The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-09
AN INTERESTING DISCOURSE

night, the new pastor. Rev. C. NJ. OIL
plant, delivered an interesting dis
course on the tenets OF his denom4na-
ton, his theme being, What is Pecu-
liar About the Christian Church," a,
large and appreciatlve congregation
was present. A synopsis OF Rev. Mr..
oliphant's remarks follows:
Every religious people should have n
mission In the world. This mission
should be good; It should be a distinct
mission. II not distinct, this body can
claim no right too separate existence.
The Christian Church not only has a
good mission, but n distinct one.
I'VE Us a church are peculiar in the
following things: Flrst-We take the
Bible us our only creed. All religious
people need a creed-.a standard or be-
lief. People who Have no standard as
u rallying point, cannot expect to work
in harmony. This creed should be d.
vine In authority. Human standards
cannot help dividing Gods children.
The Bible Is sufficient. as seen by II
Timothy II:l6-17.
Our united strength In war times
when others were divided: II growth
as a separate body in seventy-flye years
to l,25O.O0 strong; very rapid
growth in the past ten years can all be
explained by the fact that u creed
has been the Bible only.
"Second-We give the New Testament
Its proper place. The New Testament
has q deep significance. This New Tes-
lament is to be rightly divided. 1t has
been wrongly divided. Each part Is for
a special purpose. The New Tesla
ment Is the word Of truth. If so, apos-
tollc succession is not needful as a
channel through which We receive the
ordinances OF the Lords house.
"'Third-Thc church should have the
name Of his head and founder-Christ.
Any other name will not unite Gods
people. Any other name is not n re-
gard for the family name, Christ or
Christian. For Illustration. the wife
shall take the name OF her husband.
The church being the Lambs wife,
should have the name Of her head,
Christ, or Christian (Which Is the ad-
jective formed).
"~Fourth-That Jesus Christ is the
Son Of the living God IS the article. Of
faith. This embraces, all clements
OF Christian faith. This belief was
needful In the time of the apostles and
the early church. 1t was not changed
till the close of the third century OF
the Christian era. This Is belief in q
person, who the Prophet. Priest and
King. It matters what we believe and
In whom we believe.
"Fifth-Witk the Christian Church
opinion is private property. 1t differs
f~ns. folAtyH- Hnf-fa- - - ~ nr-4,ttn1 So
Faith Is essential TO salvation. a man
may entertain an opinion SO long as 1t
is not inconsistent with faith. and SO
long as 1t does not subvert faith.
"Sixth-We limit church membership
to proper scriptural characterize
levers in Christ. I'm this we are some
what like our Baptist brethren. If bap-
tism is needful to full membership In
the church (Which all, or. nearly all
churches teach), then belief is neces-
.sary to baptism. This Is the order OF
the commission. 1t was the condition
In the early church. Acts VIII:36-37.
"SeveHth-NIith US baptism is given
only the place 1t Is given in the New
Testament. We make less Of It than
many other people. Its design is remis-
sion OF sins of the alien and putting on
Christ. 1t Is, we believe, Immersion.
Threc-fourths Of the religioua world
believe and practice immersion.
"Eighth-With the Christian Church
the Lords Supper is q memorial Of
Christ's death. This fact Is the most
prominent. We do not sit In judgment
upon others. We do not debar others
from the communion. It's the Lords
supper. Let a man examine himself.
We practice the weekly observance be-
cause 1t was the custom OF the early
church, and this is In harmony with
It's design.
"Ninth-Church government with us
Is not episcopal. The church in the
Bible Is represented in several congre-
cations whose government is independe
ent. No blshopric to direct affairs ex-
cept in the congregations. We have in
all our churches elders, deacons, wan
ge!ists. pastors and ministers. The
New Testament church government Is
congregational.
"Tenth-We believe in the Holy
Spirit. It's presence. divinity, personal
ity and comforting influence. ut oper-
ates through the word. The word Is
the sword of the spirit. says Paul.
"Eleventh-Our chief popularity is
our plea for the union Of the Lords
people. Divisions are sinful. They
hinder the progress OF Christianity;
but union is strength. We propose the
divine plan for Christian union. AT
first the church was one. Eph. WAC.
1t should be n to-day. This union
should be organic. Nothing short Of
this will meet the Lords demand in
John XVII:2l. Our motto is. In essen
tials unity, in non-essertials liberty, in
NIL things charity II the followers Of
Jesus are united the world will soon be