The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-28
An Able Address by the Rev. j.
G. B. Stivers.
THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
Distinctive Principles Elucidated N
Expounded-The Conversion of the
World to Christ Instead OF
to Party or Sect.

setting forth the distinctive principles OF
the disciples of Christ. He said in part:
1.-THE necessity for our existence as a
people depends wholly upon the value of
the plea with which We come before the
world; and IL we have nothing to offer the
people save that which can be found else
where. the sooner we cease TO be and
get out OF the way. the better 1t will be
for ourselves and for Christianity. as TO
continue "A needless and expensive eyist-
ence is entirely inexcusable. and would
be adding one more to the already too
many denominations of Christendom, and
put us I'm the ranks OF those who are car
nal and who walk after human leaders
instead OF following only the divine
Christ.
Then. to disabuse your minds of any
misconceptions of the aim and purpose
of the Christian church. 1 would have
YOU remember that IL IL our desire To
be entirely undenominational, and free
from all sectarianism. and to stand only
upon the broad and catholic ground oc-
cupied by the apostles of old. Nor are
we a new church. as some would have
you think; too young to even have "a
name; for any church not as old as the
Pentecost following the resurrection OF
Jesus is too young for us to find member
ship I'm IL. Nor is our work one of refor-
nation, but rather one of restoration. for
our motto has ever been Let us go back
of Westminster. Augsburg. and all other
efforts at reformation, and adopt the
word OF God as our only standard OF au.
thority I'm Christian faith and life; the
only standard that needs no revision. The
desire to see all Christians united I'm one
body led to the adoption of this divine
standard as the only court OF appeal: for
1t had been observed that human creeds
and confessions of faith tended to sepa-
rate Christians from one anther and were
the cause of much bitterness among those
who professed to love the Lord toward
others equally conscientious. who CHANGED
to nave an opinion not In accordance with
theirs. with us opinions count for very
little, and I'm these each individual Is left
free to think for himself. and no one is
required to accept the opinion of any man
or set of men. In matters of faith, that Is
i'm things revealed in the word or God. II
Is entirely different. and here we are all
one. and no man has any right To add Ia,
take from or change anything revealed IN
this word. for these things belong Ia
God. and we have no right to be liberal
with that which is not ours.
II feel very much at home with 81
Christians and am sorry that any or
them have built around themselves walls
of human opinion, over which IL Is inn
possible for me and my brethren 10
climb. and which prevent the largest ana
freest exercise of thought on the part
OF those alrtduN lnSlut Oh lntNf Ni''-
logical prison houses.
we have. therefore abandoned all re-
ligious names and practices not author
lied by the law of Christ. With some OF
us this was "A great trial, for from m
fancy we had been reared to love and
reverence these names and PRACTICES,
made sacred by the godly lives that sur
rounded our early years. But. seeing that
Christian unity required this, and hold
ing the work of the Lord above our preJu-
dices and preferences, We surrendered
them all. And now Will us faith In Jesus
Christ In the only creed we know, ana
His word IL our only book Of discipline
and guide I'm faith and life. And. adopting
this as the only standard by which we
are governed. faith In the Christ as the
Son of the living God. and obedience 10
Him are the only tests of fellowship
known among us.
Ppon this platform we have stood for
20 years. pleading for the union of all
Christians. not I'm a great ecclesiastical
l organism, but as individuals and congre-
cations. being one In Christ, wearing His
name to the exclusion of all denomina-
: tional names. and abandoning all human
standards of faith for the word of God
alone. This Is but a picture OF what the
? apostles would have the church to he.
and what was. under their guidance: and
1 only by Christians being thus united can
! they expect to convert the unbelieNins
D world.
Back To Christ Is to-day n very pop
a ular watchword. and the plea for Chris
tian union Is the most popular of all ef-
: forts among Gods people. Human creeds
and confessions OF faith are to-day being
D very largely relegated to the past. The
new wine OF gospel truth Is doing Its
work and the bursting of these oid-time
: theological bottles is a very common
n thing, and the process will go on and on
until they will all he laid aside, but treat
ed with a great deal OF respect as honest
= earnest efforts ON the part of thinking
; men TO give To the world the entire truth
: of an Infinite God upon great and ineA-
haustible themes.
: THE pure primitive gospel of Jesus is
Z appealing to the world to-day as never
y before. The evils of division in the church
are becoming more and more apparent. y
spirit OF fraternity prevails eNerywheret
d and the desire for union is growing
W stronger every day. The world cares Yer,
little for the opinion of any man, hut
delights to hear about Jesus and To ODE,
His ommand You hear very little about
dogma to-day from any pulpit, but the
= Christ is being exalted. The correctness
of the principles Of the disciples OF Christ
Is not in debate. and We have done we!
= I'm our foundation work. and we must
continue TO build upon IL. No people hav,
= ever grown more rapidly. and to-day. In
= spite of those who ~prophesied failure al
tried to thwart our efforts by open war
fare, or through false friendship led u'
TO make ignoble compromise. the wort
has grown until there are now more thar
a million of us who stand before the
world. not as the only Christians. but al
Christians only.
Here we stand and plead for the con
version of the world to Christ instead o.
to party or sect. and for the unity OF al
Gods people. Here. too. we stand Wit
l.s - IN