The leader., 1897-10-27

The Christian or +" CampbeIIite Church.
In "The Clark Douglass Debate, !"
which will be published in pamphlet
form during November, Elder n. L.
Clark thus defines the faith and prac-
ticc of the Christian or ''Campbellite"
Church. 1t is published here as u
matter of special interest to many of
our readers:
Another very IMPORTANT mark Of
identity is the name of the thing
identified. The New Testament church
was called the church of Christ
Rom. 1916 church of God u. Cor.
l:1-2.) The members of the church
we're called saints Rom. l:Tl; chill
dren of God Rom. S:16); brethren
Rom. 12:n; disciples or Christians
acts ll:26 i. Pet. 4:l6).
| claim that | have proved by the
Bible in this discussion that the
church of God was established on earth
on the first Pentecost after the resur-
rection of Jesus that men and women
got into that church, which is Christ's
body, by hearing the gospel, believing
it, repentiug of their sins, confessing
Christ unto salvation. and being bap-
tized by immersion in water for remis-
sion of sins that, having thus entered
Christ's body, they were taught to
grow in grace, and that there is all
the time danger in this life of falling
from the grace of God that the mem
bers of the church met every Lords
to observe the Lords Day Supper A.;
that the local church was governed by
plurality of elders, or bishops and
deacons; that the church was called
the church of God, or church of
Christ, and the members, disciples
or Christians. These points ! have
abundantly proved by Gods Word.
The churches composed of meubers
known as disciples of Christ i'll this
country now believe and practice the
things here set forth. Therefore
conclude, that bearing the same brands
or marks as the New Testament
church. they are truly churches of
God. We believe, moreover. that di-
visions among Christ's people are in
imical to the cause of the Master :
and, therefore, that sectarianism is a
gross sin in the sight of God. We
belong to no sect or party that does
not include all Christians ; hence we
are non sectarian, and undenomina-
tIonal. No such party or sect as Bap-
fist, Methodist, Presbyterian or other
body that does not include all Chris
tians has any standing room in the
Bible. And those who aid in the
formation of parties among profeSsed
Christians do so in the face of Christ's
prayer that his people might be one
John 17:2l). To be one in this i'm
pOrtant sense requires unity in re-
ligious faith and practice among the
followers of Christ. This unity can be
attained only by laying aside all hu-
man creeds and inventions of men
that serve as partitions between
sectarian bodies, and by returning
to the New Testament without addi-
! ton to, or subtraction from, its teach
ings. In doing this it is necessary to
give up all party names and hence
forth wear no name but Christian or
disciple. Then with the Bible, and the
| Bible alone as our rule of faith and
practice; with Bible name for Gods
church and his people; with a
"Thus saith the Lord " for every act
performed in the name of religion
we can bid farewell to party lines
and exult in the triumph of Gods
people over sectarianism work
of the Devil. True, this would not
destroy all differences among pro
fessed Christians, but it would be a
mighty stride in the right direction,
and we might then hope to see the
day when those who profess to love
our Savior would present solid pha
lanx to the enemy of souls and march
in triumph to the Millennial Day.