The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-22

pOlntS WnlCn III contained.
do not pretend TO know any more
about Christian unity than any lay
man might know, and perhaps do not
know as much as some here present.
More than eighteen hundred years
ago God more fully revealed himself to
man by taking our nature into the
Godhead. The blessed Christ was born
of the blessed Virgin Mary. a Jewish
maiden, and she Is properly called
Mother of Cod, because her Son Is
God This Divine Child was brought
up i'm the Jewish church and was ODE
dent unto its laws.
At the age of thirty years He en-
tered upon His holy ministry. He
founded a church which was to en-
brace all, as He died for all. 1t was to
last until the COnSummatOn of all
things, and He has promised it His
presence until the end of the world.
Instead of the bloody sacrifice of the
old law. the Christian church was to
continually offer the unbloOdy sacri-
flee of the new, which we know as
the Lords supper" or Holy Com
munion." or Holy Eucharist" or
THE Mass" which latter has been the
common name for hundreds of years
and is more inclusive than any of the
others. He gave the church minis
try i'm three orders known as bishops,
priests and deaCOns. The first of these
might be called superintendents or
overseers. or angels just as well. No
one contends for the name. but only
for the order.
This church we may say had its
birth on the day of PenteCOst. which
is now celebrated throughout the Eng
lish speaking part of the Christian
world as "Whitsun Day" A large
number were initiated into the church
on this day. "and they 'all continued
steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine y
which is the creed,and the Apostles
fellowship. which is the church, and
in the breaking of bread and prayers"
which is the Holy Eucharist. 1t will
be seen from this outline that the
church was established under the dl-
rcction of the blessed Lord. and that
after His resurrection and before His
ascension. He gave directions con-
corning it. Ten days after His as
cension, God the Holy Ghost came
down from heaven to abide with the
church and today We live under his
dis9ensatiOn.
THE VOICE OF GOD.
The united voice Of the church has
always been believed to be the voice of
God. In proof Of this, look at it's
creed; no considerable number of peO-
pie calling themselves Christians would
think of changing it. Although the
church has three creeds, we speak OF
them as one, because they all speak
the same thing. They do not contra
diet each other. they represent the
united voice Of the church and We're
proclaimed at different times to meet
the rising heresies of the day which
threatened to COrruDt the faith of the
church. Other CreedS or confessions of
faith are merely human inventions,
and may be changed. and have been
from time to time, but Inc faith of
the church must be like God, it's Au-
thor, the same yesterday, today and
forever. 1t may be restated as il has
been but never changed.
1t is estimated that there are now
| more than two hundred so-caled
Christian denominations in the world
more than one hundred of which exist
IN our own country. For the most
part they We're established to crafty
the vanity or ambition of some man
or woman They are for the most
part also the result of division and
subdivision of bodies already existing
apart from the historic church. There
| ar" six distinct bodies of Adventists.
thirteen of Baptists, seventeen of
OF MethOdiSts, twenty of Lutherans
and twelve of PreShyterians. be-
sides many others too numerous to
mention
Now, of course, no one would pre-
tend that any necessary or important
| truth caused these bodies to so divide
! ana SubdNide. Comparatively few
! living were concerned in establishing
any of these bodies, and we may well
| thank God that We had no part or
| lot i'm the matter. but we shall not be
| entirely blameless before God il we do
| not do what lies in our power to bring
| back that lost unity for which the
| savior of the world prayed SO earn
| estly. Let us emphasize the import
| anCe of the old maxim. "In essen
| tials unity, in nOn-esSentials liberty,
| and in all things charity"
MEETING OF IMPORTANCE.
These separate bodies have nothing
| of their own in the way of doctrine,
| which even they themselves consider
| important or necessary truth. Happily
many of them hold a large part Of
| the fundamental truth of Christianity.
| They do not credit the historic church
| with having preserved and handed
| down. from generation to generation.
| this truth which they hold so precious.
| They say they have learned it from
the Word of God. Now this same
| Word of God declares that the church
| II IT'S NllltSS HUu keeper ana tnal
the church is "the pillar and ground
| OF the truth"
" is not probable. therefore. thai
| the church should be out Of harmony
| With the Word of God. The doctrines
| now contained i'm the creed she taught
| everywhere before the new testament
was written, and you will observe
| tRat the greater part of lthe new
| Testament was written to the church,
| or is a record Of its work. The church
is now unhappily divided but its
united voice is still heard i'm the world
| II believe I'm one God. the Father Al
mighty" and II believe I'm one Catholic
and Apostolic Church" and we may
not refuse to listen without assuming
grave responsibility therefor.
| Every man is accountable to God
only, and by him alone may we be
| judged. We are not to be saved by
| the church or by a church or sect, but
by the Offering once made upon the
cross and then only when we comply
| with the conditions attached thereto.
Every man who lives up to the light
| which he possesses and is a dilIgent
| seeker after the truth of God belongs
| To the true church and is i'm the ark Of
safety, but let not this thought lull
us to sleep, but rather cause us 10
| keep the windows Of our souls ever
| open towards heaven lest God might
have something to say to us.