The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-08

tians-Christianity Is Both Broader
and Narrower Thany Any Church
Organization - 1t Admits Many
That Churches Exclude.
"The church and Christianity are mo-
convertible terms" said Rev. James
Mcleod, D. d., in his morning sermon
in the First Presbyterian church yes
terday. "Chrstianity is both broader
and narrower than any church organ
ization. 1t excludes many whom some
churches admit. and 1t admits many
whom some churches exclude. All who
are in Christ are certainly III MI:
church, but we must remember thai
the church OF God, which He has Dur'
chased with His own blood, is not, ex'
rlusively, q visible organization. Al
who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sim
cerity are in His church, whatever be
their attitude toward any visible body
of protesting Christians"
DIR. McLeod's topic was IN Christ
and he took for his text the words found
in Romans, XVIII, as follows: Salute
Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmar
and my fellow prisoners, who are OF
note among the apostles, who also were
in Christ before me-
MANY are in the church." remarked
the doctor, "who, it is to be feared, are
not in Christ. On the other hand, it is
10 be hoped that many are in Christ
WIZ are no. III any 'isio,e u.
Continuing, the speaker said:
They Were Christians.
The apostles were IN NhilSt anu thcrc-
fore they were CHRISTIANS. 70 ne III
Christ then is to be a Christian ana to
be a CHRISTIAN is TO beiieNc Cmfst COS
nel, 1t is to cling to Christs person, 1t is
TO lmblpe the IhrlSt spirit ana IL is to
i've as nearly as possible ING thriSt
life
Christians differ widely in many re-
spects. 1t was never intended that they
should on all occasions see eye to eye
Paul and Peter had theological con-
troversy, ana Paul and Barnabas had
sharp contention. But although true
Christians have often quarreled among
themselves vet there Is one PERSON ana
one point around which they all raiiieu'
Jesus Christ is that persoh' ana HIS
cross Is that point. Ihere' ana 1here
alone, they can ana do meet on equal
terms. Fresbyterians, ana Baptists, ana
and mode of baptism. Protestants and
Romanists have struck each other many
hard polemic blow. While discussing
the meanins and method or administer
ing the Lords supper. Processing Chrls-
tians who dared TO exercise the oiVlne
right OF private judgment nave neon tor-
tured or burned at the stake hy other
protesting Christians.
But although some or them would tor
ture and burn each other at the stake,
vet they were ready to die for Christ.
His cross was their guidon, and where
1t led, they followed. They were as
ready to fight for Christ as We're the
brave soldiers who received these march
ng and fighting orders from their stall
wart commander.
And IL my standard-bearer fall. as fall
full well he may.
7or never saw / promise vet, of such a
deadly fray,
Press where ye see my snow-WhIte @
plume, amid the ranks of war,
And be your oriflamme to-day the helmet
of Navarro
Just 80, amid the strifes, and conflicts.
and wordy battles of true Christians.
their oriiiamme has been the cross Of
Christ. They may have seemed far
apart, ana IN some respects. ,heE were
very far apart. but lin Christ they
were closely united.
MI pe
1he 1iooA VI L.
Tn proof of this We have only to turn
10 the sermons ard hymns and biograph-
les OF those whose surface differences
we're 20 wide. ST. Origcn and ST. Angus
line, Luther and Iwingh. John Bunyan
md Richard Baxter. Wesley and Top
ady, Faber and Bonar, Cardinal New
nan and Charles H. Spurgeon, DR.
?llsey and DR.. Joseph Parker-hoW wide
~ these differed III many respects. and
yet they were, as we believe, all united
To Christ, and all of one mind in Him.
We do not think of Newman or of Faber
as Roman Catholics when We sing, Lead
Kindly Light" or 80 Gift of Gifts, O
Grace of Faith When we sing, Jesus.
Lover of My Soul or Rock of Ages
Cleft for Me- we do not think of Wes-
ley as an advocate Of Arminiansm nor
of Toplady as an advocate of Calvinism.
we only think of them both as devoted
servants Of Jesus Christ. Thus it ap-
pears that whether we be Protestants or
Roman Catholics, Presbyterians or t,pis-
copalians. l3aptists or Methodists. Ritu-
nns'a & w ,thn,st;a,s - and hai,m ,,na G'hris-
tians, and hence united to Christ, we
must of necessity, be united to each
other.
It is true beyond all question. that He
that hath the Son hath life and that he
that hath not the Son OF God hath not
life: that ia to say he Is spiritually dead.
IT is true beyond I'll question that if