Part 4

We are all required to “speak the same thing,” to “teach no other doctrine,” to “preach the word,” to preach no “other gospel,” to teach the things that become “sound doctrine,” and if we “speak not according to his word it is because there is no light in us.” In one word, we are not to have “all sorts of doctrine from all sorts of teachers,” but to “earnestly contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.”

IV. “How shall we reconcile the right of private judgment with the right of the Church to maintain the faith in its purity, and still preserve the unity of the faith which the word of God enjoins?”

The way we have done it for fifty years past. We have had the light of private judgment, and, at the same time, maintained the faith in its purity and preserved the unity of the faith as enjoined in Scripture. Demonstration is better than theory. We have brought the people from all parties, united them in the one faith, made them one in the unity of the Spirit, with the exception of a few erratic spirits, but we have not had more of these than they had in the time of the apostles. They and their mission were predicted in Scripture, and they have come and fulfilled the predictions of the Lord and the apostles without intending or knowing it, and thus furnished an additional evidence that the Scriptures are divinely inspired.

IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON.

There are times when general apathy prevails; when it appears impossible to rouse the people to anything like an appreciation of the things of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ; when the hearts of the people appear to be closed against all that can be said or done to save them. They frequently hear at such times, act as orderly as ever, and show as much respect to the gospel; but they do not have the heart and soul in it, and can not be _moved to action_. Their emotional nature appears to be utterly inaccessible. There are again times when the hearts of the people are open. They not only hear the truth, pay a decent respect to it and admire its beauties, but, with joy, they receive it into good and honest hearts, believe it to be the salvation of their souls. It melts them down, fills their hearts to overflowing and moves them to obedience. This much we know to be _fact_. We have tried to see the cause of this fact, but do not claim that we can see the cause, nor do we see any particular importance in seeing the cause, but we ought to turn the _fact to account_. How can this be done?

Paul has a period, or state of things, that he styles “in season,” and another that he styles “out of season.” There is a time to sow and a time to reap, a time to dress the vineyard and a time to gather the fruit. These periods, when the hearts of the people are open, are the harvest times—the time for gathering in the ripe grain ready for the harvest—for turning sinners to the Lord. No matter about the cause of it; there is the _opportunity_; and we should be ready and go into the harvest and gather precious souls into the fold of Christ. A door is now open and let no man waste his time about the _cause of this opening_, but while the way is open go up and possess the land. Never mind explaining _how_ the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended to the words spoken by Paul, nor _how_ the Lord now is opening the hearts of the people; it is enough for the man of God to find that the hearts of the people _are open_, and that they will attend to the word of the Lord when it is spoken. Go on and speak to them the word of the Lord—the words of everlasting life—turn them to God and save them.

EATING THE LORD’S FLESH AND DRINKING HIS BLOOD.

John vi. 48, we find the words of the Lord, “I am the bread of life.” The Lord adds the remark to the Jews, “Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.” It had no power to perpetuate life only for a short time; but he continues, verse 50, “This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die.” It will be noticed that _his flesh_ did not come down from heaven, and that bread which came down from heaven is that of which if a man shall eat he shall not die. Then he follows with the remark, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread” (which came down from heaven) “he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Here he uses the _flesh_, as that which they saw and dealt with in crucifying him metonymically, or a part for the whole. The Jews, however, understood him to mean his flesh literally, and so does the Romish church, and the Jews inquired, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” The Lord did not explain the matter to them, but added, verse 56, “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”

They were looking at it in the literal sense, and did not see how they could eat his flesh, or how the eating of it could give life. The doctrine of transubstantiation had not yet been born, and the idea of the bread and wine being changed, in the ceremony of consecration, into the _real flesh_ and _blood_, so that they could eat the flesh and drink his blood in the communion, had not yet entered into the minds of men. Nor did our Lord mean any such thing, but _he himself_, who came down from heaven, is that bread of life which if a man shall eat he shall never die. But the _eating_ is not literal, any more than the _bread_ is literal or the flesh. We partake of that bread, or of him who came down from heaven by hearing of him, believing on him, and being united with him. In becoming his disciples, learning of him and following him in all things, we eat or partake of that bread, or of him who is the way, and the truth and the life.

