The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-04-11

%R nations. His text
ss s was. "Thc Church
...3@a 8 IosfSSgaEALD Of. the FbSt-Jo,Hs
irLoSc names are
torittea IN hcdrea" Hebrews xii. 23L
lie urged that the subject be mp.
preached prayerfully aud honestly
that all who see that there was but
one Church in the beginning. establish.
ed by the Redcemer. see also that
there will be but the one Church in
the end. the Church Triumphant in
glory. the Bride. the Lambs WIFE
For the same reason that there have
been doctrines many amongst the fol
lowers of Jesus. there have been
churches many, us representing those
doctrines.
AS last Sunday the question was.
what is the True Gospel and as we
found that true Gospel more or less
scattered in all the various creeds. and
none OF them the pure and unudulter.
ated Gospel, so tonight we should he
prepared TO hnd that he one bHe
NANfAN VI NiilNA iOi lilt IlalNl tlEllittll
centuries has been scattered here and
there amongst various denominations.
and that not one OF tlIese denomlua.
tiOus IN the true Church. Not uup uf
them 80 claim 10 contain all the
"wheat" aud none OF the lures" Not
one of them eau claim tU contain al
OF the saints and no hypOcrites The
time was when the various divisions
OF the Christian Church severally laid
claim to being the one aud only
Church But that time has passed. 80
far as the people are concerned. and
has passed so far as the INA JOrlty Of
the clergy are concerned
THAT They All May ee One"
aln not here to charge Intentional
wrOngdOing on the part of any of the
divisions or the Christian Church. said
Pastor Russell. on the contrary.
shAll assume that the framers of tile.
various creeds were sincere. honest
men. aud that the original followers
OF those .creeds We're sincere, and that
q few today may be equally sincere [
shan assume, however, that the ma
toriry OF Chrlstlans, ministers aud
ayIneii. renlIae that the sectnrlnn
fences are largely composed OF mIscon.
eeptlons OF the Divine Word and Plan
and that the causes which originally
led TO Church divisions have lcousld
erdbly disappeared. II we cun now
recognize ole true Gospel we may all
reunlte, in harmony with our Masters
prayer, that "Al may be one, as Thou
Father. and / are ohe'S -s4
remind you again of the simplicity
Of this Gospel which recognizes the
broad outlines of the Divine Plan and
allows each individual 10 see as many
OF the finer Zines OF the same as his
spiritual development will permit. On
that broad basis OF Christian HuiOH
the early Christians were one and rep
rotated any division. st. Paul rebuk
ed those who said. ~ am Of Paul; !
am Of ApollGs; am Of Peter" q CORN
thlans |. l2l. As only Christ died for
US all, He alone must be recognized as
our Savior. As lie Is the Head OF the
Church aud the only Head, lie only
must be recognized. AS all ye are
brethren. so the class distinction MS
between clergy and laity must be abro.
gated that we all may be one Church
with one Lord. one Faith and one Bap.
tlsm and one God and Futher over all
Ephesans iy, ~.
Babylon the Great, the Mother Of Har.
lots"
How the divided Church. with clash
ing creeds, appears to the Almighty
He tells us, calling it Babylon-whlch
signifies confusion. And who can deny
the appropriateness Of the name? In
times past Catholics have applied this
name 10 the Protestant sects. aud the
PrOtestnnts IN turn have applied II 10
the Church Of Rome. But when we
come TO examine the Scriptures on the
subject they seem Ia include Hll-the
Church Of Rome being represented as
the mother Church and the various
Protestant Churches as her daughters
The charge of harlOtiy which the Lord
makes against mother ana daughters
must be acknowledged. although with
some this harlOtry has been more open
and pronounced than with others
Using the Jewish marriage ceremony
as the basis OF the figure. all Chris
tians. as members OF the true Church.
pre declared 10 be "espOused 10 one
husband. which ia Christ" dl CORN
thiaDs xi. y. Under the Jewish custom
the espousal brought the woman un-
der the same obligation OF chastity as
though the marriage had taken place.
Thus the Church. by her vow TO her
Lord. Is obligated 10 the full, although
the marriage with the Heavenly Bride
groom will not take place until His
Second Advent und the change OF the
espoused from earthly to heavenly con
ditlOns. for flesh and blood cannot In
herit the Kingdom Of God" Qtevela-
tion XIX. I: John xiv. 3: Cor XIV. 60l.