The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-01-05
AGAINST NIB NoF AGAINST.

Two texts of Holy Writ cover the
whole ground Of union Or separation
among Christian Churches and denom-
inations. They are these-''ue tliat Is
not with Ne lie against Mes" and ''IIe
that is not against you is for you" Our
Lord hurled the first Of these savings
of His against the Pharisees as the head
and representatives of the Jewish
Church which has deliberately placed
itself against Him and His Kingdom
of spiritual righteousness and life. 1t
was substantially an ecclesiastical eX-
communication. The second of these
sayings was interpOsed by Him between
a man who was honestly trying to serve
his fCli0Wmen, in q Christian temper,
but whom q narrow and captiouS dis
ciple was taking roughly to task because
''he fOllOWeth not with us D." The point
II be clearly apprehcnded and strongly
enphas srd is this-that the first of
these statements relates of funaamen-
tails: the second to crcumstantails
1t is noticeable, and not pleasantly
SO, how much more use is made of the
first than of the second of these Script
tre in religion discoursingS, discus
SONS, and adIudmentS.
Two cannot walk together unless
they are agreed. This is another in
spired proverb. The reverse is as true,
and should be as obvious The only
legitimate inquiry here-the only ques-
ton worthy Of a Christian man or
Church or denomination, is-are the
point of disagreement and division
vital? And they SO against Christ per
son and Office as to upturn the found
atoms of communion i'll faith and pra-
ctice: Ii Is question of loyalty or dis
loyalty to the Supreme authority which
we III common accept. Anything less
vital than this is not appealablp. no
this issue, under the law laid down by
Him. He that is not against us III
essentials, said the Master to the com
planning disciple, is on our side. Are we
listening to this divine word with rev.
erence and obedience as Church organ
ization.
Who shall decide? Ourselves, of
course. But upon what principle, and
under what Inspirations: No motive
or impulse springing from sectarian
pride, ambition, animOSity, should be
allowed 50 much as the fainteSt wills
per for influencing line of Judgment
or Of conduct III its business. 1t touch
Is too nearly the heart of Jesus, and
the honor OF Ills kingdom, to suffer any
such handling. Self-Sacrificing love to
christ and for the unity of Ills follow
efS, IN presence Of an unbelieving and
galnSaylng world is the only pure
enough inspiration for whatever re
mains to be done in this endeaVur for
the outward oneness. His visible body.
to be made manifest among all who
are essentially one i'll Him This. too.
VIII be conceded, i'll general terms, all
along the lines of existing diSumion.-
The other question OF principles, which
are or are not essential, is the ola bat
tle-lield of the conflicts of sects and
lsmS that, for the most part, might
truthfully have flung out on their ban
ner Jehu's sharp, self-satislied chal-
Inge,-"C ONE with me, and see my
zeal Tor the LORD
Disputes over doctrines and Ordinan-
ceS are the things which have divided
and sub-diyided our Protestant Christi
anity into its deplorably piecemeal con-
dltlOn. Doctrines and ordinances have
roots in deep, rich soils that are neces-
sary TO their life But these deep-grow-
ing roots throw up, not seldom, Z crop
Of shoots ANA suckers that need to be
kept close-cut if the parent tree is to
ful.il as it should its purpose DR.. n
}. Burton tells the Yale Ihe0logues, in
his just published lectures. \ uu pro
vide for your release from great deal
OF bondage when YOU discover the
distinction between the sub
stance of doctrine, the thing that
therein makes it valuable, and the phi
loSoplical formation III which it hap
pens TO put itself forth today Nine
tenths OF tile evangelical creed cOntcn-
tons, back to the Council of Nice, have
Sprouted just along this line of distinc-
llon tun0hserycd or mhCedeGl between
Il revealed truth in Christian Theology,
ana this, that, and the other persisting
attempt to explore and exhaust its
metaphysics. The facts Of theology
thelStic, Christologic, s0teri0logic, eS-
chatCl0g care accepted and trusted
and lived III by thorough going Chris
tlalS IN all ages: they are fundamental.
Their explanations, their scientific
anatOmlZingS, have been lab0riOusIy
various and pcTpeXing. Holy Scrip
ture, as the revelation of essential
truths Of belief and obCdience--that
the thoroughly furnished man of God
may be perfoct-iS infalliblr. and can
alone bind the conscience That woke
is never griey0us. What has CALLED the
Churches neck beyond endurance are
the tight, miStitting collars and other
harness into which men, wise beyond
what is written, have cut and cont0rted
the words of Christ and apostles, till
multItudes of the best of men have
neither been able to pull or to stand
still IN any such chatting gear
Ordinances and Church administra-
ton have Jared no better III the like
constructive and restrictive hands Out
Of the slendereSt New Testament ma
terialS, systems of ecclesiastical organ
iZation and rule have been devised:
CaSt-irOn theories of sacrcdotal. and
transmitted grace have been set into
institutions; ritualiZed methods of sac
ram2ntal ObSeryanceS have been made
mandatory; which impoSItionS of HUI
man ordering neither we nor our faith
crS have been able or willing To bear
Hence explosions, disintegrationS. and
all manner offcentriiugal phenomena.
conducting, on the whole much more to
Il sense of freedom than of comfort. In
his lectures on the Church of Scotland.
Dean Stanley named twelve distinct
ecclesiastical bodies there--two of them
Episcopal and the rest Presbyterian
which, since the days of John Knox.
have fallen out with each other over
extra biblical apples of discord, III ev-
cry one of which contests each separ-
ating communion maintained that it.
and 1t alone, was the true Church of
Scotland" Why not have been con
tent with the Heaven-high diviner
name of the one united and indiviSible
Church OF JESUS Christi JAY, IN the
Church Union.