Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-08-10
The Work Most Sublime
(By Rev. George H. Bennett.)

! wasted their lives and efforts in pur.
suing false ideal The realization OF
those false ideals would have meant
oppression and slavery to the great
body of mankind. Ulysses was the
hero of Homer. Ulysses was cunning
and deceitful. Those qualities at that
time were considered the attributes
of the best manhood; but today, with
our enlightenment no man is highly
esteemed who proves to be deceiver.
In old Sparta it was virtue to steal,
SO long as stealing could be done
without detection. 1t was regarded
as commendable kind of skill. Phil
osophers in those days were self-de-
ceived, and they deceived. their dis
ciples, for people sometimes believe
many things, which little reflection
and little knowledge will show them
is wrong.
So We should not be deceived about
this doctrine of unity either in indus
trial. or political life among men and
nations; nor should We be misled
about church unity. Unity of organi-
zation and of ritualism was never re-
quired of the disciples by the Lord as
he sent them forth to disciple the ma
tions and organize congregations and
churches Among the body of be-
levers in his day Paul said, "There
are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit. And there are diversities of
ministrations, and the same Lord.
And there are diversities of workings
but the same God who worketh all
things in al" Paul also speaks of
gifts of healngs, helps governments"
1t is clear therefore that in Pauls
day there was no unity in the organi-
zation and government of congrega-
tions. He complained to the Corin-
thians, Each one of you saith, am
of Paul; and I am Cf Apollos; and
of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ
divided?" There was already divis-
ion in organization and government
in accordance with the diversity Of
gifts for those things. But Paul was
not complaining about the differences
in organization and government but
the differences in religious faith and |
life. He vehemently urged the con-
gregations of believers "to walk
worthily of their calling, with all
lowliness and meekness, with long
suffering forbearing one another in
love; giving diligence to keep the uni
ty of the Spirit in the bond of peace,
and further, Until We all attain un-
to the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God" Unity
in the essentials of Christian faith.
and in the supremacy of brotherly
ove-unity in Christian cooperation,
rather than in organization and gov
is what the Lord requires of
His people.
Unity in name is as unimportant in
he life and work of the church as is
unity in organization and government
rhe church is nowhere in the bible
,alled the Christian church. The word
occurs but three times in the
bible, viz: Acts 1:26-"Disciples were
irst called christians in Antioch"
Acts 26;2S-"Almost thou persuadest ,
ne to be a christian" and 1 Peter
t:16-"If any suffer as a christian"
Jesus first mentioned the word
hurch, when He said, "On this rock
will I found my church." It is men,
ioned ffty-three times as the church;
light times as the church of Cod and .
s the churches some thirty-four
ines Variety in the form of govern {
lNit anu VI III ldct ue-
ominationalism was foreshadowed in
he teachings of Paul and must have !
ad Christ's sanction. 7
1t is very apparent therefore, that c
he title, christian. when applied to
church, or congregation, or organi- v
alton is not founded upon any prac- \
ice. authority, or teaching set forth
1 the scriptures. Methodist Episco- I
al, Baptist Presbyterian, or Christian t
re all of equal propriety, for unity in d
anne is absolutely unimportant. but t
he unity of the faith and of the d
of the Son of God,'' is COM d
landed us, and to keep the unity of v
lie Spirit in the bond of peace
We then, may be American, Ger N
ian, or Russian; we may be Metho- g
ist, Baptist, Adventist, according to
lie laws of the gospel of Christ-so e
ing as we keep the faith and obey II
lie laws of brotherly love-for .he
ipremacy of love is the work most d
IT