The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-09-14

"Methodists."
am told that in the Astor library
New York, kept as curiosities, there are
707 books and pamphlets against Meth
odism. Did intolerance stop that
church? No; it is either first or second
amid the denominations of Christen
dom, her missionary stations in al
parts of the world, her men not only
important in religious trusts, but inn
portant also in secular trusts. Church
marching on, and the more intolerance
against it the faster it marched.
What did intolerance accomplish
against the Baptist church? If laugh.
ing scorn and TRADE could have de.
to-day disciple left. The Baptists
were hurled out of Boston in olden
times. Those who sympathized with
them were imprisoned, and when Pc
tition was offered asking leniency in
their behalf all the men who signed if
were indicted. Has intolerance stopped
the Baptist church? The last statistics
in regard to it showed $4,000 churches
and 100000 communicates. Intoler-
|
In England a law was made against
the Jew. England thrust back the
jew and thrust down the Jew, and de-
clared that no jew should hold official
position. What came of it? Were the
Jews destroyed? Was their religion
overthrown? No. Who became prime
minister of England? Who was next
to the throne? Who was higher than
the throne because he was counselor
and adviser? Disraeli, a Jew. What
! were we celebrating in all our churches
as well as our synagogues only few
years ago? The Tooth birthday ami
versary of Montefiore, the great jew
ish phlanthropist Intolerance never
yet put down anything.
But now, my friends, having shown
you the origin of bigotry or sectarian-
ism, and having shown you the damage
it does, want briefly to show you how
we are to war against this terrible evil,
and think we ought to begin our war
by realizing our own weakness and our
imperfections. If we make so many
mistakes in the common affairs of life,
is it not possible that we may make
mistakes in regard to our religious af-
fairs? Shall we take a man by the
throat, or by the collar, because he
cannot see religious truths just as we
do? In the light of eternity it will be
found out, | think. there was some
thing wrong in all our creeds. But
since we may make mistakes in regard
to things of the world. do not let us be
so egotistic and SO puffed up as to have
an idea that we cannot make any mis-
take in regard to religious theories.
And then / think we will do great
deal to overthrow the sectarianism
from the world, by chiefly enlarging in
those things in which we agree rather
than those on which we differ
Now, here is a great gospel platform.
A man came up on this side of the plat
form and says: Il don't believe in bab by
sprinkling." Shall l shove him off?
Here is man coming up this side of
the platform. and he says: Il don't be-
lieve in the preservation of the saints"
Shall l shove him off? No, l will say:
''Do you believe in the Lord Jesus as
our Saviour? Do you trust Him for time
and eternity?" He says: Yes" do
you take Christ for time and for eterni-
typ Yes" Isay: Come on, brother;
one in time and one in eternity: BROTH
er now, brother forever" Blessed be
God for a gospel platform so large
that all who receive Christ may stand
on it,
4bipl- ,ya NAV ovartbroyx- tho Sarara
sectarianism and bigotry in our hearts,
and in the church also, by realizing
that all the denominations of Chris
tians have yielded noble institutions
and noble men.
Moreover, we may also over throw |
the feeling of severe sectarianism by |
joining other denominations in Chris
tian work. | like when the spring |
time comes and the anniversary oc-
come upon the same platform. That |
overthrows sectarianism. In the |
Young Mems Christian associations, in |
the Bible society, in the Tract society. |
in the Foreign Missionary society,
shoulder to shoulder all denomina-
tionS.
Perhaps l might forcefully illustrate
this truth by calling your attention to
an incident which took place about
twenty years ago. One Monday morn
ing at tabout . o'clock, while her 900
passengers were sound asleep in her
berths dreaming of home, the steamer
crashed into Mars Head. Five
souls in ten minutes landed in eternity!
Oh, what scene. Agonized men and
running up and down the
and clutching for rig
gings, and the plunge of the
helpless steamer, and the clasping
of the hands of the merciless sea
over the drowning and the dead, threw
two continents into terror. But see
this brave quartermaster pushing out
with the life line until he gets to the
rock; and see these fishermen gather
ing up the shipwrecked, and taking
them into the cabins, and wrapping
them in the flannels snug and warm;
and see that minister of the gospel,
with three other men. getting into the
ifeboat, and pushing for the wreck,
pulling away until they saved one
more man, and then getting back with
him to the shore. Can these men ever
iorget that night? And can they
,ver forget their companionship in
peril, companionship in struggle, COM
in awful catastrophe and
escue? Never, Never. In whatever
BART of the earth they meet, they will
De friends when they mention the
story of that night when the Atlantic
struck Mars Head. Well, my friends,
'ur world has gone into worse ship
wreck. Sin drove it on the rocks. The
Id ship has lurched and tossed in the