The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-09-23

practically but the one Church Rc
man Catholic. The results were not al
that could be desired. That unit
brought neither secular nor religion
education. nor did II bring 10 the worl,
the Millennium. Rather. Throughout
that long period ignorance and super
stitlon held sway, During the last few
centuries we have had the division o
| Christendom into various sects ant
parties. While the results are not sat
isfactory, not what the Word OF Goo
prompts US to desire and expect, new
ertheless this divided condition has Ger
tainly tended toward greater freedom
Of thought, greater liberty from igno
rance and superstition.
Which Is the True Church,
Agreeing with all the Scripture
premises laid down by Cardinal Glib
bons, we must, nevertheless, dispute
his conclusion that this one Church
which Christ declared He would build
upon the rock Of Truth, and which
would grow to glorious Temple com
posed Of living stones, of which St Pc
ter was one, Is the Roman Church
Equally we disagree with our Baptist
Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran and
Congregational systems when they
each profess to be the one Church.
Our contention Is that all who turn
their backs upon sin, accept the Lord
Jesus as their Savior, approach the
Heavenly Father In full conservation
through Jesus and who receive the be-
getting Of the Holy Spirit of God-all
such are sons Of God, whether or not
they join the Roman Catholic, the Con
gregational, the Methodist, the Pres
byterian or other human systems.
Furthermore, our contention Is that
not one of these human systems, Cath
ole or Protestant, is recognized Of
God. They are all human institutions
originated by men and maintained by
men. Sometimes good men and some
times bad men have had to do with
their organization and maintenance.
Indeed we hold that each cOnsecrated
believer is child Of God wherever he
national walls or creeds.
In the Scriptures the true Church Of
Christ is described as 1.-THE Church Of
the First-borns, written In Heaven"
Hebrews 1929 VIII our Protestant
friends claim that their church roll
corresponds to "the Lambs Book Of
Life? Revelation 2l:27) Would Chris
tians of any denomination dare to make
such a claim? Most assuredly, No!
We all realize that at the very most
the various sects and parties Of Chris
tendon are composed Of wheat and
tares; and that, SO far as human judg-
ment can discern, the tares are vastly
In the majority.
Christian Union Never Lost.
From this standpoint we perceive
that the great masses, Catholic and
never were the Church Of
Christ. They have been children of
this world, not spirit-begotten New
Creatures In Christ not living stones
In the Temple, not branches of the
True Vine, not members of the little
flock" They have been worldly people
with religious sentiments and good de
sires, who misunderstood the Bible
teaching that only the sanctified are
In Christ Jesus, called to be saints
I Corinthians 1:2.) What these large |
numbers of well-meaning but mistaken
people have done In the way Of organ
zing churches, lodges, banks, etc, has
lad nothing whatever to do with the
great organization which God effect
I'd eighteen centuries ago and which
las persisted as unit ever since.
The True Church has never been d.
,ided. Each member is united with
he Lord, the Head. and through Him
o every oth0 member of His Body,
which Is the Church In this one
Jhurch there has always been main
aimed one Lord Jesus, one faith-His
Word Of Promise one baptism
into His death.-2 limo
by 2:11, II; Ephesians 4:4-G.
Does some one say, "Where Is the
history Of this Church, We answer,
a the words Of the Apostle, "The
World knoweth us not, even as 1t knew
lin not" Il John 80 The world
{ Jesus day were the professed re
gionists. Yet they knew not the
reat Redeemer whom God had sent;
nd they cruciied Him. Similarly, all
own the Gospel Age, the great re-
gious teachers Of the various systems
ave not recognized the members Of
he Body Of Christ.
This is the very point which st. Paul
Emphasizes He declares that the fact
md the philosophy OF the tacu that
he Church are members Of Christ Is
, the world-both the religious world
nd the irreligions world-a Hidden
Iystery 1t Is outside Of their theory,
leir understanding. Hence II il that
he most sanity characters, both Cath
lie and Protestant, have been mar
IT'S, as Jesus was. as 81. Stephen was,
j all the Apostles were, as all the
iithfuI were during the intermediate
and as some yet may be II
q outward union be effected such as
ace prevailed-in the Dark Ages.