The farmer and mechanic., 1915-05-04
BY William 7. Ellis.


tions will find this an embarrassing
topic. OF the nearly two hundred
denominations in North American
70 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 denominations represent ev-
cry form Of chuhch administration
and belief. These are the historic |
churches which express the convic- |
ton of large numbers of earnest |
souls, but the belief is growing htat |
even these major lines of division are |
| becoming steadily narrower and mar
rover If denomination stands for
nothing distinctive or vital, and il AL
| its tenets are to be found in some
| larger denomination is there any
adequate reason why tie smaller
should not, for the glory of God and
the success of His Church. quietly
merge into the other? A baptism of
| simple common sense, practical eff
/ fciency and spiritual illumination
would reduce the number of denomi-
| nations many fold.
"A denomination Is not an end. but
a means. 1t is merely an organizat ton
| whereby Christians may uEitediy pur-
sue the greal oDjectiveS Of their faith.
if, as is sometimes done by over
Jealous and narroW-minded ecclesias-
tical officials, the denomination is set
forth as the first consideration. and
the real end sought, then it becomes
!, the Christian duty Of every member
of that particular denomination to
bear testimony against this grave and
un-Christian error. Probably general
; church Officialdom is responsible for
, most OF the sins of denominational
competitiveness and strife but the
cure for this is with the rank and
: file Of church members, who desire
! fellowship and cooperation with all
q other members of the universal
7 Church of which Jesus Christ is the
head.
4 When a denomination has stood, a
q high cost Of sacrifice, for a great prin
: ciple, then it has bequeathed a herit
s age Of pride to it's children. Marty
:, memories make might Christians
" When men have fought and endur
" ed for truth, counting her homo
: greater than the worlds pleasure
:, and approval, they have given tn
;s highest gift of all to their own time
Al and to all succeeding gel erations.
:; The modern Christian is proud O
the denomination which is willing t
:, extinguish it's own existence, if there
:. by the efficiency of the Church an
- = the glory OF Christ mas be enhanced
or Nothing great or good is ever don
- merely for a denominations sake:
10 must be for the sake of Christ an
he His Church.
oe
20 Christian, is working we'll for tn
ds Master when it is willing to wor
80 with other denominations. Co-tpers
% ton is the word Of the hour in rel
TX gion.
The work that our denominatic
is doing the world around is a pro-
L." er cause for pride. The nati'
an churches maintained (ma1y Of the
He not even bearing our distinctly
Sc, name), the sick healed, the ignoral
lid taught, the downtrodden lifted u
No the witness borne to truth-this
elf part Of the noblest and most altr
1ly istic enterprise on earth. Then the
So is the varied service Of our church
nd the neutrality-suspicious. teachi.
nd pioneering, publishing, protectin
ich From it's work in the Su1day scho
hi clear up through all its wide ran
Of activities until we come TO
at homes for the aged, and its provisi
zen for veteran ministers, we see that
an denomination is vast organiZati
md for human service.
his
to The denominations are the res
ooy ments Of the great army, and t
it Federation Of the Churches when
his reaches its full development will uni
at the army.
IAN The denominations are like t
States of the United States in tn
on dlSJOlnted cOnd1t1On DeIOre the dUo
TWO ton of the present Constitution. In
It need to be fused into a strong t
ing public of God.
iers The denominations are family
ere married brothers and sisters, DIVE
of ing, not as in patriarchal times unt
Je- one roof. but in their separate non
ure like modern families.
hY The denominations are like