The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-05
CHRISTIAN
The Allied Forces Of Righteousnes.-
John xviii, 2O-26lI Cor. 4. 1O-ra

IT is a classical anecdote-the story of Dr VII
liam Adams's remark at a meeting of the PAN
Presbyterian Alliance, where he saw nra.er,
representatives from the Established Presbv-
terians. the Free Presbyterians, the Covenan,sr
Presbyterians. the Seceder Presbyterian. ,he
Cameronian Presbyterian, the Erskine presbv-
terians, Associate Presbyterians. Reformed Pres
byterians. United Presbyterians. and so ON
Said DIR. Adams: we have here the = p,.
.he f. rs the {. P's, the s. P.'s. the A. P.'s,
the r. P.'s. the C. P.'s, the e. P.'.. the II p,s
and. last Of all, the Split P.'s."
The audience roared at that '.Sp,it pa, hr,
on sober thought. they must have grieved. Meth
odists. BaDtists, Lutherans, and so on-aII are
intricately subdivided until Professionalism itself
has become a dish of split P.'s. There are more
than one hundred Christian denominations I'm ,bs
United States alone.
III 1t Is urged" says DIR. Charles H. Park
hurst. that denominations have their grounds
In the inevitable differences which exist among
men, IL Is sufficient to reply that those differ
ences are no greater now than they were in the
apostolic times. when denominations had not vet
begun to be thought OF. Denomination in made
up. not of the essence. but of the accidents. .,
Christianity" And the distinguished New york
preacher pierces to the heart of the matter whe,
he adds: The instant a Christian ceases tn he
completely bound up in his divine Lord. his re-
CARDS begin to settle hack into the channel of his
own individual proclivities, and that is the
genius OF enomination."
The lamented DIR. Behrends once declared. .r
want to see one church of Christ in New York
and LONDON. In the United States and the British
Empire. In Japan and in China. one church of
Christ in all the world, 1 shall not live to see
II, but 1t is coming. For Jesus Chris, il hreat-
ing down the middle walls of partition. and He
Is making a conquest OF us allt'
All. that Is the one solvent of our iarriny sec,s
the love of Christ, For we know that our pre-
cious Redeemer, who prayed Just before His
death that His followers might no one wo,,d
not have them thus discovered, each bent upon
MS own, II not opposing one another certainly
not heartily aiding. and presenting no united
front to heathenism. inhdelity. misrule and pas
sion. In proportion as We love Him. we shall
want to make His church what He wants it
to be.
In this loving effort Christian Endeayor has a
great part to play: nay. 1T has already done
much. To the last fiber OF our hearts We are
loyal 10 the splendid bodies OF men and truths
we call our denominations: but we are learning
a higher loyalty TO the church universal. We
are becoming acquainted with one another. We
discover with delight the missionary heroism.
the philanthropy. the zeal. the sound faith of
other denominations We see Chris, in them
We want to be loyal to Christ wherever we see
Him.
Let US hold firmly all the truth we have.
Let US not conceitecIy think that we have all
the truth.
Let US not fear that any other truth can posi-
bly, conflict with the truth we have.
Let US remember that truth Is one. and that
He who Is thc truth is not divided; and never let
US rest content so long as a divided church
| presents to the world the semblancc OF a divided
truth and a sundered Lord.
: AMOS II. WELLS.