Nevada County picayune., 1890-01-22
UNITY OF THE CHURCH.
NUMBER ONE.

of believers. collection of devout worshipers. According to the origi- nal Greek, from which it is derived, it means simply congregation hence the collective or organized form to which It is applied. As there is but "one Lord, one faith, one baptism," it necessarily follows that there can be but one church. In apostolic times there was but one church. It is true there were vari- ous companies or bodies of Christians in many of the centers of population in those days. There was the church at Rome, the church at Corinth, the church at Ephesus, the church at Thesalonica. etc., but it must be re- membered that these different branches of the true church were a unit. both as to doctrine and organi- zation. Accordingly, we find that whenever the Apostle Paul wished to address the believers in Christ at any place, he superscribed his epistle to the church at that place-thus we find him writing to the church at Rome, by which we are to under stand that he included all believers at Rome. and so of all other cities to which he wrote apostollcal epistles.
 Had the church then been divided into numerous sects and denomina- tions as it is to-day, he would have directed his epistles to the particular sect to which he belonged. There were some indications cropping out of schismatic spirit in one of the churches to which he wrote, viz. the church at Corinth; but he avails him. self of his apostolic authority to re- buke them severely for these divis- ions. We quote one verse from his first epistle to the Corinthians, as 1t embodies a strong proof-text of our position on this question: Now, l beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judg- ment." It is impossible for human language to make anything plainer than this emphatic condemnation Of divisions, and yet many ministers of the present day not only justify but actually applaud and encourage these divisions. They have made a new departure from apostolic teachings, and are endeavoring to defeat the accomplishment of one of the objects for which our Savior prayed in his memorable microscopy prayer.
 If the great head of the church prayed for the unity of his followers, and His chief apostle exhorted his brethren to maintain Christian unity among themselves, then surely 1t must be matter of vital importance to the interests and success of the church. Brotherly love and fellow ship are specially enjoined as Chris tian duties, hut these duties cannot fully be performed without unity, for how can two walk together except they be agreed! The very basis of love, therefore, is oneness of ,senti- ment and doctrine. The outward test of discipleship to the world is love toward each other-by this shall all men know that ye are my disci- pies, that ye have love one to anoth- CT. A great deal of strength and effort and money are wasted be- cause of these divisions. The slow progress of the gospel is due more to this cause than anything else. If love and fellowship prevailed among the opposing sects despite their wide divereences of opinion and doctrine, then there would he less cause of complaint on this score. But we find upon careful investigation of the facts in the case that the history of denominations is often one of rivalry, ambition, jealousy and animosity. The church then, to be efficient and to deliver it's moral and spiritual in- Guences to their fullest extent upon the world, ought to be thoroughly united.
 Organic union, therefore, is essen tial to the greatest good and useful ness of the church in the world. The wars between the Catholics and the Protestants, as well as the srlfes and antagonisms between Protestants themselves, present powerful argu- ment in favor of organic union, for these sad calamities which have done SC much to retard the progress of Christianity, would never have oc- cured if all the professed followers of Christ had been united in bonds of Christian love and fellowship.