He proceeds, “He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” See verse 54. He who believes on him, receives him, follows him, loves him and obeys him, in the sense he intended, eats his flesh and drinks his blood; but not in the communion any more than in the other parts of his teaching, or other appointments. In coming to Christ, and becoming his disciples, we are made partakers of him, of “the divine nature,” and our salvation is in him. “My flesh is food indeed,” says he, “and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him.” Following him a little further on, verse 57, he says, “As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eats _me_, even he shall live by me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead; he who eats this bread shall live forever.” See verse 58. The eating is partaking of Christ, the bread that came down from heaven; this is done by faith, in receiving, following and obeying him; doing his commandments, that we may enter by the gates into the city, and have a right to the tree of life.

CHURCH ORGANIZATION.

Men may talk of the power of those large combinations, governed by a few leading spirits or _one_ leading spirit as the case may be, where _office_ and not _character_ or _ability_ gives power; but while such an arrangement may create in its adherents a desire for office, to give them influence and authority, they will neglect the purity and excellence of good _character_ and _ability_, which are the only things which should give any one respect and influence among the people of God. But, in the absence of such character and ability as will give a man influence and power among the followers of Jesus Christ, some may become enraged because we do not form some kind of an organization that will give the desired power by virtue of an _office_. Such a power as this we hope never to see established in the church of God. If men wish power and influence let them act in such a manner as will be worthy of, and command them; and then they will know how to _use_, and not _abuse_ them.

Our present organization, little as some men seem to think of it, has maintained a general state of union, and has made a concentrated effort for the conversion of the world, unequalled by any body of people about us. While other religious bodies have been divided and distracted by the frivolous worldly questions of our times, we, as a people, stand firm and unshaken, under the guidance of Him who gave us both a natural and a religious being.

Some one will inquire, what do you plead for? or what do you vindicate? It will be said; it is of no use to be exciting fearful apprehensions, and at the same time setting forth nothing tangible. We will, therefore, make an effort to set out something definite and tangible.

1st. We do not want any general combination, in the form of an Association, Conference, Synod or Council, to govern the churches.

2d. We do not want any such body of men to decide who shall be our ministers, or how they shall be supported.

3d. We do not want any such body of men to decide who shall be our publishers.

4th. Every congregation properly organized, has the right to govern its own members, either in itself, or by calling to its assistance neighboring churches and evangelists.

5th. All letters of commendation, or sentences of condemnation, depend wholly for their authority and influence with those to whom they may be presented, upon the intelligence and moral worth of the body whence they emanated. Hence a minister “whose praise is in all the churches,” and who may be “chosen of the churches,” to perform any certain mission, must have more weight and influence among the people where he goes, than he who is destitute of such commendation.

6th. We want voluntary organizations for missionary purposes, the distribution of bibles, tracts, books, etc., etc., all of which we have a right to form in any way which we may conceive most conducive to the interests of the Redeemer’s cause.

THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.

The Church of Christ was not made for the preachers, but the preachers of Christ were made for the world and the church. The Church of Christ does not belong to the preachers of Christ—it is not _their_ property—but they belong to the church—are _its_ property. The church is not the servant of the preachers, but preachers of Christ are servants of the churches. The Church of Christ is not called and sent by preachers, but preachers are called and sent by the church. Preachers in the kingdom of Christ are no more dignitaries, kings, and priests, than any other members. They are the Lord’s instruments, put forth through the church to do his work, and mighty instruments too, while the Lord is with them, but the poorest, most useless and miserable creatures on this earth when forsaken of God. Or, in other words, when they are doing _the Lord’s work_, with an eye single to his glory, there are no such instruments for good among men; but when they become selfish, engage simply in their _own work_, or that which they can turn to their own personal aggrandizement, their usefulness ceases, and they are dead weights upon the cause. Our Lord’s own life is the model of all perfection in human character, both public and private. No community need look for any permanent good from any preacher who does not imitate the character of his Lord and Master. He may be much of a gentleman, very fine, pleasant and interesting to worldly-minded persons, and not do any thing or say any thing that would remind any one of the Savior of the world. But to come under the name of a preacher of Christ, a disciple of Christ, and not be like him, not make men think of him, love him, and desire to come to him, is a deception upon the church and the world.

PROGRESSING BACKWARD.

