The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-04-11

came affiliated with or united to the
civil government OF Rome; and when
the Roman Empire went to pieces the
Papal Church entered into covenant re-
lationship with various divisions of
the civil government; and some of
these para mours she still has, while
others have left her. France is gone,
Portugal also. and Italy. Spain is
moody; Aus;ro.llungary is her chief
reliance at the present time. She is
well treated in America. but not Joined
to the American Government She Is
well entertained and given every lib.
erty III Germany and by many in
Great Britain. hut these countries are
not her pal,lninurs
alike Mother, Like Daughters"
The Greek Church Is Joined to the
Russian Government: the Church of
England to the British Government.
| The Lutheran Church is married to
several European governments. 9th
ers of our Protestant Churches. having
no opportunity for afiiliation with
earthly governments, have become unit
ed to worldly systems, worldly organ
izations of their own, in which, as a
rule, wealth. mammon. sits at the head
Of the table. Like mother, like daugh-
ters'' IL an Old saying Instead Of
! charging this whole matter upon 9TH
ers. let us each recognize and take TO
heart. our own share. for which we
| are responsible
| As the doctrinal errors which caused
our divisions gradually developed dur
{, ing long period of darkness, so our
development along the lines of spirit
: ual harlotry were gradual. 1t is not
| for us TO quarrel with the facts, which
are undeniable, but to sincerely re-
pent of the wrong condition and re-
| nounce IT, Coming back to the one
| faith, we should come back also TO the
one Lord So doing He will graciously
receive us and lhenceforth His name
alone will be quite sufficient. We will
no longer need to style ourselves Ro-
man Christians. English Christians,
Lutheran Christians. Calvinistic Chris
| tians-but ALI such names will be abb
horred as reminders of the unfaithful-
ness which we now deplore. AS the
| name Christian was sufficient for the
early Church it is sufficient today for
all heartily glad to abandon errors of
the past and to come together as the
I one "Church of the Living God"
As for The one baptism, let us concede
what the Scriptures claim and declare,
namely that the water immersion is
merely symbol or picture of the
| burial of the indiriduarS t0ifi and inter
ests in death--lik unto and in fellow
ship with our Lords selfrenounce-
ment. even unto death. Thus all of the
consecrated. of whatever denomina-
ton. can be recognized as members of
the one true Church If they hre dead
with Christ to the world. It's hopes and
aims buried with Him by baptism into
His death. which death to the flesh (ac-
cepted by she Fatherl constitutes us
members of the one Body of Christ
the true Church If thus baptized into
His death, we shall share also in His
resurrection, says the Apostle Romans
vi, 4. 81.
The Church In the Wilderness.
Is it asked. Where has the true
Church been during all the eighteen
centuries since the Apostles died! We
answer that the Scriptures picture her
as going into the wilderness condition,
out of public view. for twelve hundred
and sixty years of this time. AS pride,
pomp. arrogance and error came into
prominence, meekness, gentleness, love.
simplicity, gradually retired. Through
the long period of the dark ages" no
history of the true Church was written,
just us no such history or record of her
can be written today.
Since none of the various denomina-
tions is the true Church, therefore
the history of none of these gives hel
| history. As her members are Scrip
turally declared to contain not many
wise. not. many learned, therefore
scattered amongst adj the various
creeds and churches. and some outside
of them all, the espoused, chaste 'vir'
4 gin" of the Lord is not a prominent
feature in Church affairs and is Who'll.
ly unknown TO the world. Indeed
these. while in the world. are not OF
1t and usually are disesteemed. AS the
Master said. Marvel not If the world
hate you. Ye know that 1t hated Me
before it hated you. If ye>were of the
world. the world would love its own
Il John Iii, 13; John XIV, IL, 1Y.
If. then, the spirit-begotten ones. con
stituting the Lords betrothed virgin
Church. are few, and If that few be
scattered amongst the four hundred
millions nominally styled Christendom
it follows that they are greatly in the
minority and could have comparatively
little influence today even if they were
ever SO determined and energetic. The
masses and classes rule. Wealth, learn
ing, earthly interests and earthly pow
er are better pleased with present CON
ditions than with those which Gods
Word promises will be established
when Messiah shall take to Himself
His great power and begin His reign
Of righteousness. 4
Babylon. as the Scriptures declare. Is