The Ordway new era., 1911-10-20

Church had been properly located. The
audience. so far us could be ascertain
ed. was composed Of truth hungry peo.
pie 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 all
denominations. His text was. 1.-The
Church of the First -borns, whose names
are written in heaven."-Heb. xii, 23
Numerous Scriptures were cited In
proof of the speakers contention that
the Lord Jesus and the Apostles never
the histories OF the various denomina.
tions were referred to as proving that
nearly all prescnt-d day Christian denom-
nations were non-existent thousand
years ago and hence none Of these de
nominations could have been the one
referred to by the Apostle rs the
"Church OF the Living God."-l Timo
thy iii. 10.
For n time. said the speaker. each OF
the various denominations In turn pro
tested against other teachings and
l
which had boon for centuries lost sight
Of At one tim" these various denomi
nations fought each other. prosecuted
each other even unto death. each claim
ing that the other was n false Church
and that itself WIS tn" true one. More
recently. however. tn" Christian mind
has brondcnrd and dreprn"d until now
we clearly see that God has sanity
people in practically nli denominations
Inc One Catholic Church
Pastor Russell freely admitted that
the Roman Catholic Church could
prove her existence long centuries be
fore her sister and daughter orgnniZa
tions. but hc disputed. uevcri heless
that the Church Of Rome could prove
her identity with the ApOsiOlic 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 Testa
ment writings. And as for the Ger"
moniaIs. psages. customs. etc. no one
at all familiar with the two could sup
donship.
only conclusion we reach con.
sistcnt with the above facts Is this
That the original Church which Jesus
and His Apostles founded was n cath
Ollie one-thnt Is to say. general oi
universal Church. and not Church OF
Rome. n Church of England. Church
1f
n Greek Church. hut universal
Church-a cnthnlic or general Chur
proteStanfs in general recognize this
and hence IN their confessions E"nrr
nIly claim to he "The Holy Catholic
iuniversnb Church.
The fact. however. Is that none OF
these churches U:oman. English. Bap
tist Presbyterian. etc.D 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 1t In
cludes nll persons recognized by TIL"
Lord as being members of His Church
We cannot. therefore. admit that thu
term catholic belongs to any of these
denominations. not even the Roman
Catholic. The catholc Church OF
Christ-the one which includes all who
are truly IIis--is not n human organi
Zation. and its role or rostra Is unr
kept on earth. To it alone apply the
Apostles words-"Thr Church of tn,
First -borns. whose names are write,
in heaven
"Houschold Of Faith"
This family of God. bcgotlcn OF the
Holy Spirit. are one with Him III
Spirit. in purpose. in intention. They
have the "Fnith once delivered unt"
the sa!nts"-flith in the Father. tutI,
in the Lord Jesus aS His Son. mans
Redcemer: faith in the Holy Spirit OF
bcgetting, faith in the exceeding great
and precious promises of glorious
things to come. and they have tin
one baptism into the Body of Christ
which Is the Church Some of then
may have seen and may have ohc! &c
the proper symbol of this one baptism
while others may not But all these
recognize the true baptism and all par
ticipated therein-bnptism into Christ'~
death.-Romnns vi. 3.
If we 50 see. let us strive to attain
membership In the true Church. The
steps are:
U Faith.
(2) Obedience to the invitation tt
self-sacrificc
(3) The carrying out Of that sacr1
fee day by day. faithfully, unto death
(N A share in the resurrection,
''change' to glory, honor, immortality
Let us. then, lay aside every weigh;
and every besettng sin and run with
patience this race and secure our fll'
membership in the Church beyond III.
veil