Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-06-22

ment standard OF the Christian church.
as 90 suggest some fearful catastrophe
by which what was once a beautiful or
ganic whole has been broken up into
fragments and scattered about in every
direction. II is certainly the duty OF
every true Christian to work for union
The church Of the Redeemer is not
only an invisible" body as some con-
tend. IT Ia not only mystical entl-
ty. comprising the departed Saints ana
the living true believers. 1t is. as far
as its earthly existence is concerned
an organized society the division Of
which by discordant politics is contrary
TO the plan uf the divine Head Of the
church.
1t is evident from both the Scrip
lures and from reason that the ex-
ternal aspect of the church IS OF
ereat Importance and sacredness. As
an organized society II has offices and
officers. divinely instituted and sane
toned. and also ordinances on tho
observance Of which membership de-
ponds, We find therefore. repeated
warnings in tk3'Scriptures against di-
vision ana schisms. and appeals to
avoid AL that may lead TO disunion.
The existing division into rival groups
is contradiction OF the Scrigtural
idea Of one, visible church, and 1t is
ono of the gravest obstacles 10 the
success of It's mission. One who fully
understands that mission will not
NJ
correct thing He VIII deplore the
apostasy that made chaos possible,
and will labor for re-union of visible
Chfistendom.
II is true that Christ died in order
to gather into one the scattered chill
dreu of the Eternal Father II Is
equally true that He appointed certain
offices, such as those of apostles,
prophets, evangelists. pastors teach
ers, for tho purpose OF perfectins the
saints, It'll we all come In the unity
of the faith. and Of the knowledge OF
tho Son Of God" This indicates the
means by which unity is to be OBJ
tanned. The time may not have come
for the anal ganation OF all existing
churches but the time has come for
honest men and women everywhere
To give heed to the testimony brought
to the world through the Prophet.
Joseph and his successors. concerning
the restoration by the Lea Himself
of the offices He instituted for the
perfecting of Ihe Saints In knowledge
and their unitication in faith, hope,
and charity.
1t has been said, lately, that nothing
new has been contributed to the ethics
or practices of the Christian world, by
the addition of the Gospel That, curl
Ously enough is the very observation
recently made by advocates Of the Mo-
sale faith against the doctrines of
Christianity Jesus, they say. did not
teach anything new. Ignaz 2iegler has
recently asserted that Jesus was Meth
er more nor less than pious and law
abiding Jew. The ideals of Jesus he
says, were the common property OF
Jewish intellectual life and prophetic
Reaching. There is no ilistinctIvely
Christian morality, The ethics OF
Christianity are from beginning to end
Jewish" In the view of this author
II was Paul who, by his attacks on the
Jewish law. began the conflict The
breach was wldened. he thinks, by the
Fathers. who proceeded from partly
pagan premises. Judaism still clings
TO its primitive monotheism, and this
adherence is enduring because the Jews
believe that theirs Is a national God.
The Christian Church, he says. is now
reverting to the earlier monothelsm,
When the return is complete, then the
Jewish minority will declare: | have
accomplished that for which was Gre
ated, for all mankind will be one Is
rael"
1t Is no valid objection TO Mormon
ism" that 1t has not brought forth
something new, something in conflict
with the Scriptures. II is its glory, and
its boast, that it stands firm on Scrip
ture ground-that II Is the logical de-
veIopment OF former dispensations. And
yet, the churches have learned many
truths from the ''Mormons." Their tes-
timony has not been in vain. The truth
is gradually enlightening the world.
and win continue to do so, as long as
those who have been entrusted with the
duty Of taking care OF the lighthouse,
Will do their duty faithfully.