The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-03-01

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best In this srespe g sinspl alton left
them iust ii our III Fataer would have
them. They were left as odelss for.
our Imitation: We I are to copy what
IS approved sand avoid what Is con:
demned. 4! S. \
u From the divine standard the
church gradually departed, till the
apostasy was the result. 5lt.
To bring the church back to the
original model is n work that must
commend itself to every mans con
science in the sight Of God, who once
firmly grasps the ilea that He Is the
basis Of strength and healthy spirit.
uni llfe:- :.
The strength Of the people OF Je-
hovah mas ever been In their faith II
we would build strong, we must build
By faith and christian faith comes by
the word OF God. 50 II we would build
by faith we must build by the Bible.
That which Is don, by faith Is done
by divine direction. II professionalism
would become strong in her work, she
must work by divine direction.
Men admit that the plea for the res
toratlon Of the Apostolic Church is q
grand conception OF Christian work
but many say It Is ideal. impractical
utopian. and can never be accomplish
ell. El
Our faith and The faith Of n great
many OF the strongest christians ev
erywherc IS that It can be accomplish
ed. Much has already been done. +
But are the rewards Of present day
success required to induce truth.lov
Ing men to do Whit Col has appoint
cd? igs[ Il
That is the work Of time.server'
and not OF men who love the truth be
cause 1t Is the truth.
This work demands that the church
| . - T..
put Christ in His rightful place, an
exaltation of His T.>rlship. by giving
Him the pre.emlncnce in all things
"Hcar yc Him."
That the church accept Christ as
her only creed. and take the Bible
MS her only rule Of faith and practice
Such n restoration demands thai
the churches hola to the simplicity
Of conversion, md admission into the
church. Just as We find them In the
New Testament. ,lisentangled from
sectarian confusion and mysticism or
the subject Of conversion. anil that Ri
bic things be cnlle.l by Bible names
the church must first have the Bible
things, there can be no complete res
toration without them. Then when
the church has the things which The
churches OF the New Testament had
she must give therl the names thai
the Holy Spirit gave them.
To disregard the things the early
church had, or the names given them
Is to presume to improve upon dl
vine wisdom.
A departure from this principal
would never result in a restoration oil
the Church Of God. as II was when
these things existed. OF course We
speak OF things Of divine appointment
and approval and not Of mere inclden
tails. TO restore the Apostolic church
demands that the churches Of our day
unite on matters or faith and not ID
opinion a good watchwor,l Is unity oil
faith and diversity Of opinion. Unity
OF faith Is a matter OF divine stnte
nlent: and direction of opinion Is q
mere human inference. Faith Is n
matter Of divine testimony establish
ell without doubt. Opinion Is that
which Is probable. bit upon which the
testimony is not conclusive. The
speaker here used Abraham offering
his son lsaac rs an Illustration Of
faith and opinion saying that Abra.
ham was right in his faith but wrong
In his opinion.
Opinions are sinful only when one
lets them stand In the way Of his
faith. or rather his obedience to Christ.
so that Obedience becomes the test OF
acceptance and fellowship.
III. From the distinction between
faith and opinion It follows That moth.
ing should be claimed MS an item Of
faith that Is not. clearly expressed by
precept. example or necessary infer.
encc. What our I.crl has clearly ex.
pressed as His will. men should nc.
cent and 10. This. faith In the Christ
rnnliirns And Without this there cnn