scriptural. All
scisms have a direct tendency to divide
Christ and retard the progress of the gospel.
Nothing can be more manifest than that
it is the duty of all Christians to labor dill
gently to heal the divisions which are in
the Church. This is not to be effected by
ignoring the truth, but by earnestly con-
tending for the cardinal doctrines of reve-
lation. Men cannot unite on falsehood.
There is unity in nothing but the truth.
The Bible, the whole Bible and nothing but
the Bible, is the only platform upon which
the people of God ever can unite. =,
Scisms in single congregations often, II
not always, have their orig in in causes the
most significant, and, sometimes, ludIcr0us-
ly puerile. Some years ago, large anu
fourishlng congregation was rent into two
factions or parties on account OF disagree
ment between two of the members as to
whether they should have two doors or only
one in new house of worship, which the
congregation were building. The members
of the congregation became divided, anoth-
er house of worship was built, and another
pastor called. The final result was that the
pas. .ors became scisnatic, and to-day both
! rnnurauatiOnS q re in q diving condition, but