Chapter VII: Part 7

The Lord prayed that those who believe may be one, that the _world may believe_. This denominationalism is the very element in the way of union, or the cause of division, and division is in the way of the world believing, or a main cause of the world not being converted. The way is now opened for carrying the Bible into all the world and turning the world to God. Shall that ever be done, or shall our power be expended in sending denominations into the countries now open for the one pure and holy religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Or, can we not now, under the influence of the love of Christ, receive the one religion of the New Testament and nothing else; unite on it, and carry it to Italy, and every other country now in Divine Providence, opened up for the reception of King Jesus? What need we care for denominations? The body of Christ, the church of the Living God, the kingdom of God, is denomination enough for a man who loves the Savior; and the Book of God, containing the law of God and the gospel too, is creed enough for all who sincerely love our Lord Jesus, the Christ. What a grand and glorious work could be performed, if, all in good earnest in the work would unite under God, put their hearts into the work and determine to push the cause of Christ, the gospel of the grace of God, the kingdom of God, through the world. We have one book, a book no where in doubt—the volume of God, the Bible, and, can all with one heart, and one soul, push it through the world, enforce it on men to read it, teach it to others, and make it the great power in the earth, to break down and wipe out Romanism; to sweep away all pagan gods, temples, and altars, and all sectarian denominations, and unite all the friends of the Lord under Prince Messiah; let him go before them, lead and guide them forever and ever. What is a mere denomination, separated from others by some peculiarities not mentioned in the Bible, nor received by any other party on earth, compared with what the Lord styles, “my church,” Matt. xvi. 18; the body of Christ; the kingdom of God, containing all the people of God? This is what we have in our view; we will go for nothing less than the body of Christ, the kingdom of God. It is of God, the denomination is of man.

WOMEN IN THE CHURCH.

Read the Bible carefully, and note the part the women took, the greatest and best of them, as well as all classes, in the Patriarchal, Jewish and Christian institutions, and follow what you find there. It is safe to follow that, and for the good of all, both men and women. No improvement can be made upon that. As we depart from that we injure all. We desire to see women curtailed in no privilege or blessing; nothing that can make them happy, useful, wise or good. But the less they have to do in the business meetings, the ruling or discipline of the church, the better for them and all concerned. They have a natural and scriptural work to do, and men cannot do that work for them, and men do not lose any of their rights, when not appointed to do the natural and scriptural work of women. In the same way women lose no rights, are excluded from no privilege, nor are they in any way degraded in being limited to their legitimate sphere of operation. The Bible gives women the highest honor they can have, and lays down the road to the highest happiness. It has elevated women from the abject slavery in which Paganism had bound them down, and given them the strong arm of the man to protect and support them. The nearer they follow the Bible, the Lord, and the apostolic teaching the better. This is the road to greatness, happiness and goodness.

WHO CRUCIFIED THE SAVIOR.

Peter charges the crucifixion on the Jews. But the Jews only instigated it; the Romans, who were Gentiles, executed him. The Jews were the more responsible party, as they persisted in clamoring for his crucifixion, when Pilate, the Roman judge wanted to let him go. The Jews premeditated, designed and instigated the crucifixion; the Romans performed the deed, or were tools in the hands of the Jews and executed the will of the Jews.

But when the matter is more fully comprehended the whole world were represented in the transaction. The entire nation of Israel was represented in the Sandhedrim, and the nations, apart from the Jews, the Gentiles, were represented in the Roman court, and thus all the world was represented and implicated in the awful act of crucifying the Lord of glory.

The Jews were, as we have said, the _instigators_ of the crucifixion, but did not, therefore, have the sole responsibility, as the Gentiles, or the Roman court, had the power to release him and desired to do so, but voluntarily yielded to the wishes of the Jews in giving him up to be crucified, and with their own hands executed him. The Jews had no power to inflict capital punishment without the assent of the Roman court. The Jews were the _instigators_ and the Romans the _willing tools to execute their will_.

CHRISTIAN ZEAL.

