Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-04-30

to inquiring believers. Why? Can
you tell? 1t would nnnihilatc their
prayer system OF getting religion"
and, as Mr.. Moody confessed at Gin.
cinnati, in 1897, it would tear their
churches all to splintcrs.
V. Because that is tho only name
sanctioned by the authority of heav.
ems king; all human names have been
added. and ms they tend toward dlvis-
ion they consequently are wrong and
sinful.
/. But, says one, there is nothing
in name; it doesn't matter what
name yOu wear. 1t doesn't? Why do
you hold on 50 tcnaciously to them.
then? Suppose You present check
for 1000 at a national bank; it makes
all the difference in the world whose
name is attached to ii whether it
amounts to anything, and they will
cash it. 10 you suppose that God,
the good and infinite one, is less STRIFE,
than the men OF this world, in the af-
fairs OF his government The Lord,
Jesus Christ has deposited his blood
as seal OF our redemption, and if We
come To the high courts of heaven. do
you suppose God will honor our ere
dcntials to eternal glory if Christ's
name is not inscribed thereon? The
Holy Spirit has given us name, and
by that name VIC ought to be known
IL we arc loyal To our King Isaiah
promises new name lisa Xii. .;
Ky. 15). And what is that name? As
the church-body of Christi is the
Church of Christ Matt. xvi. IS; Eph.
V. 25-21; Rom. xvi. l6), and as indvid.
nals, followers Of Christ. we are Chris
iians, ami by these names, and these
alone, all ought to be willing to he
known CActs nj. 2G; iv. SIP; |. Pct.
". lG). Ten times is the word krcc-
mntiZo. called" selected by the Holy
Spirit and always to Indicate a super.
natural calling. Nothing in name?
Think You in Il political campaign
that the names Democrat" ''Rcpub-
'lican,' Prohibition etc. signify moth
ing? Yes, each name stands for par
,icmlar principles, separate and dis
tinct from each other; thus the
names Catholic" Methodist" "Ban.
list" Presbyterian" are significant
terms, and arc at once an index TO the
faith and opinions and practices Of
the parties wearing them: and like
wise he worthy name christian" is
loves. obcys and follows Christ. his
Rcdccmcr q. Cor i. Is: i'll. 2-G; iv. 6).
The Church of Christ, Christ's body on
earth, is declared in tho New Tcsta-
mcnt to he the bride, and likewise
Christ is declared to be the bride
groom or husband AS the woman.
when married always takes the name
oil her husband, SO the church.
10 -. h,,tl
wear his glorious name Qtcv. iii. s.;
ii. 10; Acts V. 40.
2. We arc often, out Of prejudice.
called Complexities. Arc we? Read
what Paul says; he answers for us
Il. Cor. |. 1913; iii. 3-l2). Thus. to
answer the question whether we are
Campbclltcs, ask, did Campbell die
for our sins? Did we confess Camp
bell? Were We baptized into Camp
belle" No to all these questions; for
Campbell, though good, godly, con
sccratcd Christian man, was not the
author of anything we believe. teach
or practice, and had no more to do
with originating the church OF which
we arc members than we had i'm Great
ing the world while we honor him for
his works sake in tho restoration move
mont, 1t would be sin to cxali the
name Campbell" above the name
Christ" And the same is also
true of Luther, Wesley, baptism and
prcSbytcr. or any system, person, ortli-
nance or name that will divide the re-
ligiOus world. But did Christ die for
our sins and the sin of the world? Yes.
Did we confess Christ? Yes. Were
we baptized into Christ? Yes. Do VIC
now obey and serve Christ and him
alone? Yes. Then, we arc Christ's,
and being his followers, we arc Chris.
tians only; for Paul says (Gal. iii. 27)
AS many of you as have iccn bap
tizcd into Christ have put on Christ
II the apostles do not permit us to he
called after their names a. Cor iii
l-5), how much less do they permit
us to be called after the names oil
other men or methods.
5. Again. are we denomination
That depends upon whether we have
changed any Bible doctrine Or added
any new principles, or made any spc
cial doctrine n lest of fellowship tC
tho exclusion of any other, or have
private, particular or extraordinary
Interpretation of the Scriptures Since
the beginning of the restoration move
mcnt, commencing with The labor OF
Thomas Campbell, Alexander Camp
bell, Walter Scott, Barton W. Stone
John Smith. John Rogers and others
we have been trying, not to form a
new church or new doctrine or new
gospel Gal. l. s. %, but to restore
the doctrines of the New Testament
Scriptures to the ancient practice as
they were before the great apostacy
We arc striving TO restore the New
Testament chnrch-thc Church oil
Christ We have discovered no new
truths, VIC have not brought forth OF
made any human commands or rules
us tests of fellowship, nor that he
commanded us To do is based uDon
what God has gospel as proclaimed by