If some of the movements now on foot are to be tolerated, there is no reason for our existence as a body. If we want organs, gorgeous temples, Catharine wheels, clerical orders, superior courts, organizations and numerous societies, aside from the local congregations of the Lord, the Pope can supply any demand for any or all of these. If there are “means of grace,” he is rich in means. He can furnish them an outlet for their overwhelming benevolence in the innumerable channels he has opened. If the great problem is how to reach the pockets of the people and build expensive temples, put up tall spires and chimes of bells, he has solved it. He has swarms of men, and women, too, doing his bidding and under fine pay, living on the fat of the land. He has a _system_, a _plan_, an _organization_, a grand one; the broadest one ever made by man. Here is the opening for men who long for something of that sort. There is no use in mincing the matter, nor in half-way measures. Why not at one bound go right up to the grand culmination of all this kind of progress? There is no use in trudging along behind the Pope, when a man can go to him and be received into his embrace at once.

What a farce for men to be talking of _progress, going on to perfection, keeping up with the age_, etc., etc., when they are giving up and retrograding from the grandest progress possible to men—the progress up to the ground consecrated by the feet of the apostles and first Christians. Talk of progress when going back to the feeble and exploded schemes of sectarians and patronizing their shallow devices! Progress, indeed, to turn away from the holy gospel, the power of God to salvation, and scheme to catch people and draw them in by the blandishments of fine houses, theatrical, musical shows and clerical pretentions! No, brethren, all this is empty and powerless for good, and yielding up to the influences of hardness of heart, and aiding on that overwhelming avalanche of unbelief now coming upon us. We must stand by our Lord and the simplicity of the gospel, its faith and practice, worship and discipline. We can defend and maintain the gracious system of mercy and grace given by our Lord, in its own native purity, but we can maintain nothing else. There must be no wedge of gold in the camp, no Achan. We must offer no strange fires on God’s altar. The Lord directs our minds and hearts and keep us in the love of Christ. We long to see those who trouble us cease to give pain to the hearts of the friends of the Lord; to learn to be happy themselves and make others happy.

NO DIVISION CAN COME.

No _general division_ can come. The main ground we occupy precludes the idea of any _general division_. A vain man, or a bad man, may occasionally scatter a flock, tear up a church and ruin it. But, then, such a man will soon find his level and come to nothing, or become surrounded by influences strong enough to control him. There is no machinery of which he can get hold to produce a general division, nor is there any place where an entering-wedge can be introduced to rive us asunder.

No man can depart from the doctrine sufficiently to produce a division, without losing his influence, so that he will have no power to do anything more than lead off an insignificant faction, such as will die out in a short time. Take any one of the elements now annoying us, and tell us how a general division can grow out of it. You will see that it can not be done. Take, for instance, the question about evangelizing and the different methods insisted on, and inquire how we can divide on it. One man is for this plan or that, and goes for it. Another man is not for this plan or that, and goes against it. The one for it, works for it, and the other does not. After a little space the difference will wear out, and they will fall into the same channel and work together. Different schemes will be tried, found inefficient and useless, and be abandoned. After the brethren have time to mature the matter they will come round to the right ground and go on in harmony. Unscriptural things will be discarded, impracticable things will prove failures, and shallow things will be treated with contempt. Men that are unlovely, of bad spirit, spiteful and revengeful, will soon develop themselves to the satisfaction of all. True men—men of faith and love and zeal—will go on and work where the Lord shall open the way for them; not for man, nor to please man, but for the Lord, and to please the Lord, and the work will go on. Men that will not work, that have no work in them, but want large pay, will seek fat places, and get them, if they can, and if they can not, croak about our lack of system, disorder, want of organization and the like, pine away and vanish out of sight.

But may we not have a general division about the organ? Not at all. We have none among us that will exclude us if we will not _fellowship the organ_. This is all the difficulty there is. Some of us will not _worship with the organ_ nor _fellowship it_. Will not that divide us? Not at all. Those who would rather have their organ in their worship, than those who will not, and can not worship with it, _will have it_, and let those who can not worship with it, _stay away_. Those who can not worship with it will seek some place where they can worship without it, and worship as they know to be according to Scripture. They know this to be safe.

SOME THINGS CAN NOT BE SETTLED.

We once acted on a committee with several others, heard testimony and arguments for a week, and had the parties bound in writing to abide the decision of the committee. When the decision was made the parties acquiesced in it, shook hands over it, and we prayed over them and were all happy. But in a short time, we do not remember whether a week or a month, the whole matter was thrown aside and the parties stood as they did before. Our prayerful and patient work all went for nothing.

When brethren become alienated they frequently do not want to settle their difficulties, but to get an advantage over an opposing party. No court of appeal nor anything we can say will reconcile them. If we, in any part of the affair, agree with them, they _there_ agree with us; but if we in any part of it differ from them they _there_ differ from us. There the matter ends. Still, we will try and give a little attention to the matters in hand.