The leading method employed anciently to impede the progress of christianity was to persecute its adherents. This scheme of opposition was well tried during the first three centuries of the christian era, but, although it, to some extent, gratified the malice of the persecutors, it was never very successful. There is a very plain reason for this. The tendency of persecution is invariably to lead the disciples of our Lord, to examine the ground of their faith and the value of their profession with great care; and when this is done, there is but little danger of “departing from the holy commandment delivered to us.” Nothing has ever caused men to scrutinize their profession and the whole premises thereof, in such a candid and solemn manner as the severe persecutions imposed upon the early followers of our Lord; and yet it is an important truth, that, during these severe persecutions, apostasies were comparatively few. This is not all. Persecution has always led the true followers of Christ to plead for the claims of the cause with greater power. Men, when speaking in a cause and their lives at stake, speak from the very bottom of their hearts, and exert every power with which they are possessed to make an impression. At such times there is no dull formality, but all is life and interest. Every one feels what he saying and doing. There is no sermonizing, no preaching by the day, but every man carries the cause in his bosom, and labors as for eternity. All this is calculated to defeat the ostensible intention of all persecution, and in the place of impeding the progress of the cause must tend to spread it. Not only so, but persecution has a tendency to diminish worldly-mindedness, and cause the entire affairs of this life to appear transient and fleeting. Its constant bearing, like all sufferings in this life, is to direct the christian mind to another world, where the bondage of corruption shall be put off, and where he shall enjoy pleasures for evermore. Under such circumstances, how the mind is filled with piety, and how the spirit adorns the redeeming love which, through Jesus Christ, has brought the tidings of deliverance! Finding no abatement of persecutions here, no mitigation of suffering, the afflicted pilgrim looks to another world for a home—for a city upon the immovable rock, the maker and builder of which is God, where he anticipates he will enter the eternal rest. In all this, the effect is precisely the opposite of what is intended by persecutors. They intend to cause people to abandon christianity by persecuting them, whereas it only causes them to esteem it more sacred and press it more closely to their hearts.

How perfectly had all worldly considerations dwindled into nothingness when the apostle counted all things but loss, that he might win Christ, and when he estimated the intolerable affliction imposed upon him, _light_, compared with the eternal _weight of glory_ in prospect! Such heavenly mindedness is the direct tendency of persecution, and only calculated to make the glories of christianity shine with greater luster, and, consequently, serves not the designs of those by whom it is inflicted. It, nevertheless, has been tried in thousands of instances, since the first three centuries, in various parts of the world, even down to quite a modern date, but has never been able to extinguish the light emanating from the lofty fountain of all light and all knowledge. From modern developments, it would seem, that it is now being ascertained by the great opposer of all good, that methods more effectual may be employed, to impede the progress of the gospel, of which we can not now speak in detail. _Indifference_, however, or a general lack of _conscientiousness_, is now the order of the day. Anciently, when a doctrine was preached which the people did not believe, they were greatly excited by it. On the other hand, when they did believe it, they moved forward most warmly and energetically. It was the character of the Jewish people to follow their impressions with great tenacity.

To the people of our times, it would seem strange that the preaching of the apostles should have so excited the people. This generation can listen to doctrine entirely adverse to their views, with comparatively little excitement. They will frequently seem scarcely to have heard it. This is because they do not hold themselves responsible for what is taught, nor feel any very deep concern and interest in forming the public mind. They are indifferent to what is taught. This is one of the most dangerous features of our times. It grows to a considerable extent out of reading light trash, of a novel and imaginary character, which throws away every thing sentimental, with all concern about the impression it may make upon the human heart. It destroys concern for one of the most important items in the world, and seems to suppose that our children may, with perfect safety, hear whatever may chance to fall in their path.

When a man becomes indifferent, or falls into such a state as not to care what is taught, he is measurably beyond the reach of all instruction, for he places no value upon instruction. When the gospel of our Lord was first spoken, it moved the souls of those who heard it, and caused them to act most energetically either for or against it. This was because they cared for public sentiment, and were deeply concerned about what was taught. They were really conscientious and felt highly responsible for all their actions. But how different where this feeling of responsibility is lost? The most awful consequences may be referred to, the most terrible appeals may be made, and the most powerful inducements may be placed before them, but Galio like, they are all unheeded and unappreciated. In this case, conscientiousness, if not even consciousness itself, if not entirely lost, is so greatly diminished as entirely to cease to perform its office.

This state of indifference is not confined to the world alone, but has long since entered the precincts of the church. It is in the way of every meeting, of every ordinance, of every discourse, and of every good work. Those under its influence are ever ready to drawl out, “It is of no use”—“it can’t be done”—or, “I do not care anything about it.” Sometimes it is evaded, by objections or some fault being found. How perfectly disheartening all this is to those who desire to do good, and carry forward the conquest of a great and glorious cause.

