Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-01-28

arso degree 10 the UNCONVENTIONAL
lines of distinction kept up. II all
parties who claim to be followers of
Christ wore the same name and
would draw their spiritual supplies
from the same great fountain of truth
then they would see eye to eye and
speak the same things. But men
will not submit to what Jesus and
the Apostles taught, but construct
names and rules to suit themselves.
If the church is the bride, the Lambs
wife, then it ought TO We ar his name.
But instead Of doing this we find one
class calling themselves after the
cousin to Jesus. We find another
class taking their name, not from
Christ, nor his cousin John, but from
a term that signiied an officer in his
kingdom, and yet another frsm the
same source, but choosing different
term. while another class derive
their name from the systematic Or
ganiZation of the vast machinery en-
ployed in running their works. Now
if they are married to Christ and
they claim to be, what right have
they to wear any such names? If
they were judged by their names no
one could say that there was anything
of religious character intended to
be conveyed to the understanding.
But when the name of Christ is called
in connection with class of persons
and they declare to all the world that
they believe in him as the only name
that can save, and declare that they
are Christians, certainly they can lay
claim to the highest honors worn by
men. Certainly these divisions ought
to be banished from the world. But
is it true that all who claim to be
married to Christ are so in deed and
in truth? If Christ has laid down
no direct law by which men can come
into covenant relation with him, then
one class has as much right to claim
acceptance as another. If he has
laid out and defined by himself oil
through his ambassadors q law OIL
rule to which men must conform IL
order to acceptance, then the test oi
that acceptance will be obedience tt
that law whatever it may be; anc
this brings us back to the commits
sion given by Christ, and the execu
ton of that commission by the Apos
ties, as recorded in the book of Acts
and the only test there was, faith ant
obedience, which means repentance
and baptism. Hence every one Wit
: went to the Apostles, as recorded il
Acts, and confessed faith in Christ
repented of his past sins, and wa
immersed, was declared to be in
saved state. Now if it was righ
and proper then to do so it certainl
is proper now, and if that condue
resulted we'll then, and it certainl
did, for men went on their way re
ioicing, we see no good and vail
reason why the same results will NJ
. follow now. This Is not our plan
. is Gods plan as revealed in the Ne
Il Testament. Now the question recur'
Ii how can one obtain Christian faitl
y or rather what is faith? Now Pa
% says faith comes by hearing the wol
u of God. Faith is based on testim
" " ny. Where testimony ends fai1
% ends. No testimony, no faith, is
~ , plain proposition. If you want b
40 man faith or faith in the affairs
'e men, you want human testimony.
III ~ you want divine faith you must ha
III III divine testimony. The testimo1
o' must be homogeneous with the fai
70 sought. Hence you can't demo
W strate mathematical proposition
5" moral truth, because moral truth
"a not susceptible Of sufficient exa
"' ness. Neither can you establl
~ moral truth by mathematics. Fol
p like reason you can't establish divi
faith by human testimony. But
Bible contains divine testimony, a
on when you believe it you have div
faith. Now a child or an unlettel
ao man can understand this and if
., world had been willing to let th'
nd simple truths alone there would hi
10, been to-day thousands living
30 Christian life who are travelling
,bo downward road to ruin, vainly 10
of ing for some abstract, mysterious,
fnl comprehensive influence to come
va them in some still, small voice
-. speak peace to theit troubled sol
in. RECAPITULATIoN.
was Obedience to the law of pardon
tile laid down in the New Testame
fig brings one inte the Kingdom
4 at Christ on earth, makes him a cl
lam of God, an heir of God and a j
ucb heir with Christ, and entities him
nod wear the name Christian.
TOD M. Y. DUNcA,
20 Judge NJ. L. Raftery, of Laddo
as paid us social and substantial
'reo last Monday. The Judge is hi
.lcai pleased with the condition of
men roads leading INTO Vandalia,
ega- gives Messrs. Jas. A. Dye, HI