The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-03-08
I give an Illustration. Th . e

who are Calvinistlc may wen
fast to some of the precious -
teachings so long reyertd. u.
want to cast out quickly and e"cc
ly the gross error viii h tea h% ,u
all the nOu-elect instead Of h1'
hope for a blessing through 90,
elect" are to he everlastingiy t..
mented. Those of us who are ~.
minlnn in doctrine have much that IL
precious. but need also to cast away
from us the thought that our loving
Heavenly Father Is merely gOod'ln
tentioned and lacks the power, the
ability. to make his benevolent desires
effective towards any except u small
handful of humanity. Our Disciple
friends should cast aside the thought
contained In their teachings that only
the water-lmmersed experience for
givcness of sins and reconciliation TO
God and salvation from eternal tor
ment. Similarly those of us who are
Baptlsts. 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-immerscd 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 our professions.
we shall be ready and anxious to have
the doctrines of Christ on these sub
jects. Then we will search the Word
ard have Gods blessing in finding its
harmonies. "IIe that sceketh fndeth:
and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened" Nlatthew 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 d0cTinP 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 Chrlstcndom now holds but dis.
esteems. and which were formulated
in time of less light than the present
Instead. therefore, of idiscouraglng
each other In respect to the study OF
the doctrines of Christ, wc 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 er-
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
crccds were dashed to pieces and each
Christian stood forth unshackled as re.
spects dcnomlnatlonal bonds, the re.
suit would be great Improvement 50
far as individual thought, study, and
relationship to God would be con.
cerned? In word, each Christian
should have his own creed, his individ-
ual faith; and none should do more or
less than to assist his mind to full
understanding OF the Word of the Lord
In respect to every subject.
Doctrines of Men.
All doctrines which cannot show O
foundation and full authority in the
teaching of Jesus and the Apostles and
Prophets, are doctrines of men. The
teachings from above come to us
through heaven-appointed channels
The jargon which prevails In Chrsten
dom In respect to Christian doctrines
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 God, the Father and on,
Lord, Jesus Christ Il Corinthians viii
! %. TO us there IL one Holy Spirit; t,
us there Is zone Church of the I.ivin,
! God whose names are written IL
heaven" to us there Is zone Lord nnt
one faith and one bnptism one Coo
: and Father of air (Epheslahs w. 40
However impossible these statement
may have appeared during the "darl
: ages, they are no longer so, The light o
Divine Truth Is now shining, God ha
/ not only put into orr possession won
/ derful Bibles, and wonderful helps 10
J Bible-study, but has also given lis tn
: ability to read, TO stIdy the Word crit
! ically And he is pleased now to ms
! sure us through the prophet that w
/ are living in the time when the wis
9 shall understand the "mystery hid
l len from past ages and dispcnsntlons,
which could not be understood previ
= )usly without working an interference
Y with GCd's eternal purposes.
$ What, then dear Friends, shall W
= dnt Shall we Uunt ON iDplOriousl,