The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-08
(BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.)

Young people of some denomina
tons will find this an embarrassing
topic. OF the nearly two hundred de-
nominations in North America-179
at the last count, but new. ones are
ever forming-the great majority do
not stand for any distinctive doctrinal
or ecclesiastical truth. They are due,
let US be candid enough to confess, to
the jealousy, ambition or bad temper
of some individual or individuals. They
are sheer schisms, unwarranted by
any profound considerations of loyalty
to truth. A dozen of the greater de-
nominations represent every form of
church administration and belief
These are the historic churches which
express the conviction of large num-
bers of earnest souls, but the belief is
growing that even these major lines of
division, are becoming steadily mar
rover and narrower. If a denomina-
ton stands for nothing destructive or
vital, and if all its tenets are to be
found in some larger denomination, is
there any adequate reason why the
smaller should not, for the glory OF
God and the success of His church,
quietly merge into the other? A bap-
teal efficiency and spiritual illumina
ton would reduce the number of de-
nominations many fold.
A denomination is not an end. but
a means. 1t is merely an organiza-
ton whereby Christians may unitedly
pursue the great detectives of their
faith. If. as is sometimes done by
overzealous and narrow minded &C.
clesiastical officials, the denomination
is set forth as the first consideration,
and the real end sought, then it be-
comes the Christian duty of every
member of that particular denomina-
ton to bear testimony against this
grave and un-Christian error. Prob
ably general church officialdom is re-
sponsible for most of the sins of de-
nominationa1 competitiveness and
strife, but the cure for this is with
the rank and file of church members,
who desire fellowship and co-opera-
ton with all other members of the
universal church of which Jesus Christ
is the head.
When a denomination has stood at
high cost of sacrifice, for a great prin-
ciple. then il has bequeathed a heritage
of pride to its children. Martyr MEM
cries make mighty Christians. When
men have fought and endured for
truth, counting her honor greater than
the worlds pleasures and approval,
they have given the highest gift of all
to their own time, and to all succeed
ing generations.
The modern Christian is proud of
the denomination which is willing to
eXtinguish its own existence, if there
by the efficiency of the church and the
glory of Christ may be enhanced.
Nothing great or good is ever done
merely for a denominations sake:
ii must be for the sake of Christ and
His Church.
A denomination, like an individual
Christian, is working we'll for the Mas
ter when it is willing to work with
other denominations. Cooperation is
the word of the hour in religion.
The work that our denomination is
doing the world around is a proper
cause for pride. The native churches
bearing our distinctive name), the
sick healed, the ignorant taught, the
downtrodden lifted up, the witness
borne to truth--this is a part of the
noblest and most altruistic enterprise
on earth. Then there is the varied
service of our church in the homeland
preaching, teaching, pioneering,
publishing, protecting. From it's work
in the Sunday school clear up through
all its wide range of activities until
we come to its homes for the aged,
we see that a denomination is a vast
organization for human service.
The denominations are the regi-
ments of the great army, and the
Federation of the Churches, when it
reaches its full development, will uni
fly the army.
The denominations are like the
states of the United States in their
disjointed condition before the adop-
ton of the present constitution.
Republic of God.
The denominations are a family of