Milford chronicle., 1907-02-01
Let Mysteries Alone.

EAAdSllhE me-
Let Mysteries Alone.
But, if the great mysteries of the BIZ
bic should not separate us from the
/ love of God. why should the great di-
vine mysteries keep one Christian
church from working in gospel fellow
ship with other Christian churches?
Because one Christian church puts spe-
cial emphasis upon one of Gods attri-
butes in its creed or practice is that
any reason why other Christian church
es which lay stress on another Of Gods
attributes should not affiliate with that
body Of Christians or cooperate with
it? Because one gospel church loves to
sing the Old psalms and another loves
to use a liturgy and another church
loves to put emphasis upon immersion
and another church makes the sermon
the chief part Of its service is it any
reason why all these Christian church
es should not be united in working for
the same master and for salvation by
the same divine blood?
When you look over the ecclesiastical
history Of the world you will notice one
striking fact-the church is apt to de- |
generate when it becomes prosperous. !
After the crucifXion came the dark /
days Of persecution. But the growls of |
the wild beasts. while crunching the |
bloody bones of the Christians in the
Roman Coliseum, only welded that
Christian church closer together. The
fires Of persecution only purified it.
The Christian church began to grow.
Its foundations became stronger. As
The early church grew it was not only
lble to resist and drive back its perse-
cutOrs, but 1t became stronger and
stronger until at last it was able to lay
,laim upon the temporal as well as the
spiritual life Of the nations. Then the
Catholic pope became the acknowledge
d spiritual ruler Of the world. Then
What happened? As the Roman Cath
lie church financially prospered did It
prosper? Nay. The Vatican
'ecame a cesspOOl OF sin. The Bible
Tas closed book. The torture cham
er was the holy of hOlies. fragrant
in was everywhere in the church.
hen came the divine mission Of a new
hurch
The Reformation.
The reformation came to its birth.
ialtin Luther lee the fight in Ger
lany, John Knox in Scotland and
ohm Wyclif in England. The grasp of
le pope was shaken off, but soon in
ie English church came laxity and in 1
fFnrn-lf.a Annfbn,,
eeded, and John Wesley and George
hiteield began to preach, and Meth
lism and COngregationalism began
cir mighty work. Still later William
Doth has stirred the stagnant waters \
it'll his Salvation Army. So as the
ed has arisen God has nnfailingly
ised up men to do his work -,
Wherever the churches growing in 81
lmbers and in financial strength and "
wer have drifted from God and turn tt
their Masters temples into places Of -
wherever their preachers
We become unlike the humble Naza- W
ne, then there have come a spiritual fr
birth and a new church. And to this
W church, this humble church, has
len the task of spiritually leavening u
old churches of the world. And. gr
friends, if you do not believe that De
lat say is true l would like you to
swer me one question. If Jesus -
rist were to come upon earth today,
ere do you believe the lowly Naza-
le would prefer to preach-in the II
'geous Vatican of a pope, with his
'tless robes, in the chancel of a
at cathedral and be paid the S75,- =
year as its archbishop, or in 10
ne fashionable Protestant church