Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-20
BY this means all the crevices were
stopped and the barges safely ioated."
P%ROTRACTED MEETING

Sermon by the Pastor.
The protracted meeting at the First
| Christian church is meeting with
great success. At last evenings SER
vice the auditorium of the church was
crowded to the doors. The aisles were
filled with chairs in order to seat the
congregation. The church is very wide
awake. Mr.. Bellingham, of Worcester,
! Mass, has charge of the music service.
| He is the possessor of a very fine voice,
and it is a noticeable fact that he is
very successful in influencing the whole
congregation to join in the singing.
During the evening service there was
a solo rendered by Mr.. Bellingham,
Not Tonight" and a duet by Miss
Elizabeth Boyd and Mr.. Ballingham,
THE Last Friend We Have is Jesus"
There were three additions to the
church last night.
The services were conducted by the
pastor, Rev. C. M. Oliphant. He deliv-
cred an excellent ermon His subject
was, THE Divine Greed, or the Plea of
the Christian Church." He took his
text from Jude 8. In opening, Rev.
Oliphant began: Every body of re-
ligious people should have a mission,
also a good mission, also a distinct
mission. If they have no distinct mis-
sion, they have no right to a separate
existence"
The Disciples, in the first place, take
the Bible as their only creed. All peo-
pie stand in need of a creed-a stand
ard of belief. People have need of a
creed whose authority is divine only.
A human creed is not sufficient. 1t is
not able to cement the Lords people
together. The Revelations of the Bible
are sufficient proof of this fact. This
is the Disciples foundation. The result
is no division in war times, and growth
at all times.
The Disciples also give the New Tes-
lament it's proper place, for it is the
word of truth. If SO, the apostolic sue
cession is not essential as a channel
through which we receive the blessings
of the ordinances of baptism and the
Lords supper. Now the word has been
revealed, and if it is only believed the
result is sure to come"
Rev. Oliphant then proceeded to de-
scribe at some length the position Of
the Disciples on the subject of faith.
He described the limit of church mem
bership to proper spiritual characters.
He said that infants do not need
church membership, as they are not
sinners. He also described the church's
position on baptism and the Lords sup
per.
In closing, Rev. Oliphant spoke of
the Disciples ground for the Christian
union. He said: "The Disciples offer
to the religious world the best attempt
made to discover a ground for a Chris
tan union. If Gods people will not
labor for this end, what will be the
object of their labor? Julius Caesar,
when entering Rome in triumph, be-
holding the beauty and magnificence
of the city, exclaimed: They that will
not fight for the city, what will they
fight for?' So when we contemplate
the strength and beauty, as we'll as the
pressing need of this position, we say:
They who will not uphold the position,
what will they uphold? It is indeed
worthy of trial, sacrifice and prayer. -
When Alexander the Great march
ed into Phrygia, the capital thereof
was the ancient and famous residence
of King Neidas-Gordia, situated on
the river Sargarius. Here was the
famous Gordian knot. 1t was believed
that he who should unite the knot
should become ruler of all Asia. Alex
ander, who had taken the city, was
anxious to see the famous chariot on
which the knot was tied. The knot fas-
tened the yoke to the tongue OF the
chariot, and was tied so deity n the
strings interviewer so wonderfully that
no man was able to discover its begin
ming or it's end. The C%onqueror, after
many futile attempts to unite the
knot, impatiently exclaimed: ut is no
matter which way it is united" and
drew his sword and at one stroke cut
the world-famed Gordian knot, and in
him and his successors the tradition
was fulfilled.
The Church of Christ has been ham
pered, tied, fettered and restricted by
! many knots and many cords. But the
position of the Disciples enables the
soldier of Christ to cut a human knot,
no matter how old, famous or intricate,
with his sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God, which is sharper
than any two-edged sword, whether US
ed by an Alexander, a Caesar or a Ma
poleon. These are the reasons why
we are a separate people. Consider
them in the light of Gods Word. We
ask you to consider the Christ that is
in them. Accept Christ and live.
A BAD WRECK.