Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-24


Of earth to be forever with his Lord the
spirit Of the movement now. May we re-
ceive a fresh baptism OF II during this con-
vcntion
Reply 20 Overture.
Two things were said in reply to this
overture for a cessation OF internecine
theological. metaphysicai and ecclesiastical
good; ~ Union is. therefore, undesirable.
To this the reply VAS Ss sehlsrn among SSrS;' the
people Of God is sinful on this point the
sacred writings were freely quoted and
was unanswerabe.
schism in the church of God now is as
wrong, evil, hurtful and sinful as at any
time. To voluntarily remain divided is to
voluntarily remain in sin. This great evil
must be abandoned We must repent of 1t
and turn from it, IL we would have the ap-
proval OF the Head of the Body. our Lord
Jesus Christ. as we must repent of and
abandon every other known sin. Our divi-
sions hinder the work of evangelization at
home and abroad-and this Is the work OF
the blood-bought Church of Christ. Our
loving Lord prayed for the unity and visible
oneness of believers that the world might
receive Him as Gods Son and Messenger.
II we have the spirit of the Christ. this also
Is our prayer. He who does not pray for
the unity and peace of Christ's holy church
! has not the spirit of the Master. But II we
pray for unity we must follow after. in our
lives. the things that make for peace. In
large part the people are now convinced
concerning, II not the absolute, sinfulness
| II division. then the unwisdom and unde-
STABILITY OF sectarianism. The number of
those who now say that our divisions are
not hurtful they are really good and help
| full, is exceedingly small When, however
| a representative of this minority is encoun-
| tered, we cannot do better than to pursue
I the course pursued by the fathers. that Is.
quote the scriptures bearing on the point
and appeal to reason. But let US do this
| in the spirit of Christly gentleness
The reply to the assumption that unity
and visible oneness among those who be-
| lieve in Christ to the saving OF the SOUL
such unity and union that for which we
labor is impracticabe. was and is
l. The Master prayed for 1t. Did He ask
for what cannot be?
nounced schismatics and plead for unity
and union. Was Paul dreamer?
| Christ in the beginning was unit. Read
again the book OF Acts and see that this
statement is true. The multitude q them
that believed were Of one heart and soul"
Note also that this was the period of the
| greatest victories.
l. Such organizations as the American
| Bible society, the American Tract society,"
the American Sunday School union. the In
terna tional Sunday School association and
and their work, indicate that union, far in
1 advance OF what was once regarded as
feasible is, in fact. eminently practical
bring men to a decision for Christ are prac-
\ teal. Man is a sinner; Jesus Is the Savior
and salvation is found in an unconditional
surrender TO Him. This is the practical
basis on which these meetings are con-
Quoted.
Great Changes and Progress.
| Since the Inauguration of this Christian
/ union movement in 1909. by the publication
| of the Declaration and Address, there have
been great changes and wonderful progress
| in the religious world, as everywhere else.
Some time ago Christian gentleman said
/ to himself: THE sermon Of Jonathan Ed
wards on Sinners in the Hands OF An
Angry God, produced a profound sensa-
ampton. in the eighteenth century it's pub
| lication now will produce a revival"
The sermon was printed and distributed;
is obvious. The people are not, at the be-
ginning Of the twentieth century, where
they were l50 years ago.
To know ones Bible Is not suficient. One
! must know the people also. The times.
therefore, as well as the Bible, must be
| 1t is always. however, in order TO pray
| as the Christ prayed. 1t Is always in order
! to protest and plead as the Spirit flled men
/ OF the Apostolic age protested and plead.
| 1t Is always in order to say that the church
| OF the first century was a unit in its creed.
| cannot be out of order to affirm that the
| church ought to be united now in these
things-lts belief, its ritual, fits life.
since the Inauguration OF this movement, I,
| the changes have not been so numerous nor
OF such a character as to make an up-to-
| date statement of the New Testament
| teaching on the sin of schism. the fmpor-
tance of unity and its practicability un-
| necessary.
| There are phases OF the question before
US of which the men of a hundred years
ago. or seventy-hve. or fifty, or even
| twenty-five, never heard. Formal PROPOSE
| tions during this time have been made look
| ing 10 the reunion of Christiandom. These
must be recognized and reckoned with.
| These propositions we must meet bravely,
| intelligently and in the spirit OF Christ, or
prove ourselves unworthy sons of noble
| sires. .-
From this convention we ought to go de-
| termined to make emphatic, intelligent and
| Ineligible, as at no previous period I'm our
| history the necessity and practicability of
| unity and union by a return in thought in
| spirit, in life, to the Christianity OF the
| Christ II was at the flrst-its creed, its
| ordinances, its life.
| May 1 conclude what have TO say by
| suggesting that in this open parliament II
will be well TO consider the following points
| /. What modification or notifications OF
our proposition on the subject of Christian
union ought we to make?
| 2. What features of our plea for union
| ought to be made especially prominent "a
meet the changed conditions?
| g. In what ways can we promote union
among Christians?
EvANGELISTS IN AFTERNOON