How few there are who can properly press the claims of christianity, knowing that such an irresponsible and indifferent state of feeling prevails. It is hard to manifest a becoming zeal in the midst of such a state of apathy. Yet he who rightly reasons upon the cause of our Lord, and keeps the subject ever present in his mind, must be moved forward. He can not be discouraged, cowed down, nor deterred. He is invincible in his course. The spirit that burns in his breast is unconquerable. The more he has to contend with, the more grace and ardor of soul he seems to possess. He looks to Jesus, who for the joy set before him, endured the contradiction of sinners, even unto the death of the cross, and yet overcame, and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God. He asks the question: Why did our Lord make the good confession before Pontius Pilate? Why did he yield to the ignominious death of the cross? Why did the holy apostles suffer as they did? Why did the first christians wade through floods and flames? Why were they bathed in tears and blood? Why all their zeal and perseverance under all this? Because they endured, by faith seeing him who is invisible. They looked forward to the recompense of reward. They held daily and spiritual communion with God. Their hearts were in heaven, whence, also, they looked for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who that has the grand theme of good tidings and great joy to all people, first announced by angels at the birth of our Lord and Savior, dwelling richly in his heart, can fail to have a burning and a constant zeal to spread the same grand and glorious theme to the ends of the earth, and thus contribute in causing it to bless the nations?

If the winds of heaven and the waves of the sea, if the diseases of the sick and the terrors of death, if the graves of the dead and the gates of hades, were obedient to the mandate of Jesus Christ, and, if the veil of the temple was rent in twain, the rocks were sundered, the earth trembled and the sun was veiled in darkness when the Lord of glory died—should not the human heart always be filled, when his name is mentioned? If the mighty angels fall prostrate at the feet of Jesus, and hasten to perform the most august message at his command, should it not be the delight of those redeemed by his blood, to do his will, that they enter by the gates into the city, and have a right to the tree of life?

Who can, who dare slumber in his presence? Who dare be indifferent to the theme that dwelt upon his gracious lips? When he speaks it is the voice of a king—more, it is the voice of the King of kings and Lord of lords; it is the voice of him who is to bear all rule, all authority and power, until all his enemies are subdued. Heaven is his throne and the earth his footstool. Shall we not adore his name, that he has graciously promised to confess us before his Father and before his angels? To his name be honor and dominion forever and ever.

JUDGMENT, THE GROUND OF REPENTANCE.

When Paul stood in the midst of Mar’s hill, he boldly declared the ignorance and superstition of the Athenians, before the gospel, and stated to them, that “in the times of this ignorance, God winked at,” or that he did not hold them to a strict account. He concedes, here, the principle expressed by the Savior, that where there is but little given there is but little required; and on this ground, admits that God would not deal with them strictly according to their works. But he approaches a different state of things. A change was about to take place in the dealings of God with that people. How is it to be now? The apostle responds, “But now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” In the times of the ignorance before the gospel, this command to all men every where, to repent, did not exist. But, now that the gospel is preached to every creature, he commands all men everywhere to repent. But he does not stop here, but proceeds to give us the reason why God commands men to repent. That reason is not, that there is no day of judgment to come, which might serve as a reason why men need not repent. Why, then, does God now command all men everywhere to repent? The apostle answers, “Because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.” It is not strange, with this passage before us, that preaching Universalism never causes anybody to repent. The preachers of that doctrine deny the cause of repentance; and while the Lord calls upon men to repent, because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, they spend their time in preaching that there will be no judgment to come. In this they set aside the grand reason why men should repent. While the preaching of the true gospel leads men to sorrow that they have sinned, in view of a righteous judgment to come, the preaching of that disgraceful doctrine—which we are sorry to have necessity to mention upon our pages—leads wicked men to laugh and trifle, both in view of their sins, and all that the Bible says of the great judgment day.

The apostle, however, does not merely state that God has appointed a day in which he will judge the world, but he alleges that he has given assurance of the fact. His words are, “Whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” Here he arrives at the foundation of all—the resurrection of Christ from the dead. His logic runs thus: Christ rose from the dead. What assurance does that give? It is the assurance that God has given that he has appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. And what if that is the case? Why, then, he commands all men everywhere to repent. As certain as Christ rose from the dead, there will be righteous judgment; and because there will be a righteous judgment, men are commanded to reform and become righteous.

