World's cresset. [volume] (JAH-ville [Colony], Fowler, Mo.) 1891-19??, 1905-01-05
Christianity IS { Ian II ,
BY THE uskEowE.n

lsc1 than all other subjects, that
sg'tate or interest the mind OF man
and why not, asst ia the most vital
question with which man is con.
ironted, from the fact that il deals
with mans future existance. fTh,s
~ itseii was tho question Of all
questions before Christ came into
the world and through His death
ana resurrection brought life and
light. Then Il is natural that
CHRISTIANITY should be the question
OF hrst Importance to ali men and
50 it has proved 80.
With these remarks we viii CON.
msncs tho investigation OF tho
subject IN hand. When Christ,
who is the head Of the christiap
religion, founded the church bear
oa earth, it was certainly pure and
WAS organized and governed lust
as DO would have done himself III
he bad been hear 10 do 3d. TbisI
granted we find that every msr,tsr
old or young, great or small vas
cared for just alike: in ,ther
words they had all things comm 3 n
and each new convert brough
what no had and put i, in the
hands OF those whose business i'll
was TO sos that all were properly
provided with the necessaries of
life and thisawc must conclude was
the Will OF tho head Of the church
(and II ii was thcn 1t certainlv il
now.) Their seeing the condition
OF the church at the present time
We naturally wonder where this
order was changed, md why As
we have no account Of the chaDre
10 'he scripture, we must suppose
1t was not changed during the time
OF TIM apostolic reig, but at some
later date, and we have no histor
teal dato to show Just when it did I
occur. We must talso 1t for grant.
cd that II came nbou. gradually as
fhe church dri!ted moro and moro
into the ways Ct the world which
IT was doing before the apostles
were gone as we have abundant
evidence from their writings
1t would be n Tremendous task
TO undertake. to follow and give all
the influence that effected aud had
a bearing on the church Is produce
snch an nnaccouatublc change as
We soc between the conditions to.
day and those in the apoatoljc
days, In the first place tho chr,s.
i'ahs wore a very small portion If
the people, and had to combat
heather world with the execution
OF tho Jews, which were worse
Than the heathen population, then
we see them trying TO force their
doctrine upon the christians aod
succeeding to considernh!, ex.
tent and thus gradually cifee,inK
changes then No see the heather
nations coming IN aud bringing
their supcrstltious customs and
myths and gradually forc,rg them
into the government 81 The church,
until today our church services
anu ceremenies arc q c1nglomer !
alton Of facts, fiction, myths, pag. I
anism, legends. supcrstitlon. priest 7
craft and ignorance that has
tondancy TO disgust the ia,clicc0l I
mind.
Seeing that these things a,c1
true what shall we do about ii, al
WI mako a fcw suggestions aud 1
elise this article. The first ,htns
that presents itself To MY r;rd
what ls christianity, aud wh,t
constitutes a christian
Il we can find the truc answer ,ol,
shsse two questions then ii seems
tna' We wontd have lho soiu,ina II
ne whole question, | Will gly 4
my definition D, 10th ,,ic stia,
chrlatlaniiy then is Ire 0ioctflpc
laugh, aud the lie lived ~ Chrls,8
y car he nothing more nor less;
ana ms we learn iro,n tie wcsds
u this Is not true ,i,en wc have, ..
promise and ghere IN M surh
l.t- 4 .As 4 &