Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-31
A WORLDWIDE CHURCH
IS DECLARED IMPOSSIBLE

AFFORD truly lnterpretS the passage when
he says: This unity has it's true ana
Only ground in faith in Christ through
the word of God as delivered by the
Apostle; and is therefore not mere out
ward uniformity. nor can such unifor-
nifty produce it, The oneness for
which the Master prays is that aifudSd
to in another part of the Scriptures
where it is said, He that is Joined to
the Lord is of one spirit" Such a TSse-
Of spirit is of the highest Importance;
but uniformity of organization would
absolutely suffocate il.
Some regard the existence &c separate
denominations as an evidence of schiSTn
in the body of Christ; but the schism
against which the Scriptures utter con-
demnation is not the division of Chris
tian men and women into separate bod
les; il is rather the making of strife
in any one body of christians. The truth
is the sin of schism is often committed
by men who seek to force all christians
into their own Church, or else refuse
tc recognize the christians who
will not come into their organi-
cations. Standing aloof from the
christians of other denominations
because they refuse to join ones own
church is the sin of schism at its
worst. 1t is not enough for us to re-
spect the christians of other Churches;
if we would not be guilty of the sin of
sclNsm, we must also respect the
Churches of other Christians.
Some advocates of universal organi-
cation are very disposed to denounce all
cree6s, believing that the varying beliefs
of men are at the bottom of the various
religious bodies in the earth. 1t is I'M
doubtedly true that the credal convic-
tions of men do tend to set christians
apart in separate organizations, but
nothing would be gained by attempting
to force all men to believe alike.
positive evil would arise by
teaching men that they might be-
lieve what they pleased or have no
creed at all without injury to their
religious life provided they were
members of a worldwide church.
The religious beliefs of men should
not be fettered, and they must not
be suppressed. a creed of creed
lessness is sapless root from
which no good fruit can spring.
The apostles of the creed of
creedlessness are "headless" horse
men, riding ruthlessly over all be-
liefs of their fellow men, and vainly
imagining that the performance is
a doing of Gods service.
The human soul cannot be sustained
on credal Indebtedness any more that
the human body can live on air. Noun
tain breezes are very salutary, doubt
less, but they are not sufficiently sub
stantial to suffice for food. To believe
anything. or nothing, does not result
in vigorous moral character, or Issue
in energetic christian effort. Renounc-
ing all beliefs, and reducing the mind
to vacuum in so far as religious con-
victions are concerned, can not by any
Il. -srYNs-
AS men think in their hearts. so are
they, and if all men think for them
selves. it is perfectly certain that they
will not all think alike. Such being
the case We must accept with thanks
giving the varieties of creeds among
christian people, and turn to good these
variations of faith.
The Church of God is likely to have
divisions following racial and inter
national lines, and these divisions must
be both expected and respected. The
Oriental mind does not operate by the
same processes as the Occidental mind,
and we must not demand worldwide
uniformity of faith, and a worldwide
ecclesiastical organization.
Very frequently we heR 6trident
cries for unity which are nothing
but the discordant voices of eccle-
siastical ambition. The men who
utter these cries mean by their de-
mands for unity that their church
shall swallow up ali other Churches.
Sectarianism never reaches a lower
level than when it falls to the plane
of this ungodly ambition, and then
1t often becomes positively profane
and blasphemous.
1t often perverts the microscopy
prayer of our Lord to serve it's sec
tartan ends and DISCUSSES its evil char
acter by protests of a deep concern for
christian unity. 1t aims not at the
conversion of the world, but at the con-
quest of all saints. Such an evil spirit
is not to be endured for a moment. 1t
must be withstood to it's face. and its
true essence exposed to the condemna- .
ton of the christian world.