Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-27

Spiritual God. AS church we teach
two sacramento, Baptism and the
Lords supper, while some Christian
churches teach that there are several.
Baptism is the successor OF circum-
cision and the Lords supper the sue
cessor of the passover, and these two
present in the church the essentials to
a perfect worship Of the Incarnate
God, and it is almost needless to say
that the duty of all who would secure
the Divine favor to use these sacra-
ments. And this implies the visible
enrolment in some department of the
Christian church. Christian countries
have many orders and institutions of
a voluntary kind for useful purposes.
These are usually the outcome of So
cial instincts and are found to be use
full to the well-being of society," and to
attain great common objects. 1t is OPP
tional with every man whether he will
associate himself with these institu-
tons, but not SO with the church. It
is a fact we believe that we give full
credit to all man-ordained institutions,
but it is unquestionably true that there
is too great a tendency to-day for men
to unite with and manage them and
assign the church to the women and
children. The light of the moon is of
great value to the earth, but where
would be the moonlight if the sun
should loose his brilliancy. The moon
is but the reflector of the suns rays,
SO all societies instituted by man are
the refiectors of the church light. And
while we do not believe in Apostolic
succession" so-called, we do believe
in the church as a Divine institu-
ton.
The church received it's commission
from God. 1t has been taught that the
church is an organization growing out
of religion. having it's root in super
stition, and consequently an enemy
to, rather than a friend to mankind.
1t is true that religion preceded the
church, but it is not true that religion
sprang from superstition, but from
God. Religion does not long exist
without the church, nor does a church
long exist without pure and undefiled
religion. We lay it down as a propo-
sition that any religion in this life is
better for a man than no religion. To
this proposition, at first thought, some
would dissent. But due reflection upon
what this life is, and upon what relig-
ion is, and the relation that exists be-
tween it and human earthly existence,
no thoughtful mind will reject this
proposition. By religion we mean that
true devotion of a human soul inspir-
ed by an Overwhelming awe Which
accompanies the WOrshipper, not only
while, IN silence, he approaches the
sacred shrine OF the Infinite and Eter-
nal One, but also pervades his whole
being and determines his character as
1t did alike in the Greek Sage and
Apostle to the Gentiles. With such a
religion he is the better, whether he
be Christian, Pagan or Jew, in so far
as his earth life is concerned. But the
correctness of the proposition becomes
more apparent as we consider the rela-
ton that exists between religion and
civilization. Furthermore, if there can
be no civilization without a religion,
and ii it be also fact that religion
lies at the foundation of all forms of
civilization, than it follows that any
religion is better for a people than no
religion.
That religion has always determined
the status of civilization is a fact of
history. Egypt, Greece, Persia and
Rome are examples of this statement,
and as was their religion so was their
civilization.
Lsypr is now astonishing the world
with her literature or forty centuries,
by revealing marvellous CIVILIZATION
OF the Nile country which is only mint
ed at in the Bip.e.
The church's power is from God.
Then the cnurcn must depend upon
GOD, and not upon the world. The
world is for the church's use, and not
abuse. 1t cannot, therefore, use Ques-
tionable worldly methods with the pre-
text of necessity, or that the end JUS
titles the means" This would be ig-
noring the true source of power No
more can the church dc this-than the
individual.
In the next thought we consider the
complete triumph OF the church. This
tower of the flock, the stronghold of
the daughter of Zion," must conquer
The greatest victory to the early
church was on the day of Pentacost,
when the rays of prophetic light was
focused on an obedient congregation,
for such had they been previously
called, and the Holy Ghost came upon
them and 5000 were added to the
church. We claim this triumph on ac-
count of mans necessity for the
church and what it accomplished for
his material and spiritual being.
The text foreshadowed and proclaim
ed it. All the other prophets do like
wise. Christ taught the same truth,
and as the word of God shall never
fail, his church cannot fail. Again,
we expect this triumph because Of
mans necessity for the church. We
claim that mans normal condition is a
sound mind and a soul in a sound body.
This the Christian religion accom-
plishes by putting man in harmony
with his maker. Here mans physical
environments are not perfect and he
dies, but he that hath the son hath
life. This Son of God life that came
down from Heaven in the person of
Jesus Christ, and now comes in espe-
cial sense to every believer, secures
for him not only release from the
grave by the power of a resurrection,
but also body like unto His most
glorious body. For our citizenship is
in heaven, from whence also we wait
for Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
who shall fashion anew the body of
humiliation that it may be conformed
to the body of his glory according to