Jesus Christ was judged by the highest ecclesiastical court on earth, and in the highest civil court—but in both cases condemned unjustly. He could not have righteous judgment in this world; but, when the unrighteous sentences were passed upon him, and he had yielded to the penalty, and his body was consigned to the prison-house of death, while his spirit was in the unseen world, he appealed the case, and had it referred to the high, the holy and inflexible court of heaven, where the case was tried righteously. When this was done, the former decisions were condemned, as partial and unjust, and Jesus was “justified by the Spirit,” or, as Peter expresses it, “he was quickened by the Spirit.” The decision in the case was not only reversed, but the penalty, which had been executed, and was beyond the power of those who inflicted it to reverse it, was reversed by the great and righteous tribunal to which Jesus had appealed. He was justified from the guilt of their decision, when the Spirit of God condemned their sentence as unjust, and justified from the penalty when he was “quickened by the Spirit,” or raised from the dead.

When justified, he breaks forth in most triumphant language: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold! I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.” He had been condemned unjustly, but had gone to a righteous judgment, where the decision was changed, and he was justified; the penalty of death was removed, and he was made alive forevermore; hence, “he ever liveth to make intercession for us.” He had obtained justice. In this case, we have an assurance of a day being appointed in which God will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. If God, after the death of Jesus, judged in the case of the great leader of all christians, and changed the unrighteous sentence previously passed upon him, and justified him, why may we not expect him to judge all the world after death; and, where the righteous have been condemned, as has frequently been, and as will be, the case in this world, reverse the decision, and justify them; and, on the other hand, where the guilty have been justified, the decision changed, and they condemned.

There is not a more consoling sentiment on earth, to a righteous man, than that there is a day appointed when impartial justice will take place. The Lord Jesus will judge among the nations, and mete out to them according to their works. The thought, that justice will never take place, may be pleasing to rogues, and such a view might be contended for with great zeal, on the part of those who know that a righteous judgment must condemn them, and such as care not how deep a stab they inflict upon the morals of the world; but to the man who maintains a conscience void of offense toward God and man, and who intends, to the best of his ability, to deport himself righteously, nothing can be a higher satisfaction, than the doctrine, that all false decisions will be reversed, and that a just and equitable sentence will be passed upon all. Such a judgment we anticipate, and such judgment, we are assured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, will take place.

THE GENEALOGY OF CHRIST.

One thing that has caused an apparent difficulty touching the genealogy of Christ, is, that inquirers are not aware of the fact, that Matthew traces the genealogy of Joseph, from Abraham down, and that Luke traces the genealogy of Mary up to Adam. Matt. i.; Luke iii. This will account, in some degree, for the disagreement in names. They are evidently two distinct lines of genealogy, and the best authorities we can appeal to at present, give Matthew’s to Joseph and the other to Mary, and it is clear to any one, that one descends and that the other ascends.

The best evidence we can command, sustains the idea that Matthew wrote at an earlier date than Luke, and that he took his genealogy from the Jewish records, from Abraham to Joseph, as the Jews would be willing to believe their own records; and, that when Luke wrote, Joseph had been adopted into the family of Heli, (Eli, the same) Joseph’s father-in-law, some years, and, consequently, Luke copied the genealogy of Joseph through Heli, which was properly Mary’s genealogy, up to Adam.

There are, however, difficulties in these genealogies, which, we presume, no one can reconcile; but Matthew and Luke are not accountable for them, as they simply give these as the commonly received genealogies, which those in the day when they had the records to appeal to, never disputed. Had the Jews been able to involve the Apostle and Luke in a contradiction, they, no doubt, would willingly have done it, but this they could not do, without disputing their own records.

ADHERING TO THE BIBLE.

No man should go to the Bible, or the God of the Bible, to teach him what _man is_, or what he should be; but he should go to the Bible to learn what _he is_, what _he ought to be_, and what he ultimately _shall be_. He should not go to the Bible to show what it should teach, but to learn what it does teach, for to this we shall all come in the end, whether it is congenial with our desires or not. We intend, therefore, to maintain it as it is, whether the number in favor of it is small or great. We intend to maintain the old distinction between _saint_ and _sinner_, vice and virtue, good and bad, with the same meaning attached to them, regardless of all consequences. We shall speak of men being saved and lost, happy and miserable, justified and condemned, with the same ideas attached to the terms as heretofore, and sustained by all sound rules of interpretation, whether it shall be considered sense or foolishness. We shall continue to use the Bible terms, rewards and punishments, life and death, heaven and hell, in the same sense as we have been wont to do, knowing, as we do, that we are supported by the whole canon of sound criticism, and we most solemnly admonish all who fear God, against the glosses of that sickening and supercilious affectation, that induces any man, for one moment, to hesitate to declare to his fellow man, in the most faithful manner, the terrible threatenings of the Almighty against the impenitent.

