The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-02-01

friend, why cannot you follow lue du-
vice of Paul? Why do you not concen-
trate all your faith on Jesus Christ?
Why not accept him at his word and
go forth and work in Gods vineyard?
Is there today any doubt or mystery in
your mind which can outweigh the In
finite fact that Jesus was born the
Son of God, that he died to save you
and me- that he will pardon all our
sins and that in him we may have ev-
erlastlng life?
Let Mysteries Alone.
But, if the great mysteries Of the BIZ
BILE 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 it's 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 liturgy and another church
loves to put emphasis upon immersion
and another church makes the sermon
the chief part of it's 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
able to resist and drive back its perse
cutors, but it became stronger and
stronger until at last it was able to lay
claim upon the temporal as well as the
spiritual life Of the nations Then the
Catholic pope became the acknowledge |
ed spiritual ruler of the world. Then |
what happened? AS the Roman Cath
Ole church financially prospered did 1t
spiritually prosper? Nay. The Vatican
became a cesspool of sin. The Bible |
was a closed book. The torture cham
Der was the holy Of holes. fragrant |
sin was everywhere in the church.
Then came the divine mission of a new
church.
The Reformation.
The reformation came to its birth. |
Martin Luther LED the fight in Ger
many, John Knox in Scotland and
John Wyclif in England. The grasp of |
the pope was shaken off, but soon in |
the English church came laxity and in
difference. Another reformation, was
needed, and John Wesley and George
Whitefeld began to preach, and Meth
Odsm and Congregationalism began
their mighty work. Still later William |
Booth has stirred the stagnant waters
with his Salvation Army. So as the
need has arisen God has unfailingly |
raised up men to do his work.
Wherever the churches, growing in
and in financial strength and
power have drifted from God and turn
ed their Masters temples into places of
wherever their preachers
have become unlike the humble Naza-
rene, then there have come a spiritual
rebirth and a new church. And to this
new church, this humble church, has
fallen the task of spiritually leavening
the old churches of the world. And.
my friends, if you do not believe that
what l say is true l would like you to
answer me one question. If Jesus
Christ were to come upon earth today,
where do you believe the lowly Naza-
rene would prefer to preach-in the
Vatican Of pope, with his
spotless robes, in the chancel of a
great cathedral and be paid the $751;
BOO a year as its archbishop, or in
some fashionable Protestant church
whose wealthy members sometimes sit
stolidly Indifferent to the great suffer
ngs of mankind? Or do you believe
Jesus would feel most at home as a
street preacher, working with the hum
oleSt workers in the slums? There can
be but one answer There is but one
self evident reply.
The Professors Reply.
Thus l have tried to show you that
you have only one spiritual duty in
life. You are here and now to grasp
he great doctrine of Jesus love.
lease from sectarian differences, stop
trittering away your time and go to
work in his dear name. We can all be
One In unity for the cross. l remember
many years ago, when in our seminary
we were discussing the sacraments, l
said to our professor: Doctor, you say
that we must use wine and bread at
the Lords supper. Suppose l were on
IN arctic expedition. Supposing we
we're caught amid the icebergs and in
al probability were about to die; sup
posing l wanted to have the COM
nunion Of the Lords supper with the
men Of the ship, and supposing the
'nly food we had left was some hard
tack and some soup, could use the
'oup for the wine and the hard tack
'or the breadT' The professor looked
It me moment in surprise Then he
laid: Under such condition the soup
would be as acceptable to God as the
vine and the hard tack as the bread.
t is not the wine and the bread that !
We lift to the lips which make us con-
ecrated to the Saviour, but the spirit
II the yielding of our own hearts to his
livine will"
The old professor was right. 1t is
lnt hu nncInsin SticnI fnrr,n,,Inn thnt ,-ot, |