Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-04-12

tions Of tbs ch0r. \ and il starts ont
practically free from debt. \ small
i1an from the Church Extension So
oietv is yei 70 be paId.
Tho services YESTERDAY in spite 81
the cloudy weather were successful
in every way In the afternoon near
Nv half Of those who sought entrance
to the church were fnrned away on
account Of the crowd The excursion
from, Hagerstown brought 200 people.
They arriyedfat O'Clock and return
ing left tor Haeerstown at $3.50
O'Clock.
The conservation VIII be followed
by series Of meetings through
oat the week beginning tonight
with sermon by Rev Cave. He
will take for his subject The Plea
OF the D'scjnles Of Christ" and viii
endeavor 70 noint ont he things for
which they stand as religious peo.
Ole. Rev. Kendrick. Of Hagerstown,
will continue the meetings.
THE DISOIp LES OF CHRIST.
''he religions people known gener-
ally as Dlscinles Of christ came into
existance in the earlv part of the last
century AT that time the mutual
strife and jealousIes OF the various
sects and subsects of the church in
this county was ramnaut. Great evil
was wroght among the people Of God
and untold harmwas done 10 the cause
of Christ A recognition of these
SINS OF sectaranism, and a strong be-
lief III the necessity and possibility of
christian mine. such as existed in the
New Testament church took posses
sion Of numbers 0f devout ministers
of the gosple and soon brought them
forward as staunch advocates of uni
tv and union.
These men lived in different parts
of the country and belonged to vari-
Gus denominations Unknown TO one
another these apostles of christian
unity worked AZ the problem and
without any concerted action. the ST
multaueous moy uents began to as
sumo like form. Thus they eontinu-
ed TO work and to grow until 1928
they had learned OF the existence and
co anon aims of each other Being
animated by the same spirit they soon
united forces LAYING aside promptly,
an differences Of bpinioi that they
might be true TO thblr plea for simnle
New Testament christianity aud its
consequent unity They all agreed
to take the Bihle alone as their guide
in matters Of faith and practice, earn
estly declai ing that where the BIZ
Bile speaks we Will speak ard where il
is silent we will be silPn,, " and the
name christian as a sufficient des-
iQna.ion Of all who believe in Jesus
Christ to the saving of { he soul.
Thus, as the Lutheran reformnti( n
began in protest against the as
and corruptious OF the Ro-
man Catholic Church aud the Metho-
dlsts in a protest against the deCaying
Journalism and lack of spiritual life
and power in the English Church. so
the Disciples nf Christ began in pro-
test against the secfarlanism. divisions
and conseq strife and bitterness
which prevailed in the church. to
now unappreciable extent, at the be-
ginning Of the 18th century.
Their original aim, then regarded
Ms chimeri, al and undesirable. is now
approved bv many leading thinkers
and seers ~ all religl Gus bodies I'M
til the protests against sectarlanism
and plea for christian union is no
longer peculiar to them as it once
was.
Considerably less then a century
has elauesd since they began to plead
for christian union on the basis Of
the Bible In that time they have
Increased from a mere handful to more
thana million mombers in the Unit
ed States alone The astonishing
2 owth is now going on at rate sur
passing that of any other well known
religious body in the country Tney
increased from 1850 to 1890. SO per
cent and from 1890 to III 59S "a vtr
cent. According TO the latest reports
The Disclpals numi er ], l59, 469 in the
u s. A. They raised last ye"r for
ali purposes more than So, 600, 900.
They have some 40 institutions of
learning, ranging from academies 10
colleges and universities. They have
a large number of periodicals issu ing
from some . or 10 publishing houses.
Their Home and Foreign Missi onary
societies and Chulc CHI Extension socie-
tv are splendid organizations and do
ing the greatest " ork for Christ OF
amy similar societies in other religi-
Gus bodies in proportion to the men
and means at their command.