Let no preacher shrink, in this age of sinfulness and pride; let no man of God be deterred by the ridicule of Universalists, by low wit of sceptics, or the vulgar mocking of atheists, from declaring the terrors of the Lord, for he says, “The Lord shall judge his people.” “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” “With lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, _by promising him life_.” “It is better to enter into life having one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched.” “The rich man died, and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment.” Such is but a tithe of what abounds of this description throughout the New Testament. Is he a friend to his God or his fellow man, who knows such language to abound in the word of God, and shuns to declare it to those who hear him?

EXCHANGING PULPITS.

What confidence would we have in the preacher who would exchange pulpits with a priest of the Papacy, not only a member of the Romish Church, but made such before he knew there was a God, or a Savior, an idolater, or an unregenerated man? The book of God forbids the saints from keeping company with such a man, or eating with him, or to bid him God-speed. We can meet a Romish priest and treat him as a citizen, if he is one, a neighbor, or gentleman, but we do not know him as a preacher of Jesus, or as a teacher of saints, or as a Christian. He bears no such relations as these to us, and we recognize him in none of these relations. In the same way, any man made a member of the church without any faith, or before he knew there was a church, or even a God, or who has had water sprinkled on him for baptism, is not in the body of Christ, and we feel kindly toward him as a fellow-creature, as a citizen, neighbor or gentleman, if he is one, but we do not know him as a preacher of Jesus, nor a teacher in the kingdom at all. We can extend to him all the amenities and courtesies of life as a fellow-creature, citizen, neighbor, gentleman, etc., but we simply know him, not as a preacher of Jesus, or a teacher of the children of the kingdom. He is not in the kingdom, and is not the man to perform any service there.

The first thing for him to do, is to submit to the divinely ordained process by which to enter the kingdom and become a citizen, according to the law of the Great King, and then he is ready to do any service for which he is qualified in the kingdom. But he can not work in the kingdom till he is in it, and it is a sham, a pretense and hypocrisy to act toward him as if he were in the kingdom, an insincerity before the people that leads to a false impression with some, and destroys the confidence with others.

Such procedure is intended as a show of liberality, broad and liberal views. But is it sincere? Is it candid? Is it honest? What is meant by it? If these men with whom you exchange pulpits are not in Christ, what do you mean when you place them before the people as preachers of the gospel and teachers of the saints? Do you mean that in your expanded liberality you would act toward a man as if he were a brother and a preacher, when you know he is not in the kingdom at all, but if he wanted to become a member of the church, you would not receive him, or give the right hand of fellowship till he was immersed? This will do for people with no religious convictions, no settled principles and no law of God on which to act. They can act in this way or that as they think will be popular, or suit the caprice of the people. But among men with religious convictions, settled principles, and the law of God before them, it is only a want of principle, consistency, and regard for the law of God. It is simply a manifest disrespect to the Majesty of heaven and earth, a bold, open showing that the law of God is ignored, overlooked and disregarded, in courtesy to a man not in the kingdom at all, in deference to a man that was never initiated into the body of Christ! This is openly trampling down the law of God and showing contempt for it, in an empty show of liberality to those to whom the grace of God is as free as any others, but who have never come in the Lord’s appointments into the kingdom of God. We are as desirous to be courteous and liberal as anybody, but religious convictions, sacred principles, and last, though not least, the law of God must not be ignored, overlooked, or treated with contempt. No good man will respect any man for setting aside his religious convictions, principles, or the law of God.

KIND OF PREACHERS AND PREACHING NEEDED.

We want no mere excitement about _a man_, nor _after a man_, who, as Simon the Sorcerer, induces the people to think that he is some _great one_. We want the clear, solid and telling preaching of the gospel, enlightening the people in reference to our Lord, the way to him, and how to serve him. We do not expect, as a general rule, to see much move among the people for the first ten days, but a gradual increase in the audience, the interest in the preaching and conversations about it; an account of the people hunting up their Bibles, inquiring whether these things are so, and occasional argument in reference to the matter. But after due time and deliberation, persons begin to step forward and confess Christ. While a good song is sung, everything in the assembly is solemn, and the impression deepens. While a few remarks are made of a solemn and impressive nature, and the confessions are taken, the audience sits in profound silence, in the deepest and most serious meditation, and tears are seen to flow freely from many faces. The audience disperses, and quietly retires, as if from a funeral. This is what we mean by _gospel work_.