There are cases where nothing can be done. In other words, there are cases that can not be settled. Church members become like the man’s rails that had been in a _crooked fence_ so long that they would not make a _straight fence_. Church-members sometimes have been _crooked_ so long that they will not become _straight_. They continue in their alienation so long that it becomes a kind of habit with them and food for them. They can not do well without it.

If a church is about equally divided by a difficulty and can not settle the matter among themselves, and will not refer the matter to a committee, it simply _can not be settled_. A case that can not be settled must remain _unsettled_. We answer, that in _that case_ nothing can be done. Some cases of difficulty will never be settled in this world, and will have to be referred to the last judgment for adjudication. It would be well, though, in such a case as stated, for the disaffected party to consider the matter well, and see to it that they have acted wisely and in the Spirit of the Lord in the whole matter. On the other hand, the church party should review the whole ground carefully, and see to it that _all they can do_ to open the way for the disaffected party to become reconciled and brought into the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace _be done_. Let no stone remain unturned, no effort untried and nothing remain undone that might bring peace.

OUTWARD APPEARANCE.

We have made a standing arrangement for paper this year, of which the present pamphlet is a sample, and we shall do our utmost to have the whole volume printed in a neat and legible manner. As to _fine_ paper, covers, etc., they are like fine clothes only necessary to encase the bodies and souls which will not pass without them. You have, no doubt, seen the preacher wrapped in the finest broadcloth, and a golden chain for a watch-guard, who, after a labored effort for an hour would only prove that he was a human frame, finely clad, but _no preacher_. In clothing our thoughts in pamphlets, as in clothing our persons, the proper rule should be, to have the apparel just such as not to be noticed at all, and then the thoughts in the pamphlet or the man himself may be seen. Let the attire be neat enough not to be observed for its shabbiness, and plain enough not to be noticed for its fineness, that the person in the attire may be seen. It is true, it is desirable to have a paper printed plain and neat, but all this and fine paper into the bargain will never make it go, if there be not some life, spirit and power in the articles themselves.

Some men seem astonished that their publications do not circulate, seeing that they contain such a display of the most elegant literary taste, not seeming to be aware of the fact, that not one common reader out of fifty ever perceives the mighty effort at all. Yet there can be no objection to fine style. The difficulty in that class to which we refer, is not that they write in fine style, but that there is _nothing but the style_—neither soul, body, nor spirit.

LITTLE MATTERS.

It may seem strange that a human body, weighing one hundred and fifty pounds, would be disturbed by a little thorn in it, not an eighth of an inch long! But, strange as it may appear, _it is a fact_. And you can not accustom the body to it by piercing the thorn in deeper and deeper, till the body will become easy and comfortable; but you can in that way produce irritation, then inflammation, then mortification, and then death. Death has been produced in this way many times. He is no friend to the body who continues to push the thorn in deeper and deeper, nor is he who would excuse him in so doing, or encourage him in it. There is but one remedy, and that is to _remove the thorn_. Even if you have to make the wound much larger than it is, the thorn _must be removed_, or the end will be death.

There are cases in which a thorn might be pierced into the flesh an inch, and produce no pain or irritation; but they are cases where there is no _life_ in the flesh. A thorn pierced into a _dead body_ will produce no pain or irritation. A dead body has no power to resist it, and will make no effort. This is the reason precisely that a thorn produces no irritation or pain when pierced into certain bodies. They are _dead bodies_. It is no indication that the body is not alive and in healthy condition, to find it resisting foreign matter, and making an effort to remove obstructions; but when it can not do this, the body must die. It can not live and the obstruction remain, at least, only for a short time. But who will permit even a _little thorn_ to remain in his flesh? We care not how little it may be; it is foreign, it is irritating, and, unless removed, will produce death.

It was a little thing for Eve to partake of the forbidden fruit. Thomas Paine inquired, “What harm was there in eating an apple?” This is the watchword with all the unlawful things that people desire to do. “What harm is it?” When we worship according to Scripture we never inquire, “What harm is it?” It is not in doubt, and calls out no such inquiry. It is not under any suspicion. To worship according to Scripture is manifestly right. Why should we lag in anything in doubt, under suspicion, and repulsive to any portion of the body, when we have a divinely-prescribed worship held in no doubt?

It was a little thing for Achan to take a Babylonish garment, some silver, and a wedge of gold, and secrete them in his tent; but when he came to confess, it was not a little matter.