The times., 1897-07-13

IL was expected that DR.. Naylor, OF the
McKendree NJ Z Church, would max reply
20 DR.. Corey ON the following Monday, nut
his sudden attack of sickness precluded
all possibility OF his attending the session,
and it was not until yesterday that he
was able TO sumo his accustomed place
i'll the conference.
But little business was TRANSACTED, the
time being taken up by the discussion OF
the CcIeS matter Dr. Corey himself was
not present Dr. Naylor WAS the ftrst
speaker. Eioquently and earnestly he
urhcld the doctrines of the church, re-
rutlDg the charges which had been made
against its stability, and carrying his
auditors along with him. Dr. Mayor
spoke on the theme, do the chnfches
represent Christianity in this age?'' speak
ing in full, as follows:
Il do not belong 10 that class who are
continually saving, Why are not these
latter days better than the former?
Il think such persons do not consider
wisely concerning them. do not think
that even the apostolic days Were fuller
of Christ than the days ia which We live.
That great promise which Jesus IaNe
to his disciples has been and is being
daily fulfilled. Verify, verify, say unto
you. he that believeth on Me, the works
that l do, shall he do also; and greater
works than these shall he do because
go to my Father
Christ fed miraculously 5000 men,
women and children with bread and fishes.
The church OF Christ today reeds millions
with the bread OF life. Christ opened the
eyes of a few blind folk. The church #
Christ OF today is Instrumental In open
ing the spiritual vision OF tens or thou
sands every year. Jesus took in His arms
few little children and blessed them.
The church of Christ is throwing her artns
around the children OF the world, fitting
them to live hol y lives and then TO enhance
the glory of heaven.
"A few fishermen and taxgathererS left
their Shiny boats and nets and lowly EN-
pICyment and went forth to tell OF Jesus
anu the resurrection.
To-day the church OF Christ has thou
sands of holy, consecrated men and women
betting the world with missionary toll,
having forSaken, manyof them, whatmight
have been lives Of domestic comfort and
cumDa rative ease TO live, work, preach
and, if need be, die for Christ. And who
are the supporters of those servants of
Christ? Men and women and children all
through Chrstendom, in all our churches,
are digging and delving, scIimping and
saving, and giving with no niggardly hand
to furnish food and raiment for their broth
ers and sisters in distant lands.
'In our own land the churches Of Christ
are vieing with each other in hunting up
the new and waste places: and erecting
meeting houses. in which the struggling
people can worship God; and then send
ing men willing to go and share with
them both their labor and poverty in
order to preach Christ Jesus and Him
crucified
THE millions of colored people thrown
out of their homes, as well as out Of their
bondage, have been largely cared for,
body, mind, and soul, by the church Of
Christ, until they are now we'll nigh able
to stand alone as a race The schools,
seminaries, and colleges which have been
founded and are sustained by the church
of Christ are sending out annually men
aye, and women, too, who, If they are
not experimental Christians, are decided
believers in Christianity
You We're told three weeks ago that
Christ in the churches is covered up by
dogma and creed / certainly think that
the speaker was locking at some other
period than his own, when he drew this
conclusion 1 think his statement is too
dogmatiC for either reason OF the finer
sensibilities of men
Il tell you, no man could do the works
that the church is doing except God lie
with hisn, and no church whose Christ
was crowded out or covered up 10y creed
and dogma would attempt to co it. ]
think that If the end should come today
something like this would lie feaId: In
osmuch as ye did it to the least of these,
NY brethren, 3e did it unto Me
There never has been time in the
history Of the church when the Church OF
Christ cared less about creed or more
about Christ!
lone of the chief weaknesses of the
Church of Christ today is her lack of dog
matism. Indeed, the churchly vindication
of any one OF her great basal principles
startleS the world. as in the case of tie
trial of DIR. Briggs for his seni-denial of
the divinity of the Scriptures. And then
men talk about dogma and creed, ecclesi
asticisrn and Lordship.
But what is there so greatly wrong
about doctEinal forms All truth
is dogmatic. Al truth teaches by
authority, not by reason Truth never
compromises. Fire burns. water browns,
lightning scathes-kills. What has been
hlctted out oil covered up by church cTeeds?
ale tasted death for every man. He
that believeth and is baptised shall be
saved; bat he that believeth not shall he
darned
1t seems to me that the answer to
that wonderful prayer OF our Saviour may
be seen today more clearly than at any
other period OF the church's history.
That they all may be one as Thou,
Father, art in me and in Thee; that they
also be one in us; that the world may
believe that Thou hast sent Me"
There was a period when the churches
spent most of their time and strength
in endeavortng to exterminate each other,
Satan laughed, and doubtless enjoyed the
sight AT last the rack, the guilotine.
the fire gave way. This was an improve
ment. Then 1t became Il polemic strife,
Great struggles OF debate, rant, and can't
were masters But intelligence and the
spirit Of Christ mot historic crIticismsl
subduetl this war of passionate and often
ignorant and masterful ambition
After this there came period which
might have been called the period of
This was not much better than
a semi-religious hypocrisy, respectful
salutation and internal hate.
This was so transparent that the most
'Gnorant could see its insincerity, and
seeing it, stood aloof, soothing But