We want nothing sensational, no tricks, no comic performance; no private maneuvering to induce any one to promise, “If you will join, I will;” no artifice to get round the people, come on them suddenly and surprise them. Come directly to the people from the start, and let them know what you mean, and work directly to the one point—the enlightenment and salvation of men. The man that can tell the story of the cross, and of a Savior’s love, in the most artless and unaffected manner, lose sight of and forget himself in his theme most completely, will accomplish the most in the Savior’s name. May we learn and tell the story of infinite compassion and love in all its fullness and completeness more successfully, with more faith and power than ever, and may we be enabled to bring souls to Christ more abundantly than ever.

WHERE IS THE POWER?

The genuine power—the power that will enable us to stand against all opposition and triumph at last—is not in this man or that, money or learning, talent or popularity, but in the _true position_. Learning is profitable, if used wisely, as a help in finding and determining the true position; but the power is not in the learning nor talent. A man of very ordinary learning and talent may find the true position, stand on and defend it. No matter what a man’s learning, talent or popularity may be, if he forsakes the truth, the right ground, if he undertakes to advocate false theories, it will become perfect weakness, and will be swept away like chaff. If men desire to stand, let them not think of their own power, learning, popularity, or personal influence, and talent, but of the _true ground_, “the right way of the Lord,” and depend on truth and the God of truth; never deviate from the truth, but be faithful to it, maintain their integrity to it, and the God of all truth and righteousness will hold them up. They will realize that the strength of the everlasting hills is underneath, and they cannot be moved. If men who once knew the truth, begin to higgle, tamper and trifle; if they, little by little, begin to show a want of integrity, a lack of moral honesty; a disposition to compromise with sectarianism; to ignore the distinctions between truth and error, the body of Christ and sectarian bodies; the way of the Lord and other ways, and finally begin to abandon leading principles and leading points of teaching, they will find their power gone and will soon amount to nothing. Many men have, in this way, literally thrown themselves away, and others are now going the same road.

If men desire to stand, they should seek the true ground, try to ascertain and determine what the truth is; find, with certainty, the _true position_, and place themselves squarely in it; maintain and defend it, not depending on _their own_ strength, learning, talent, influence or popularity, but on the truth; the _true position_; the _right way_. But some one is ready to inquire: “How can we find truth in the midst of so much error; the right way in the midst of so many ways?” This may be a little difficult to some. There is, however, one thing indispensable to it, and that is that a man receive “_the love of the truth_.” This lies at the foundation of the whole matter. Men will never be successful in finding, advocating, maintaining or defending the truth, who have never “received the love of the truth;” nor will they succeed in abiding in the truth. This is the very ground-work of the whole matter. All a man’s pretences of seeking the truth, are nothing but an empty sham, if he has not in him the love of the truth. He must have in him “a good and an _honest heart_,” to constitute him the “good ground” in which the seed of the kingdom, the word of God, will grow. But the man that loves the truth, desires it, longs for it, and has in him a good and honest heart, will make most diligent, careful and critical search for it. He sets out, not to prove this or that; not to maintain this theory or that, but to find the _true ground_—the _truth itself_, “as it is in Jesus”—and rarely fails to find the desired object, the highly prized jewel, the most precious gem. The love of the truth has an influence on a man, in different ways, in favor of his finding it, as follows:

_First._ It leads him to make diligent search for it. A man will certainly strive to find an object that he loves, and if he loves the truth, he will make most diligent search for it.

_Second._ It leads him to exercise the utmost discrimination, to distinguish between truth and error, that he may not be imposed on and deceived, and induced to think something is the truth that is not, and thus have a spurious article imposed on him.

_Third._ The love of the truth has wonderful power over a man to cause him to _retain it_. If he loves it he will not give it up.

If a man receives not the love of the truth, it affects him badly in the following respect:

_First._ He will exercise no diligence, to find it. He will not search for it.

_Second._ He will not be honest when it is presented to him, but will evade, cavil, quibble and mystify it if possible; kick up a dust to blind his own eyes, and thus keep him from understanding and receiving the truth. The Lord will abandon such men to “believe a lie, _because they received not the love_ of the truth that they might be saved.” There are many men now who receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. They will never be enlightened or brought to the knowledge of the truth. The truth condemns them and they do not want it. They hate it and those who love it.

Truth has one grand quality about it; the more you know about it, the more clearly you see that it is the truth. It is like an honest man; the more you know about him, the more clearly you see that he is an honest man. The more you know about error, the more clearly you perceive it to be error. In the same way, the more you know about dishonest and heartless men the more clearly you see that they are dishonest.

