The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-05-04

ard of f1sh ID the church. end gospel
facs eondiions and promises, IN 8
position TO al Imaginative arbitrary
or mystical evdences Of pardon ami
adoption. These are certlinly come OF
the more prominent agreements Of
Baptsts and Disciples.
And now / have spoken long enopgh
for n service. but / feel that the sab
ject has only been fairly begun. How
ever, I do not want to illustrate that
story l read the other day of the ratii.
err who died In the presence OF his
family. His little son was asked bv
a neighbor, what his t,ther's las.
words were. he didn't have any last
words" sad the boy, "for ma was with
him up to the end" But here are my
last words for the evening.
We live in a day wnen education Is
common to all. Scholarship Is com.
non and universal. It is not because
Of truths and principles, or a supn-
rior knowledge th't either body has
that keeps Us apart but rather our
strangeness TO each other. AN THAI
Baptists and Disciples now need 20
unite them into an organic body. is
the cultivation Of acquaintance. This
calls to mind a story told US by D.
Dodd In his matchless address before
our church congress, which illustrates
this point eD,ctlt. A traveller In a.
oldIfashioned stage-coach was snuglr
ensconced In one corner for an al
nights Journey. At a point on tn
way a stranger entered and took tn.
remaining corner. Side by side they
sat or slumbercd in silence through
the long dark hours. Neither venture
to open conversation with the other.
At daNbreak the original occupant was
startled to find tdat 1t was his own
brother who had entered the coacn.
We have been riding over the night.
way through long years. and now t:lc
day dawn reveals the fact that we are
brethren.
Such an organic union, as is surely
coming. may demand the sacrifice a.
some things we botn hold dear. sacri.
flee. Of name, pride, presttie and many
a meretrlcious thing, hit there need
be no sacrifice Of truth, OF the mighty
usefulness Of past history, or of the
peerless opportunity that stretches be.
fore the religion Of democracy.
Brethren, what we all need as ind!-
viduals and as churches. Is more of
the blessed Christ spirit. Let Christ be
enthrOned cCnong us, and as the Load
stone draws the particles of iron to It
self, draws them also closer to one
| a nRfnn. IN rlnIl t4 h. l.- -
closer and sweeter fellowship. More
OF the spirit of Christ, more of true
religion. This Is what is needed. The
more carnal a Christian is. the more
sectar!an he will be, while the more
spiritual he is, the broader minded
and more charitable he is sure to be.
So with our churches. At the seq
shore, when the tide Is out, you may
have observed, as you rambled among
the rocks, numerous little pools with
little fishes in them. To the schrimp
in a pool the foot depth of salt wate.'
is all the ocean for the time being. H.
has no dealings with his neighbor
Echrtmp in the adjacent pool. thong.
1t may be only a few inches of white
s3nd that divides tnem; but when the
rising ocean begins to lip over the mar,
gin OF his lurking place, one pool joins
another, their various tenants meet.
and bye and bye in place OF the little
standing water, they nave the oceans
%boundless fields in which to roam.
When the spiritual tide is out,-wflel
religion Is Iow,-the faithful are offer
to be found isolated, here a few and
there a few, in the'little standing pools
that stud the beach, having no dea!
ings with their neignbors Of the aljs.
cent pools, calling themselves Sarmar.
itans and Annoying that their own lit
tie circle includes the precious IN
Gods sight. But thank Cod, for Bag
fists md Disciples the tide is rising
and is almost at its flood.
We, with all other CHRISTIANS, have
a common aim and mission : 81
world. Our mission is to preach The
Gospel Of God as it shines in the face
OF Jesus Christ to per.shing humanity
our aim is to bring men to salvation
through repentance toward God and
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This
Is THE mission and aim of the whole
church, and no one religious body can
lay claim to a patent on It. and right
royalty In our day many are devot'ng
themselves to this heaven born pur.
suit. The foremost thought with us
all should be the honor Of Christ in
the salvation of men. All c~ontrover.
sizes sink into utter insignifcance COM
pared with the great controversy which
the whole church OF Christ has with
the world,-a world that lieth in wick.
edness. For not yet has the millenia!
day Of righteousness overtaken us, Ev.