The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-03-22
WILL CHURCHES UNITE?

WILL CHURCHES UNITE!
Editor Free Press Sunday evening at
the Christian church II. d. Williams
gave utterance to some startling state
ments. He gave the first of series of
seven sermons on peculiar Points
About the Church of Christ" A large
audience gathered to hear of the
Fundamental Purpose of this pc
culiar people.
Men made creeds have wellnigh de-
stroyed the church. Men, though
working in all good conscience, have
split the church until it is only won
der that men believe that there in
zone Christ, the Savior of all men. -
The last great prayer of our Savior
was that His people might be one
that the world may believe that Thou
art one, that the world may believe
that Thou didst send me. This prayer
must be answered. Men-made creeds
fail because men cannot agree on
others opinions. The Augsburg con-
fession was largely human in its prin-
ciples. After that the church divided
and redivided until at the close of the
| eighteenth century six hundred bodies
existed The churches had forgotten
the mission to save lost humanity.
The pastors would not talk friendly
with each other nor exchange pulpits
as they do at the present day.
| Churches held no union meetings. How
could they agree? Could men of deep
| conviction join in unfolding man
made creed?
! Among many of the brave heroes of
! the time was Thos. Campbell. Pres
byterian minister of marked ability
! and profound learning. He said to his
people: "Can we as Christians at
least commune together even though
| we are divided?" 1t will be remem-
! bered that the Presbyterian church had
split until the different parts would no
longer commune together. They were
several and distinct. Campbell was
''churched. - A society was formed
of the seceders churches The Cry
was ''union - But could they unite
upon any creed? Could they unite with
| any church? They had no church
Was there no way to form a union?
They turned to the Apostolic church.
This was their motto: "Where the
Scriptures speak, we speak; where the
Scriptures are silent, we are silent. "
The church of Jesus Christ stood on
this basis for three hundred years.
This was restoration" not ''re-
formation. There is one Apostolic
church and the Scriptures speak of one
only. It's members are Christians.
We are not the only Christians, but we
are body of Christians only. We be-
lieve in the saving faith of Apostolic
times, and in the purity of living laid
down by the Master. We believe in
the New Testament as our guide. We
Cry, we plead for unity If there be
one church in this city that will take
the New Testament for its guide we
| will disband and go and unite with it.
This church is trying to hold before
the people the great need Of unity in
Christian effort. If the churches
could be four times as strong it is our
duty to cry union and unity on the
one foundation, the Christ and His
holy testament.
The above is only an outline of the
sermon, but consider well its points.
Ask yourself what name all church
people desire what creed can all peo-
pie unite upon, if it was not the guide
book of the Apostolic church? The
great Christian Endeavor society has
done much to hasten church union.
Our young people of every denomina-
ton meet and join in worshipping the
one Christ which we all are striving
to serve. Why must the churches be
separate and distinct2 You say "sim-
ply because there is difference in
opinion" 1 answer that in at least
two churches in this city the pastors do
not believe in the practices of their
church, and the members are numer-
GUS who do not agree on some of the
| things for which their churches are
: supposed to stand. The writer can
prove this statement Fellow Chris
tians flor this is the only name we
will all accept) take this thought with
you: Do we not all expect to go to
the same place will not one guide
book suffice for all; do we not all
agree that Christ died on cross for
us all2 Do we not all agree that there