Be careful and occupy the right ground, the true position, and no man can ever overthrow it, or prove it to be anything else but the true ground. It is a great thing in favor of an army to take a _strong position_.

We have taken the strongest position that can be taken, and if we fall back from that, no matter what we fall back to, we shall find it a weaker position. We have gone back to our Lord and looked up to him, and committed ourselves to him. He has given us a position and placed us on it. It is not _our_ position but _his_ position. We know it is right, because it came from him and is his. We have simply received him, with all he said and did—his holy and inspired apostles, with all they said and did. We have nothing of _our own_, but have received Christ and his gospel, the apostles of Christ, and the gospel of the grace of God, which they preached; the teaching of Christ and his apostles; all things as they came from this divine source, without anything added or taken away, anything more or less. None can find a position above this. It is the highest ground that can be taken. The gospel which the apostles preached is right. The apostles’ teaching for the churches is right. This nobody denies. We have no position of _our own_, or doctrine of _our own_, but have taken precisely the position of the first Christians, and the teachings under which they were placed, and no other. We, therefore, have nothing but our Lord, his gospel and teachings, as they emanated from himself and his inspired apostles, and no position only the one on which they have placed us to defend.

We are weak and can do but little. Let us not rely on _our own_ position, but the one the Lord has appointed; _our own_ views or theories, but the clear teachings of our Lord and his apostles. Here is the strength, and those who stand here will find the Lord of hosts with them. We must plead for the Lord, the gospel, the teachings of Christ and the apostles, the ground on which they stood, maintain that and nothing else. Here is the power, and it is nowhere else.

COMMUNION.

The Lord gave the commemoration of his sufferings and death to _his disciples_, and Paul, in Corinth, gave it to the congregation of the saints, and not to any others. Those who are his disciples, who are in Christ, in the body, are communicants, and those not in Christ, are not communicants. We “neither invite nor exclude,” but show to whom the Lord has given the communion, and that no others have any right to it, only those in good standing in the body, and _give it to no others_.

But for any preacher or church to arrange _purposely_ for communion with persons whom they know are not in Christ, not in the kingdom, and try to blur over the clear violation of the law of the kingdom, as thus deliberately arranged for, by defining the position of his church to be that they “neither invite nor exclude,” is certainly a weak and shallow device. It is an attempt to ignore the very act by which we enter into union with the Father and with the Son, as, also, the “whole family in heaven and on earth,”—immersion into Christ, into the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, under the sham pretext of a _union_ meeting, a _union_ communion. There is no _Christian union_ in any meeting that intends to ignore the clear law of induction into the kingdom of God. It is only a _union in disloyalty_ to the Great King—_ignoring his law_.

WANDERING PILGRIMS.

We know of two or three wandering pilgrims that are now old men, of good enough talent to have made a permanent record long ago, and yet received in doubt wherever they go, held in distrust, and, to say the least, they have nothing that could be called a standing. To be safe, all the overseers in the church need do is simply to receive no man till he produces clear evidence of good standing. Look back over the record and see where the men have gone to who have tried the _gospel of soul sleeping_. Where are Elias Shortridge, Wm. P. Shockey, Wm. S. Speer, J. K. Speer, Snooks, and others of the same ilk? and where are their works? A streak of desolation has followed in their train all the way. They have divided churches, set the people of God at variance, and sown the seeds of discord. This is the kind of fruit that has been gathered from their work. Look back over the ground and see what has followed every man that has stranded among us. Nothing but ruin has followed. Men that stood fair, had line talent and valuable attainments, by some kind of departure or other, have gone, little by little, blaming those that loved them, and would, had it been in their power, have done anything to make them happy, till all is lost and they feel averse to almost everything. This is what it brings to get restless and dissatisfied with the plain truth of the Scriptures.

The race of some men is short, and the mischief they do is certain. The ruin they bring to the churches is inevitable. Nothing is more important than that the churches should guard against false teachers. In the place of being flattered that all is well, and that they mean all right, we should be on the lookout; watch all unscriptural words and phrases; every false move and pretence; every doubtful man and measure, and encourage that which is safe, sound and good. Make every public man sensible that it is of importance to him, and to the cause, to be known to be sound in teaching; to hold fast the form of sound speech that can not be condemned; to be entirely safe and reliable; to have a good record during his past history as a preacher. Make all our young men specially sensible of the importance to them to become permanent men, firm, decided and determined in their course. We want no milk-and-water men, a little this way and a little that, but men of settled principles, religious convictions and reliable purposes. Be careful who you “indorse” as preachers of the gospel. Men who want good indorsers should be good men.

