Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1886-12-16

Mrs b Runkle Cora Campbell {
Barbre Powell Edith PurnelI
Mollie Eastman Laura Fritts
Harry Gapen Ada Murray
"THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH,
The phrase, "the Christian church,
was never used by the Savior, nor
by any one Of his Apostles; neither
is it to be found in the holy bible. If
men want to speak scriptually, they
ought to say ''the church OF God"
1t is true the Disciples" were called
Christians at Antioch, but by whom
nc one knows. 1t Is probable that
1t was said in derision and therefore
by their enemies; it was spoken of
them SIS individuals and not as an
organization. king Agrippa" used
the word "Christian" in this same
sense when he said to paul" with
but little persuasion thou wouldst
fam make me Christian" The |
Apostle in First Peter used it, when |
no one can apply it TO other than to
personal Christian character. These
are the sum of its use in the New
Testament. The Savior never called
his Disciples Christian nor did he or
his Apostles ever call them the Chris
tian church. The name is an inven-
ton of man. The proper name of
the Savior is Jesus; this name shall
be called Jesus for he shall save his
people from their sins. The church
of God existed before the birth of
Christ in Bethlehem; it is not q new
invention.
EARLY ORIGIN.
The church existed before the
coming of Christ in the flesh its
foundations were laid of old, When
Jesus was among men he treated the
church as an existing fact. Ancient
ly the church was quite generally
known by the name Zion" BLOW
the trumpet in Zion and ''be glad,
then, We children Of Zion are ex-
amples. But Zion was also "the
Ecclesia. Christ, when here, gave
instruction that "when brother had
sinned TO tell it unto the church," and
to Peter he said, Upon this rock !
will build my church" The church
means to call out, or from, i. e., an
assembly gathered out of a multitude.
Christ is to "purify unto himself a
peculiar people, jealous of good
works"
PIETY IN THE EARLY CHURCH.
David says. Il will declare thy
name unto my brethren: in the midst
Of the Ecclesia church will / praise
thee Ps. 22:22. Paul quotes this
iu Hehtews 2:12, "Saying, l will de-
clare thy name unto my brethren
in the midst of the church viii / sing
praise unto thee" The persons to
whom David referred by the term
church will be seen by referring to the
next verse, "Ye that fear the Lord,
praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob,
glorify him; aud fear him, all ye seed
of Israel" st. Stephen, 10 speaking
of this organization in Acts 1925,
calls it "the church in the wildern-
ness" Moses and oil the spiritual
portion of Israel were in this church.
The church, rs a spiritual assembly,
existed before the days of John the
Baptist, or of Christ. Ii the church
had no existence until "Pentecost, y
then Christ, his Apostles, and the
holy sacraments were all of them out
of the pale of the church. To teach
this would be absurd; and whatever
| is absurd is untrue
WHO CONSTITUTE THE CHURCH.
Methodsm, holding to the father
hood of God. and the brotherhood o.
of the race, holds that "the church Il
a company of men among whom th'
pure word of God is preached, ano
the sacraments duly administered nc
cording to Christs ordinance, which
in all things of necessity are requisite
to the same" Having this view
we pledge all of our members to
belief in the universal church OF God
Methodism provides, therefore
against a denominational sectarian
ism. Among the churches this ]
peculiar to Methodisn. Church OF
CARNATIONS built on a sectaria
E foundation, in the very nature
things, cannot be thus liberal. LII
people honestly believe that inde
pendently and separately they con
stitute the sum Of the church, the
cannot help showing an illibers
spirit; and the real religious porto
of community should remember tha
it offers an opportunity for practi
cal demonstration Of Christian prir
ciples. A narrow view not only tend
to bigotry but intolerance An OF
ganization adopts the name, 9Th
Christian Church" Does that max
them such7 Certainly not; for th
very idea OF church In religion
sense, means character. Then 20
amend your proposition, and not onl
assume the name The Christia
Church." but you say we are as il
tellieent, moral, and trustworthy