The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-10-24

DIt u tns hIoinOrcltS VIII loin lorCet
VIA me. ve viii give Lay Sermon
10 ne eiggeet audience aDy preacher
nls had In Ardmore for many q day.
HJ- text. we will take Mark gth
Jseh verse Master, vc saw Que cast.
ins ost devils In thy name. and he fol.
lor1 1cth not uA. and wc for6tde him,
because b. tolloweth no. us."
Those who are accustomed 70 look
upon the primitive church" ~ PEI.
i,<- have not studied IL closely. Dis.
ianre lcn0S cnchantment TO the view,
when We make mp our estimate OF It's
character We hope on one Will be
shocked. when We assert that tn.
church today, is far better than II
MAS In the beginning OF its ca-cer. We
reed not go outside the rcw testament
TO prove this. and IL those ovcr.zealous
Christians of this era who are alway.
dining IL into our ea.s, that they are
modelled after the church in the days
of the apostles. Were 10 follow tn"
Christians OF that era very closely
many OF them would find themselves
10 the pcnitcntiary One OF the ChOs
en- twelve. sold the Master for 4 paltry
SUN, and all OF them but Peter for
,auok Him 10 the hour of danger and
Peter soon denied with an oath that
he even knew the accused Na2ar"uo.
The early church vas torn with dis.
,-.nsions over fciyoious matters Oi
ceremony and doctrine, and Paul and
Peter, the two leading apostle had q
regular Cook and Pcary set To. We
mean no irreyercnCe when We say that
N" church nj today Ia, progrcsScd FAR
since then. But no one ought 10 be
surprised at this assertion II. after
nineteen centuries OF upward striving,
guided BY the example and the spirit
OF the Master. no improvement has
been made. then indeed would Clri-
,ianity b. o dismal failure.
Il was the mission OF the church -
make the world better for this life
rs well ~ prepare humanity foc ca.
recr of endless progression. It has
done much. but much yet remains TO
BE- done The church has thrown Off
many OF the superstitions and errors
tha, has handicapped IL but il still
carries much dead weight
on. OF its greatest hindranccs. Is
the one depicted in the tcNt--the'
spirit OF bigotry and Intolerance. the
refusal 10 fellowship those who do not
see things Just as they do. II We may
Judge by the Masters work, tile prin-
cipal mission OF his followers was 10
reform the sinner AID heal the sick,
and in a great measure. the accomp.
lshment OF the latter was included In
the tormc7 He himself despised all
UNCONVENTIONAL lines. and did good
wherever the opportunity offered. But
this disposition Of oigotry ciopper ou-
among his follower even when he
was with them And 1t has crippled
tho work OF the church eyer since.
The Christian world Is divided into
numerous sccts, that cripple and i'm
peda each other in the work. Thia
ought 10 be rcmcdied and it Is being
remcdicd, but not as rapidly As ii
.hould No man can give any int Iii
gclt and valid reason Tor these diyis
ions.
II all the Christians in the world
were in one organizat on, and the pas
tors and the Christian people Of Ara
more, should propose 10 divide up into
the different churches W. now have
and give a. their reasons, the matter
vi doctrine and practice, that now sep
aTate the churches, the Intelligence o
the world would vo'e them a lot o
lunatics There il not a pastor il
Ardmorc that would have the hardi
hood 70 get up in public and asscr
tha, his brethren of the other secu
were not Christians. and would not Z,
10 heaven. II he were to do this
there would De a hurry up call for tn
fool killer.
INfU II lH'St ulS I'lOA0 ~ ulu'N
essary. and do harm. why in the nam
Of common sense do W. perpetual
them?
Go 20 the great Presbyterian churc
with It's learned ministry it5 hosp
tails and schools. and ask why this Is
Most OF them viii deplore 1t and truth
fully say they do not desire IT, Blu
some influential leader viii say: "W
love all the Christian world, and wis
,h"m Well We have already surre1de
I'd much for the sake OF unity; "
have sugar coated our stern an
gloomy Calyinism, until il has wo
over the gentle pious Cumberland