The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-07-08
gAE CHURCH BEFORE THE BIBLE.

EdE CdURCH BEFORE THE BIBLE
We are compelled to believe in the
Church as an external, spiritual au-
thority, because the church preceded
the Bible, and, in fact, authenticated the
books Of which it is composed, after
having taught the people the great
truths of Christianity for those hun
dred years without Bible. These are
familiar truths, and it would seem that
they were so plain that he who runs
may read. Yet our Protestant friends,
at least some Of them. will in
upon lie soul's direct
relation and accountability to God, and
the corresponding denial that any su-
preme, objective authority exists in the
earth other than the Holy Scriptures"
Where, ther, is the necessity of the
Church, II is absurd to talk about
the supreme. objective, spiritual au-
thcr:tJ + the Scriptures. The Bible is
dead letter without an inter
prefer. In fact, Protestants contradict
their Own theory. for each sect has its
own Interpretation of the Bible, which
they consider so important and so in
fallible ina they will not allow any one
to join tlei- communion unless he will
give his entire &c amino assent to their
particular cred. To be consistent,
they hav- 40 right T. Insist urnn 'halr
private interpretations "a terms OF
cohmuion, The only question they
can consistently ask Is: DO you be-
lieve in the Bible, and take that for your
guide?" This is the only external
spiritual authority for the Protestant,
and the sooner they abandon their
cherished denomin alton creeds, and
argue upon that platform, the better
will if be for their consistency, and the
more hope will there be of their coming
together in grand Protestant union
OR alliance, after which they arr just
now so industriously but hopelessly
seeking. ReUie10.
TIE HISTORIC CHURCH.
1t is sometimes urged against the
claims OF the historic church, as the
ministry and sacraments, that there is
no evidence of any advantage in these,
forasmuch as high type of Christian
character is developed without them.
It cannot be denied that even among
the Quakers VINO discard all ordinances
ana nave 10 ordained ministry, there
hare been saIt.tly men and women. 1t
is not. however, right 10 infer from
such facts that The regulative laws of the
kingdom of God may be dispensed with.
| The foundation upon which these char
! &c eIs were buildeo has been preserved
| by the veryslaws wnic4 they igno
Without the cuu>erva i've inhueuces of
laws and institutions. he material with
which they builded would have b3en
wanting. The holy Scriptures, from
which they take their faith and
rule of life, could not have been
attested and handed down through all
the ages. unimpaired, this revealed
truth could not have been guarded from
perversion without the perpetuated
ministry, ereeds and sacramento of the
church. These who fail to discern any
use for the church law and order and
continuity, seem to forget that the
church was pronounced by inspiration
to be ''the pillar and ground Of the
truth" They fail to appreciate the
fact that they are building into their
own Christian character what the Or
der and ordinances of the church have
preserved amid the distractions of
philosophy, the negations of science
the assaults Of infidelity and the wreck
of empires. We may we'll ask, what
would have been left to them of the
faith if this conservative power of the
organized body had been wanting?-
Livin1 Church (EpjscopGD.
THE Livingstenia Mission was in
tended partly to supply mission mate
rial needs, but mainly to introduce
legitimate traffic with the natives.
The company was founded on broad
commercial principles, but with the i'm
portant proviso, thoroughly carried
out, of supplying no intoxicants to the
natives The final basis of the COM
pany remains with the wealthy Glas-
gow.capitalists, who rather for philan-
tropy than gain began the undertak-
| ing, and who alone still direct and con-
troll it.-Afie0n Times.
BUDDHISM cannot long hold its
ground, and Christianity must finally
prevail throughout all japan. Japa-
nese Buddhism and Western sciences
cannot stand together. Trey are Incou-
sistent the one with the other. The
Buddhists continue to make q most
vigorous effort to counteract the spread
of Christianity in Japan, and the Ho-
ganji sect was never so busy. One
school in Kioto alone is to be rebuilt
at cost of $4,000, and other Budd-
histic seminaries and colleges are being
started in various parts of the country.
Japanese Gazette.