The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-08
MULTIPLICITY OF NAMES
HARMFUL TO THE CHURCH.
Pride in Ritual or In Doctrine Is Not
Worship of Christ. Says Chris
tian Minister.

The Reverend Frank G. Tyrrell preached
yesterday morning at Mount Cabanne Chris
tian Church on Which Church Is Christ's?"
taking for his text II Corinthians xi. 3. He
said, in part:
IF there is salvation from sin and eternal
life for man. it must come through Jesus
Christ. 1t is of little Importance whether
church is approved or rejected by men. but
1t Is of vital Importance that it be approved
and accepted of Christ. Men are saved not
by liturgies and creeds and elaborate theol-
ogleS, but by Christ.
The CHI rich of Christ on earth to-day
cannot be found within the ranks of any
denomination alone: 1t must include all the
redeemed. and there must be redeemed souls
In all communions. There is not little con-
fusion becaISe of the multiplicity of Chris
creeds.
IF there is ANYTHING at all in names. then
Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist. Baptist,
etc. must stand for widely different ideas.
What would visitor to the planet think If
Re were to be told that they are all Chris
urenlightened heather think when he hears
these names and witnesses more or less ri
valry and hears the different teachings?
1T is we'll the Presbyterian Church is re-
vising its creed, but unfortunate that 1t
does not make thorough work of it-retire
the ancient document and restore the New
never need revision.
We rejoice that the Episcopal Church is
restless about its name, and only regret that
1t looks GENEROUSLY toward Rome, seeking to
assume a name which is not found in the
Greek of either the Old Testament or the
New. nor met with until the Second Century
"a name, too. which is redolent of strife
and tyranny, of tradition and imposture.
Il move for the abolition of all sectarian
names and the adoption of the name of
Christ instead, for the church is his. the
spoil of his passion. the purchase of his
blood. 1t is unwise, If not positively dis
tfeyai; to assume any other name than his,
Tor 1t is above every name Surely 1t is
right, 1t is becoming, for the church that is
his to wear his name.
his spirit. If any man have not the spirit
Of Christ, he is none of his Pride in an
elaborate ritual. a wealth of tradition, or
doctrinal statement is not Of Christ, A
1t may dazzle by its brilliancy, but if It
have not the mind of the Master it is only
What spirit 50 gentle. 50 tolerant, so sym
pathetic, so tender, as his? Where in his
tory will you find one. so godlike? In him
His church ought to be broad enough and
deep enough for God to dwell in. Nobody
will quarrel as to how his spirit has be-
If the spirit is there the world will re-
ioice in it. and the church will be resist
Christ preached the gospel Of the king
dom. He called men to repentance and 2
godly life. Through his apostles. he laid
down the conditions of membership in his
Is the church preaching what he did? Is it
performing the teaching function commit
ted to it? His church will teach, cause men
to know, all that pertains to life of Holt
ness And it will not neglect the bodies of
men; 1t will build asylums, hospitals and
homes. It will lead all benevolence, and be
the inspiration of all true reform.
Mrs. Sigourney describes the present
condition Of the religious world and the at
titude of far too many churches. when she
writes:
Each differing sect. whose base
Is on the same pure word, doth strictly
Its neghbor's slperstructure point and arch.
Buttress and turret-till the hymn OF praise
That from each temple should go UP to God,
Sinks in the critics tone.
"a pure, ardent love of God and of man.
a life of lowly service in his name, direct
ness, simplicity, truth. honesty-these are
qualities which any church can exemplify
and which will transform cold Indifference
into warm enthusiasm. The time is coming
when the churches will be for the people,
not for the classes; when their passion will
be for souls. irrespective of outward condi-
tions"