The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1911-09-13
/. WEDNESDAY. SEPT. l3, 1911.

tiph Va SCfiptuEdl unity. nelr
demand for Christian union APP
pears TO be schismatic in it's
nature, for their proposal APP
pears to be that all other
churches shall be swallowed up
by their own 1t savors more
of ecclesiastical ambition and
pride than of real cstholicity.
They are quick to tell us that
they are ready to recognize
Christians of all churches, but
what is required ia that they
should recognize the churches
of all Christians.
Nothing is more schismatic
than the effort to impose upon
others conditions of Christian
fellowship which the Holy
Scriptures do not impose. This
was the evil at which raul
aimed his fulminations in the
Epistle to the Galatians. The
Judiazers Of his time pursued
him into all the churches which
he organized, teaching the Gen
tile converts that their saliva
ton was dependent upon the
observance of certain Jewish
ordinances This was, in effect,
TO nullify salvation by faith in
| Christ, and to set up scheme
OF redemption by mere mechau-
zeal processes of organization
and ordinances. The great apos-
tie to the Gentiles would have
none of it, Resisting the apos-
tie of Hebrew succession and
pretension, he clared:
Though we, or an angel from
heaven, preach any other Cos
pei unto you, let him be ac-
cursed - He thus anathemat
/ lied the schismatic demands of
the Judiazers that the Gentiles
should become one with them
by being subjected to their
forms and ceremonies. He did
not propose to allow any one,
whether man or angel, to i'm
pose Il yoke of bondage upon
the freedom OF the faith.
1t seems that Paups battle
will have to be fought over in
our day. Men are preaching
again union by submission to
their own sectarian tests and
standards, All this Intolerance
of other churches seeks to get
an unfair advantage by posing
as u burning desire for Chris
tian unity,
We already have Christian
unity among multiplied mil
lions of Christians who are one
III faith and love, although
holding membership in different
ecclesiastical bodies. Why do
these sectarians refuse to recog
niZe and practice this Christian
UNITY? Why do they seek to
disturb by their schmistic de-
mands that all souls shall come
into their denominations Have
they no appreciation of any
unity except that which is in.
volved in universal uniformity
under their own type? Will
they despise the unity of the
Spirit unless they can be per.
mitted to impose upon all
Christians u union of mere form
and mechanical organization
If they cannot rise to higher
heights of tolerance and charity
than that, they may as we'll un
derstand that their demands
will never be allowed, and thai
sectarianism cannot be disguis
: ed or concealed by any preten
tious pleas for 'reunion OF
Christendom'
AS long as men have mind,
and think, they will reach diff
ferent conclusions about many
points, although they may
agree in the essentials of faith
To attempt to constrain then
into a mechanical uniformity in
these matters would be injur
q ions 10 them and harmful TO the
cause of Christ. inclosing then
: in huge ecclesiastical hippo
I drome while they hold diverg.
: ent visW5 MIGHT make n liyalI