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

ssss ksss s== he. Many of the
S1sA5IoRf gsaELLJ leading newspa-
pers. both here
and in America, publish his weekly
discourses. He took for his text. II
am not ashamed of the Gospel Of
Christ CRomansI. 18l. He sald:-
Let us approach our subject rever-
emily! With reverence. because many
of our creeds are white with CEN
turtles. They were the creeds of our
fathers aud mothers. They must not
be handled ruthlessly, unkindly. But
we must approach the subject with
courage because It is Christian duty.
For long centuries Gods people have
been divided into sects and parties,
separated by creedal fences. At one
time they gloried In their differences
and destroyed one another In tbeli
zeal for what they believed to be the
Truth.
Now we see more clearly that
none of our creeds are without flaw.
Now we are willing-yea. glad. to
take the Truth wherever we find 1t
and TO acknowledge the error. though
Il be our own. The oneness of the
Church requires that we should have
this courage The interests of the
world demand It! We have come here
realizing that the time for covering
errors. of which we are ashamed. is
past; that the time for reverencing
God and His Word has come. Who
ever thus approaches the subject can
not fail OF blessing from God, In
harmony with the Masters prayer.
"Sanctlfy them through Thy Truth;
Thy Word is Truth" Uohn xvii IN.
Are We Not All Christians7
Our topic must be. What Is the Cos
pei OF which st. Paul was not asham-
ed-"the faith once delivered unto tho
saints"-"one Lord. one Faith. one
Baptism" dude 9; Ephesians iv. 81.
The speaker showed that the Roman
Catholic Church. In order to unite with
others. would need to cut out of her
q creed everything not found In the Bible
prayers to saints. homnge to pictures
and images, tho sacrifice of the mass,
holy candles. holy water. Purgatory,
the infallbllity of the Pope and the
general theory that the clergy alone
are the Church and brethren Of Christ,
and the laity are merely the children
of the Church. He acknowledged that
so great concession could scarcely be
expected ut once; that the study of the
Bible must prepare Catholics to accept
II ny the only standard OF the faith
once delivered to the saints"
The Protestant Episcopal creed next
had attention. Little that was objec-
tionable was found. One point alone
could cnuSe any hesitancy, he was sure
Apostolic Succession. lie urged that
40 Scripture could be found sustaining
shis theory In clear terms, On the con-
trary. he gave numerous citations In
proof that the twelve Apostles only
possessed plenary inspiration and were
directly under Divine controi-St Paul
,5gEking the place OF Judas. These are
4be twelve foundation stones OF the
New Jerusalem. and the foundations
OF the holy temple mentioned by St
Peter-the twelve authorized by the
Master 10 bind or to loose from doc
'trines aud practices Matt xviii, is)
Election Foreordln ton Prede destina-
tion.
The Westminster Confession, the
Foundation OF the majority OF Pro-
testhnt creedB distinctly emphasizes
the teachings OF Brother John Calvin.
We can all agree that the words elect
and election, predestindted and fore
ordained are Scriptural terms and
that truth must underlle and per-
wade them. But II will give none OF
Us any pain 60 repudlnte entirely the
peculiar definitions attached 10 these
words by Brother Calvin. Surely we
are all prepared 10 deny that n God
Of Justice. Wisdom, Love und Power
forcordaned and predestlnnted from
before the foundation OF the world
that everybody but the "elect" should
so 10 eternal torment! II we cannot
all agree as 10 what these terms mean,
we can unite In denying the atroclous
doctrines OF the past which have 10
greatly dlshonored our Creator and
ourselves and which have driven 10
many honest minds away from God
4lnd from His Book.
naptlsls and Disciples, Pastor Rus.
aTil declared. have something further
10 surrender Surely they may keep
'v1atcr immersion. Surely they may
'olaiin that, more fully than sprink
Eiug. II represents the underlying
ghonfh expressed In the symbol. Tho
unreasonable aud unscrlptural thing
wllfh they must renounce In favor
of Mo-. Il that water immersion is q
.sess y nembership IN he Church Of