The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-03-12

] give an illustration: Those of ms
who are Calvinistic may well hold
fast to some II the precious Scripture
teachings so ioag revered. but we
want to cast out qs.ckly and effective
" the gross error which teaches that
all the ~non-elect. instead Of having
hope for a blessing through the
elect" are to be everlastiugly tor
mented. Those Of us who are Ar
minian in doctrine have much that is
precious. but need also to cast away
from US the thought that u loving
Heavenly Father IS merely good-in-
tentioned and lacks the power, the
ability. TO make his benevolent desires
effective towards any except a small
handful Of humanity. Our Disciple
friends should east aside the thought
contained in their teachings that only
the water-immersed experience for
giveness Of sins and reconciliation TO
God and salvation from eternal tor
ment. Similarly those of usNwho are
Baptists, while holding to the precious
truths which so long have comforted
and strengthened us, should insist now
on casting away as unscriptural and
Irrational the thought that has long
%perplexed us. namely. that no others
than the water-immersed could be
members of the Church of Christ,
heirs Of glory, and be saved from dam
nation. Once we get these absurdities
removed. not only from our heads and
hearts. but also from u professions,
We shall be ready and anxious to have
the doctrines Of Christ on these sub
jects. Then we will search the Word
and have Gods blessing in finding its
harmonies. HE that seeketh dndeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened" CMatthew vii, 81. But so long
as we hold to the fallacies how can
we seek or pray for or find the Truth?
The Value Of Doctrines.
The word doctrine signifies teaching.
The doctrines of Christ, therefore, are
the teachings of Christ; the doctrines
Of men, the teachings of men. What
the Church needs today is, to receive
into good and honest hearts afresh the
doctrines of Jesus and the Apostles
allowing these to displace the doctrines
which Christendom now holds but dis
esteems, and which were formulated
in a time Of less light than the present,
Instead. therefore, of discouraging
each other in respect to the study OF
the doctrines of Christ, we should, as
Christians, become more earnest In the
study every day, hoping and expecting
that in the wonderful light Of our time
God would be able to make clear to
our understanding the harmonious in
terpretations of his Word. We should
study to find the relationship between
Election and Free Grace. We should
clearly understand what is meant by
baptism and what kind Of baptism is
necessary for our induction into the
Body of Christ as members. On every
line we should be looking for the har,
monies, instead of rejoicing in the err.
rors which have long divided us into
hundreds Of sects and parties.
However, In some respects ~sectarian
energy is better than federated death
Might we not even say that If all the
creeds were dashed to pieces and each
Christian stood forth u~nshackled as re
spects UNCONVENTIONAL bonds, the re
suit would be a great Improvement SC
far as individual thought, study. and
relationship to God would be con
cerned? In a word, each Christian
should have his own creed, his individ.
ual faith; and none should do more OIL
less than to assist his mind to a full
understanding Of the Word of the Lord
In respect to every subject.
Doctrines Of Men.
All doctrines which cannot show 3
foundation and full authority in the
teaching Of Jesus and the Apostles and
Prophets, are doctrines Of men. The
teachings from above come to u:
through heaven-appointed channels
The jargon which prevails in Christen
dom In respect to Christian doctrine:
proves that they are Of human origin
The Scriptures alone furnish to us
The Doctrines Of Christ.
Briefly stated they declare, ITO u,
there Is one Cod tho Ea4bor oua -.