The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-07-25
BE OF ONE MIND.
Pastor Norman's Sermon at Centenary


Rev w &. Norman, at the Centcn-
airy NJ f. Church last Sunday morn
ing, took his text from II Corinthians.
13:11-"Be of one mind''-and de-
livered therefrom an especially inter
esting and forceful sermon.
In his PREDATORY remarks Mr.. Nor
man asked what we were to assume
was meant by the Apostle by the
language, BE of one mind?" He
was talking to Christian people-the
Corinthians-and his remarks had
special reference to their religion and
their religious duties
He did not mean that they should
all think alike on all subjects There
have never been two men who thought
alike on all subjects and about all
things.
He did not mean that they should
all think alike on the details and
minor questions of even one great
subject But he did mean that they
should .'be of one mind as to the
one great fundamental principle of
the Christian religion They were to
''be of one mind with respect to their
belief in the divinity of our LORI and
Savior, Jesus Christ
And the text, as applied to us Of
to-day, does not suggest that we
should all be Methodists, or Presby-
terians. or Baptists, or Episcopalians;
but that, as either of these, we must
''be of one mind in believing in the
Christian religion.
We all belong to one church, really
the church of Christ But / believe
in demoninationalr religion. believe
that with the doing away of denomi-
national distinctions would come
corruption in the consolidated church
such corruption as would be al
most if not quite fatal to its continu-
ed life.
We need the different denomina-
tions; they serve good purpose
lust as our form of political govern
inent needs and actually requires
different political parties; they are
essential to the welfare and perpetu-
ity of our governmental system (the
best in the world and the different
denominations / believe are quite as
essential to the welfare and prosper
ity of the Protestant church. Be
cause my Presbyterian brother differs
from me in some question of church
doctrine, | am not going to say am
Il better Christian than he-because
am not. He is just as honest in his
opinion as am in mine, and it is as
much his privilege to entertain it and
| live by it as it is my privilege to en-
terrain and live by mine.
| Because my Baptist brother is not
satisfied with any other mode o.
| baptism than immersion, [ am not
going to quarrel with him. | believe
a man can be baptised into the Oh. IS
tan religion by smallquantity o
| water in the hollow of the hand O
one, properly qualified to administer
the rite, as effectually us he can he by
being submerged in the Atlantic
Ocean. But if Il man beLeTes Il,
| ought to be Immersed. then lie ough-
| to be immersed. 1t is Il matter o
belief in Il form altogether and ism
going to stand in our way to HEAVIER
Whether we are baptized by sprink
ling, by pouring, or by immersion.
believe we are working under God
providence, and that it is His plal
that there should be denominational
ism in His church.
| But we are all one mind, so far Il
the one great cardinal principle i
concerned We are I'll battling 70
the same great end
| We are fighting in different con
panies, regiments and battallions
| We have Methodist captains, an
Presbyterian captains, and Baptist
Episcopal, Lutheran and other cal
tains: but Christ is the one grea
COMMUNICATIVE and the unite
Christian army, under His leadershi
is OF one mind in attacking til
strongholds of the devil and in figh1
ing to the death the one great cnem
I-Sin.
Brother, sister: Are you doing an
of the fighting? Is this church dom
its share of the fighting?