The Irish standard., 1900-05-19
n 2. > Y - ,,es
error will be more accountable than the


The announcements were then made,
among them one in which the pastor
urged his flock to patronize the enter
tainments of Sloan Methodist Episco-
pal church when they did not conflict
with their own. In the light of subse-
qucnt remarks this was also inconsist-
ent Then came the sermon, "The
Search for the True Church," but the
text previously read was abandoned, for
that nut could not be cracked even by a
"hard-shell Baptist"
"And the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved. Acts
H., AZ.
This was the groundwork chosen by
the speaker in his search for the true
church" and the following is running
summary of his discourse:
Is there such thing among the null
titude OF sects as true, perfect church
The word church is used in the New
Testament by Jesus on two occasions.
(More times than that; look up your
concordance, Doctor) Here reference
was made TO the lesson first read, and
upon this rock was interpreted to
mean upon this testimony" with utter
disregard OF the fact that Christ changed
Simon's name to Peter, the latter signi-
tying "a rock, and with still greater dis
regard OF the context where St. Peter
received the keys to blind and loose"
Did Christ leave a church in this world
without error? II he did, where among
the one hundred and eighty sccts is it to
be found? We are willing to believe He
did leave church, but He did not leave
one hundred and eighty conflicting
sects; that's not the work OF Jesus.
bright that time, Doctor) 1t is here
to-day somewhere covered with dust
Wrong this time. She is as bright as
ever; the dust is i'll the eyes OF the out
side obscrvers.) 1t is the duty OF honest
Christians to discover where that church
is to-day. II we go to heather Shore
say to Japan, with our one hundred and
eighty sects, the Japanese will say they
only want one church, one true church.
Each one will want to prove that it is
the true one. Very few of them will
make even a passable showing, yet all
claim to be true. Every once in while
a little body meets in an obscure, dusty
hall and proclaims that none is true but
itself; every one else is sect When
the truth is known they have only added
another sect. 1t is enough for some
people to say: 81 was born in such a
church; it was good enough for my par
cnts, it is good enough for me" 1t is not
good enough for you. 1t may be very
pleasant to think you are in the church
OF your parents, but that is no reason
why you are in the true church. Your
iather and mother may have been mis-
taken, like hundreds OF others. That
never can satisfy the candid scarcIcr OF
the Bible. He. goes back to the Book
and sees ii his religion plumbs with the
New Testament.
The true church is never building
People imagine that church consc-
Grated by little water is more holy than
other places. God doesn't answer pray
ers any more quickly there. Some pco-
pie object to services in tllcatcrs, but
prayer is as acceptable in the Grand
Opera House as in church with can
dies, incense and robcd priests We
don't look over church history or the
crecds propagated by the synods which
took what little Christ said and added
what seemed good to them. When
Christ said: 1T is Finished that was the
end OF all, and nothing more could be
added. When we Frotcstants" go into
Roman Catholic church we don't I'M
derstand what they are doing CThat' S
your fault; we're ready to cxplain) The
ceremonies are imposing to the eye. Do
you not know that when the Roman
Catholic church first started, about one
thousand years after Christ all that her
priests carried was little black cross.
That was only the beginning OF her
practices with feast days and fast days
and all the bundle of things since. When
1--WE Protcstants' 1--WE thank thee, Doc
tor, for that word A Daniel come to
iudgmentD go into their churches we
don't know a single thing that is talk
ing place. That is the danger OF adding
little things. (No, Doctor, it is the mis-
fortune OF ignorance OF great things. II
you once really knew what is taking
place we couldn't keep you out OF orr
churches Like St. Paul you would be
more Jealous and faithful than those you
now condcmn)
My thorough belief is that the Baptist
church (Which Baptist?), with all her
faults, is nearest to the New Testament
model. She has a whole lot OF things
which have no business to be there
First, communion in the morning. The
Holy Supper was at night. Second the
constant cry that all denominations are
right Except the righD, and whats
the difference as long as they are aim
ing for the one place. Here the
speaker criticised the libcrality caused
by the mingling OF the Christian En-
deavorers OF different denominations,
but his young people, recalling the APP