The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-29

ence appeared satisfied that the true
Church had been properly located. The
audience, so far as could be ascertain
ed. was composed of truth-hungry peo-
ple of all denominations. Undoubted-
ly the question discussed has been a
vital one for centuries. Some CLAIM.
that never before had an answer been
given satisfactory to Christians of al!
denominations. His text was, 1.-THE
Church of the First borns, whose names
are written in heaven.'-Heb. xii, 49,
Numerous Scriptures were cited in
proof of the speakers contention that
the Lord Jesus and the Apostles never
organized any but the one Church, and
the histories of the various denomina-
tons were referred to as proving that
nearly all present-day Christian demon
nations were non-existent thousand
years ago and hence none of these de-
nominations could have been the one
referred to by the Apostle as the
"Church Of the Living God."-I limo
thy Iii. Is.
For time, said the speaker, each Of
the various denominations in turn pro-
tested against other teachings and
claimed to be the one Church of Christ
which had been for centuries lost sight
of At one time these various denomi-
nations fought each other. prosecuted
each other even unto death, each claim
ing that the other was a false Church
and that itself was the true one. More
recently, however. the Christian mind
has broadeued and deepened until now
we clearly see that God has sanity
people in practically oil denominations.
The One Catholic Church
Pastor Russell freely admitted that
the Roman Catholic Church could
prove her existence long centuries be-
fore her sister and daughter organiZa-
tons, but he disputed. nevertheless.
that the Church of Rome could prove
her identity with the Apostolic Church
OF the first century On the contrary.
many of the teachings of the Church
of Rome differ radically from those of
the Church OF Jerusalem represented
by the Apostles and their New Tesla
ment writings. And as for the cere-
moni;llS. usaGes. customs. etc. no one
II all familiar with tie two could sup.
pose them to nave even Il close re!a-
tionship
The only co.cluSion we reach CON
sistcnr with the above facts is this:
That the original C!lurch which Jesus
and Ills Apostles founded WAS Il cath
Ollie one-that is 10 say. q general or
mi, oI b1,r "A = .
Rome. Il Church of England. Church
of Sweden. Il Church OF Germany. nor
Greek Church. but universal
Church,. catholic or general Church
Protestants i'll general recognize this
and hence in their confessions gener.
ally claim to be The Holy Catholic
(universa!) Church
The fact. however. is that none OF
these churches (Roman. English, B,p-
list. Presbyterian, etc. is catholic or
general. because none of them in
cludes all of Gods people. To admit
that any one Of these religious bodies
is the catholic or general Church of
Christ would be to admit that it In
cludes all persons recognized by the
H|oAu 20 hSiiS Ai'eAAii'eho " iiio NhuiSu
We cannot, therefore, admit that the
term catholic belongs to any of these
denominations. not even the Roman
Catholic. The catholic Church of
Christine one which includes all who
are truly Hiss not human organi.
cation, and its role or rostra is not
kept on earth To 1t alone apply the
Apostles words-"The Church of the
First-borns, whose names are written
in heaven,
Household of Fathp
This family of God, begotten of the