Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-05
NEW CLOTHES JUST ARRIVED.

ism deluged mankind with oceans of
critical commentary, and true religious
life was stined in the home of its So
called most loyal friends!
Finally the spirit OF protest became
rampant, the voice OF authority was
doubted and hushed. Scripture became
of private Interpretation" the right
of protesting private Judgment de-
veloped into a mania and u mockery:
for every soul could claim the same
privilege until religious unity was but
a rope of sand. without strength and
without cohesion; 1t could neither tie
nor be lifted; II simply fell in this at
tempt by its own weight. and that mis-
chief was done ere the pretenders or
their opponents realized that there
was death in the pot!"
In the PRONUNCIATION of Christianity
for the overthrow of heathenism and
superstition, this was a fatal defect;
even the unsophisticated heather
thought truth should be one; they
could not comprehend the value or the
beauty of controversial dogma. and
every teacher, no matter what society
sustained him, felt that he was work
ing apart. that sectarianism in fact
erected It's own barriers. denied itself.
was its own enemy, and as conse-
quence, lacked even the potency which
a half orthodox creed and ministry
could have exerted. had 1t been in the
missionary field alone.
Millions upon millions Of dollars have
been spent, machinery has been null
tiplied, and sacrifice might have told
a narrowing story in almost every land
beneath the sun; but as business en-
terprlses, are not the. results question
able at best, and could not Christen-
dom ask loudly and earnestly the ques-
ton, Does II pay? Nay, If It's converts
were multiplied indefinitely. until all
men bowed at the name of Christ.
could a divided sectarianism develop
that spiritual glow of energy ana
character which Christianity was IN
tended to produce and then perpetuate?
Now the mother Church by reason
OF it's unity. Its antiquity, It's VIDE
spread influence and abiding faith IN
itself, has for ages seen these discre-
psncies-this waste, and Pope Plus the
ninth as well as Leo, the Pope or the
present believing in the hnal triumph
of the Christian faith. have both es-
saved. toiled for amalgamation with
other sections OF the Christian ministry
and organization, that the final issue
might be FASTENED for the benefit of the
world.
Authoritative documents have fol-
lowed each other In rapid succession.
couched in suggestive but earnest
words of hope for unity. even deeming
some compromise comparatively value
less If the estrangement of the Eng
lish Church mainly. could be reached
and healed: doubtless thinking that
any intimacy. any amalgamation of
spiritual force would affect finally the
recalcitrant Protestant sects in all
their bewildering variety.
Whether in the order OF Providence
this spirit is moving generally is of in
terest to the Latter-day Saints, and the
fact that the two great wings OF Epis-
copallanism viz: 'Methodists and Pro-
testants" in this country have resolved
upon amalgamatlon, appointing a COM
mittee to prepare common text books
for the whole. Is surely one of the signs
of the times.
One of the most famous OF American
pulpit orators pointed out a while ago.
the Inherent weakness OF division, and
claimed that over forty varieties OF
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