The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1911-09-13
DEMANDS FOR CHRIS
THAN UNION.
Conlinnosl fronl pagc ono.

of one organization will never
be found feasible. This spirit
ual unity seems TO have been
the program of the Primitive
church. 1t appears that from
first there were churches organ
lied on the Congregational
plan, others on the Presbyterian
plan. and others after the Epis-
copal order; and it does not APP
pear shat they ever felt for a
moment that they We're not one
in Christ Jesus. They did not
vex one another about nones-
sentials, nor seek to hinder one
another in standing fast in the
liberty wherewith Christ had
made them free. Least of all
did any of them assume an air
of superiority and undertake to
lay down propositions which
NIL others should accept before
any fellowship could be had
with them.
The early churches cndeavor-
ed to "keep the unity of the
spirit in the bonds of peace, -
and they seemed not to have
thought or cared for that schis-
matte union OF enforced uni
formity 1t was for this sort of
spiritual unity Jesus prayed
when he said on the night be
fore tho crucitixion Neither
pray for these alone. but for
them also which shall believe
on me through their word; that
they all may hr one; as thou,
Father. art in me, and in thee,
that they also may be one in
us; that the world may believe
that thou hast sent me" 1t is
quite evident that our Lord is
not praying for a mechanical
unity of organization, but for
vitnl unity of life. His follow
crs were to be as one as he and
the Father are one Surely no
man will claim organic union
with God The effect of this
unity of life wns to prove to the
world that Christ was sent from
God but mere organic union
will not show this, although
vital unity in q common life
mnnifcstly issuing from IA di-
vine source OF life will show it.
There ia no more wretched
perversion OF Scripture ever ac-
complishcd than when mar
row scctarian seeks TO invoke
this great intercessory prayer
OF our Lord as the ground for
demanding that all the church
es of Christendom shall be
merged into one unwieldy or
gnnigation, his own sect to give
form to the clumsy ecclesiasti-
cal trust Christ never prayed
for amy such syndicate OF same
ness Such body would cor
rupt the faith and oppress man
kind \ Worldwide church
would be as dangerous thing
MS worldwide civil establish
ment 1t would be monoton-
ons dwelling OF ali Christian
life and effort, and it would be
leveling downward
We all wish freedom and
good government for all men
We all wish for universal peace
among all governments. But
we do not wish all governments
To be merged into one. Whore
could mankind find q man fit 90
preside over such n govern
mcnt? Could even one he found
to conduct the first administra-
ton OF this universal states
And if Que could be found to
make beginning, how could
wo find Il successor when he
passed away: Ii we should call
him Theodore the First, would
we be willing to call his sue
cessor Kermit.
Again. how could such u
world wido organization supply
the needs of the variety Of
races in the earth, or adapt IT,
self TO their manifold diversi-
tioSs'
No more can one world wide
church meet the needs of man
Kind II would hamper and
hurt 1T would presently pro-
duce the bittcrest antagonisms
and bring forth the most dan
gerous parties and perilous fac
lions. 1t would be temptation