The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-10-18

Monday at p. m. at the Y. NJ. G. A.
parlor. The meeting was called to
order by President Millikan. Prayer
was offered by Bro. Vail. In the alb
sence of the regular secretary, A. NJ.
Harvuot was chosen secretary pro tenn.
Members present Vail, Millikan, Alt
man, Sauerber. Draper. Sargent and
Harvuot.
A very interesting paper was pre-
scented by Bro. Draper on .'Church
Unity which was followed by awarm
discussion in which several phases of
the question were presented all in the
true christian spirit of courtesy.
The following Is an abstract of the
paper. A. IL. Harvuot, Sec. pro
tenn:
CHURCH UNITY.
The subject of church unity is not
new. 1t Is as old IS Christianity itself.
1t was preached and written about in
the very earliest days of the church.
Vid. EpleSianS. iv 1-6.
The early Christians were exhOrted
to live and act worthily of their voca-
ton or Calling; to keep that precious
spirit of life, light and hope that was
their common trust IN the bond of
peace: to live and act upon the truth
that they were OutWardly to live and
grow as one body.
How far does our observation and
experience go to show that the church
in her present condition, and in the
spirit and practice of her members,
has profited by this noble exhortation
of st. Paul.
Alas! There is far more evidence
that Christians have needed, than that
they have improved the precept of
their founder. The frailty and imper-
lection of the human element in the
church has been by far more cOnspic-
uous than the regenerating power of
| the life which she derives from God.
Yet believe that the case of the
church is not, and never has been, as
| desperate and gloomy as some thinkers
are prone%O fear.
| In expecting perfect unity, We look
| for more than was ever promised. Any
| thing that depends upon human CO
operation with divine grace must in
evitably come short. Vid. Luke xii
81; Tim. iii. 1-7:1 I'd Peter, iii: 1 join
ii, 1919.
The temptations and splritua
dangers of the world in which we live
should prepare us to look for divisions
and imperfections in the church. The
Kingdom of our Lord is not a failure
because there is not that outward
unity, and unbroken order in thu
church of God. Again, in expecting
perfect unity, we look for more thar
the circumstances of the case would
Justify. The church in this world j!
the church militant, the church in
condition of warfare, which must b.
accompanied with confusion ant
strife; with treason in the camp; will
desertiOn on the march and witt
eowardly surrender and flight upon tn
field.
1t is distressing fact that man,
| Christians consider unity to be of
spiritual sort. that ali this talk of TIT
absence of visible unity in the churcl
is groundleSs and mistaken; based OF
a false assumption leading to wronl
conclusions and uncharitable judg
: ment. But this, as it seems to me, !
the holding of half truth and hal
truths are many times as dangerous a
falsehoodS. It is true that all tn
sincere servants OF God have thi
precious holding in common of hopes
: interests and prayers. What was 81
Paul's view of unity which was IL
tended to be maintained among Chris
tians? He not only spoke of ION
spirit" knitting together the elect
i. /
body also knitting them Il
gether in our fellowship as vel
5 That however Christians may be SCI
0 | arated by tracts of space and interval
of time. they belong TO one and tn
: same visible society.
No half way unity is here described
I but unity that is perfect, thorough
: Lords veal. how miSerably his follow
/ ora have fallen abort of it,
Christendom, instead Of being OF
body is broken up into almost as man
; fragments as there are bones in the hl
+ man body.
But no one party. / believe, can eve
q overcome the other. We may pray an
:. strive for the restoration of th
f Church's unity. each on our mario
world can agree TO repent of the pTid
and ambition, and the lack OF CHART
which occasioned its disruption, "
Y cannot succeed.
It will come no doubt; it may be has
en0d by our prayers and labors. but
will come only, as believe, with COL
summation Of all things.
t Little can be done till God himsel
q ordains q resurrection from this deaf
Z of schism and,
.sTdkea bell, with solemn. sweet vibrations
1--WE hear once more the voice OF Christ 50
Then. and not till then will be flu
! filed the spiritual Isael, that gloriou
prophecy Of Ezekiel. viz. Eek. xxxv
22-28.
5 In ccIlclusi n let MS not leave thi
{ | theme without making the lost unit
!. of the church subject of mnch NOR
D earnest thought; and its final FestOrs
: ton a subject of much more feryen
: prayer than perhaps has been on
WON'T BeseechiDg God to inspire COZ