Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-07-13
THE WORK or RESTORATION.


JouruAls, secular and religious, have
lately devoted considerable space 4,
the subject Of Chtis!isn unity, and
while there Ia unanlmity Of opiIion as
TO the desirability OF such a condition,
ils attainment IL generally considered
impraoticable. This discussion IL Oc.
cnsloned by the invitation Of the head
OF the Roman church to Protestant, TO
return 10 Rome, followed by IA effort
tor proiebiAntic reunion on a bread
and simple platform, ~ already noticed
In these columns. The subject deserves
careful consideration, which, n accord.
ed u, cannot but result In good.
It's impossible successfully 10 die.
pute the fact that tho division Of the
Christian world In denominations and
sects Ia great evil. The ideal Of tho
Christian church IL expressed IN the
fervent prayer Of our Lord, NJ He was
about to complete His earthly mission,
when Ho offered up this petition In
behalf OF His follower; "rhat they
all may be one, ps Thou, Father, art
IN me and | In Thee, that they also
may be one In u; that the world may
believe tina. Thou hast sent mo-" And
IN sccordRncs with this ideal. we Ind
tho first disciples "all OF one
accord" This oneness was to them
on essential eloment Of Christianity.
The Spirit they had received made
them all gravIlAie toward a common
center. II was not 20 much dootriual
or philosophical grounds on which
they stood; they had not rallied around
symbols Of faith or entrenohed them
selves behind eTeeds, but they were
drawn together by that strong love for
their Master, which resulted In mutual
affection. That was the secret Of their
anton. Notwithstanding their indi.
slduaI differences, they formed but
one organism. az tho members Of one
body, or the branches OF one tree.
Its true that the Church did not
continue In this ideal state for n con.
siderable time. Very soon its msmber,
grouped themselves around prominent
men and became known as followers
OF Paul, or Apollos, or Peter, but these
from the fret moment the tendency
was manifested denounced II as Gear.
nal~ and n hIndranoe 10 spiritual de
yelopment, IL was the work Of anti.
christ, and the conclusion ia tbsrefore
Unavoidable that Christianity, AsIt hns
presented itself for centuries mast I'm TIA
dIyeraIfied forms, ls the oppsslte 10 IN,
teaohinRs OF the Master that
CatholiolSm, Luibornpi,m. CsI.
yinIsm, W.,leynpIsn. etc. mr.,
NO many forms OF that terrlhl,
and general apostasy which IN, Ara,
Apostles saw would come and noairst
which they warned tho Chrlstians. ns
long a. they were psrm,tted 10 m
their voices among them.
That the divine mind has mt
changed on this all lmportant subIrct
Ia known 10 the I.altef.dAy Saint, from
the fact that tho srryants OF the Lord
In this age were again CHARGED win
the mission OF inoulea,ipy To them M,
doctrine OF unity. Again and .gniu
they have been oxborted 10 o.bIbit
that oneness TINT WINS enaraet,r,s,,e n,
tho Church during II, peutecosr,l
stage OF existence. and only by stt,p.
tlon To this command WA. tb, yr,st
lattsr.iay work carried an Ia via.
tory among difficulties and oppo,ItI,n
almost nnparaIlelei.
IL should he evident 4, all t,st ma,
ideal state OF tho Church ON earth /.
not unaltainable, as our Chrl,t,,p
friends are fond OF asserting. Twin
bs admitted readily that II cannot n,
achieved on any one Human creed. or
even on the teachings ot lhp gIbl,' ~
long ss each bisnop and rrlsst. mad
each church member claims m,