River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-03-15
Letters from a Layman.

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My dear friends:-Before going
any further let Us realize two things:
Cd that we are likely to find some
very dark-yes, almost black-pa-
ges in the history of our religion;
81 that our opinions may not agree
with some of the things in connec-
ton with the ONE Holy FAITH.
So we, in order to be fair in the
matter, must be charitable and ready
to put our own petty opinions upon
the stand for little cross question
ing. We must not think that we
are the only people who can see
things.
But this is to our great encour-
agement-that we have better &C.
cess to the real historical truth of
things to-day than we had ten or fif-
teen years ago. Historians are bet
ter, more accurate, and far better
equipped than they were then. For
this let US take courage.
In our first letter we closed by
saying that we know of at least two
main branches of the Christian
Church.
We shall not quarrel with the dead
past, nor accuse one party more Sc
verely than the other-unless they
need it. Greeks could not be Ro-
mans; nor Romans, Greeks. Greeks
were philosophers and artists; Ro-
mans were law makers and rulers.
So it isn't strange that they differed
in the start about such a minor
point. We shall not discuss this
WORKOUT topic which belongs to an
tiquated theologians. We can doubt
less venture to say-and truthfully,
too-that it was good controversy;
for CD it made men think, and act;
90 it proved to all time to come
that the Romans with their almost
perfect system of government, were
not to have monopoly on the Cath
Ollie world. We who belong to the
Western or Roman Church to-day
are taught that Christ made Peter
our first Head on earth, and gave
him the Key to Heaven. Two or
three hundred years ago we could
hardly have disputed the false doc
trine; but, as said before, history is
truly-more so than ever before
rejecting the past; and is doing SO
in the light of the present.
From the days of Lutheran Ref
ormation" to the present time, the
question, What was the organiza-
ton and order Of the Apostolic
Church," has excited discussion
and interest among the various re-
ligious denominations; each claim
ing to be exclusively patterned af-
ter the Apostolic" model. Among
such variety of opinions, however,
| it is evident, that ALL cannot have
been so formed; but this unanimous
claim of an apostolic sanction, is
conclusive evidence that all conSid-
er it of great Importance. A large
proportion, indeed, believe the apos-
tolic practice to be binding on all
succeeding generations; and the few
who deny it's obligations, show by
their constant endeavors to prove
their conformity to that model, that
they consider it's sanction very de-
sirable. Since this subject is deem
ed by Christians to be of such mag
nitude its consideration cannot fail
to be both interesting and useful,
and lest any might think me bigot-
ed, invite fair and honest criticism
from any who may be competent
enough in the subject to do SO, and
thus throw light to US all, for light
is what we honestly shall seek. May |
all honest people of our city bear in
mind that each should be ready to
give,-of such as they may have
to aid the world to seek ever the |
highest and truest, at whatever cost. |
1t may cost me the price of my de-
votion to dear Old Methodism-if l
seek a deeper truth than now have;
or you may have to. give up your OBJ
legations to an organization that
you have looked upon heretofore as
Christ's Church. But what matters
that? Fraternally,
ANON.