The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-09-28
SECTS AND BABYLON.
A Sermon by Elder J. C. Smith in Reply to
the Come Cutters"

nv So"N outSio'
TEXT; Beloved when gave all diligence to
write unto you of the common salvation, 1t
was needful for me to write unto you aud ex-
hort you that ye should earnestly contend for
the faith which was once delivered unto the
saints.-Jude 3.
Christ established pure church on
earth, and He is the central figure in the
plan OF salvation in all ages. (Acts 4:12)
In Tim. 3 10 we read that "without
controversy great Is the mystery of God.
liness." have no feeling of ill-wil or
retaliation toward this people to rebuilt
their attack and the many harsh things
they may have said. Some good may
come from public discussion of religious
topics to give information, but in my
experience have not been able to trace
the conversion of single sinner to such
occasions. The mystery of Goodness"
that power which accompanies Gods
word Games :1S) and produces the new
birth Il Peter :22-25) is above all con-
troversy and is what the world needs to
understand better. So we are told In
ii Tim. Az to "preach the word" and
in order that this preaching of the word
may be done acceptably, Paul saws IN
Cor. II 81, "Covet earnestly the best
gifts, and yet show unto YOU more ex.
cellent way" Here Is degree of COM
parison that is higher than the superla-
tive. Look over the gifts of the spirit az
placed in the early church q Cor. 10Th
chap. Eph. AID and when we find
what we think is the best gilt, then it is
that we are ready to be shown Paul's
more excellent way" This way is the
way of love, as brought out so beautifully
in the 18th chapter OF ] Corinthians.
Study The entire chapter.
Christ, IN order to teach his followers
a right regard for others, said: "Other
sheep have l which are not of this fold,
them also must bring and they shall
hear my voice; and there shall be one
fold and one shepherd John l0:16.
This is Jew and Gentle made one in
Christ, when both are reconciled to God
by the cross (Gal. % and "are builded
together for an habitation OF God through
the Spirit" Again John says TO Jesus:
Master we saw one casing out devils in
thy name; and we forbad him, because
he followeth not u.s." Listen to the re-
ply of Jesus; methinks hear his loving
voice still saying: FORBID him not, for
he that is not against US is for u.s." See
Luke 9 40 so.
shall now proceed to prove that this
people, who are so free to denounce all
denominations as sects, are themselve a
sect" The Standard Dictionary tells
us ''sect is body of persons distin-
guished by peculiarlties of faith and
practice from other bodies adhering to
the same general system" We find the
Sadducees called sect in Acts 5:l7; the
same appellation is given to the Phar-
isees. Acts 10 IS. We read of the "sect
of the Nazarenes" in Acts "a -, and the
followers of Christ as the sect that is
everywhere spoken against. Acts
% %. The term "sect'' as used in ref.
erence to the Christians IN the two last
references, does not imply that Christ's
church was divided, but shows by the
true meaning OF the word that there
were then different bodies OF persons dis
tinguished by pecnliarities OF faith and
practice. These "Come-Outers" have