DEDICATION OF CHURCH EDIFICES.

Nothing is more common than reading of the dedication of the Temple by Solomon as appropriate on dedication occasions. Only a few short years ago, a young brother of fine talent read of the dedication of the temple, and appropriated it to the occasion of dedicating a new meeting-house. But this is a perversion of a very inexcusable character. It loses sight of the significance of one of the most important types of the Old Testament. The temple was no type of a meeting-house, nor was the dedication of the temple a type of dedicating a meeting-house. The Lord did not give us the minute description of the building of the temple and the dedication to show us how to build _fine houses_ and _dedicate them_.

The temple was the type of the _spiritual building_; the _congregation of the saints, lively stones_, built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. This is the temple that God dwells in—the house of God. The dedication of that ancient temple was typical of the dedication, or the consecration of men and women to the service of God. The work of the Pope is to lose sight of the dedication, or the consecration of men and women to the service of God, symbolized by the dedication of the temple, and turn the eyes of the people to great gatherings of people, to the flummery and parade of laying corner-stones, dedicating houses, immense piles of stone, brick, wood and mortar, baptizing bells and furniture, etc., etc.; but this is no work for the followers of Jesus, nor is there anything in it to put one in mind of our Lord.

We have no objection to holding a good meeting in a new house, setting the congregation of the Lord in order, if it needs it in it, and preaching the gospel to the people of the world. But we see no use then in making a great ado about it, or thinking any more of it than a good meeting in an old house. We do not like _extra occasions_. We like the regular worship appointed by the Lord, with every item from him, and not an item not from him. We love the things of God, but nothing not of him. We want no dedication occasions, nor any others not authorized in Scripture. When a new house is built, go into it and use it precisely as you would if it had been there fifty years. What the Lord has appointed will occupy our whole minds and hearts and hands.

THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS.

There was certainly an assembly or congregation in the wilderness, as mentioned by Stephen. Acts vii. 38; but this congregation or assembly in the wilderness was the nation, or the national assembly of Israel—fleshly Israel. It consisted of the fleshly descendants of Abraham, as described in the language of God to Abraham, “Those born in thy house,” or the Jews. This congregation or assembly, the nation of Israel, or the Jews, was not the church, or body of Christ, but, as a body, it rejected Christ, persecuted him and instigated putting him to death, persecuted his followers and the church he established. Those of whom the church on Pentecost was composed came out of that old persecuting church, abandoned it and “were added to them”—to the apostles and the one hundred and twenty brethren—the new church—the one the Lord said (Matt. xvi. 18), “I will build.” “On this rock I will build my church”—the “one new man” (Eph. ii. 15), “to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.” “Man” here is used figuratively, and stands for _church_, and one _new_ man is one _new_ church. It is not the perpetuation of an _old_ church, Adamic, Abrahamic, Mosaic or any other, but to build _one new church_ was what the Lord intended and accomplished.

The matter now is, not to be a descendant of Abel, nor of Abraham, nor Jacob, or Israel; nor to be of any particular line of flesh and blood, but to be born again—born from above, born of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” This new church has a new basis of membership, not in the flesh but in the Spirit, not in being born in the family of Abraham, but in the family of God, not in the first birth, but the second birth, not in a birth of the flesh, but a birth of the Spirit, not founded in natural generation, but in regeneration, not children of God by blood, but “all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

This church in which we are “all the children of God by faith in Christ”—by virtue of a new creation, a birth of water and of the Spirit, is not the one in the wilderness, nor any other church, congregation or assembly found before Pentecost, but it is the one the Lord said, “I will build,” but which was not built when the Lord said this; the one _new_ man, or _new_ church which the Lord made of the twain, or the _two_, the Jews and the Gentiles. This is the “one body” into which all were immersed in the time of the apostles—the body of Christ—the “temple of God,” in which God and Christ and the Holy Spirit dwell. To be “in Christ” is to be in this _one body_, to be “in the kingdom of God,” “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” to be in union with the Father and with the Son, with the whole family in heaven and on earth. To be in this one body brings us to all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This is the body or the church that Jesus loved, and for which he gave himself, that “he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word”—“the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” It is “the building of God,” established “according to his eternal purpose” to “the intent” that “to the principalities and powers in heavenly places may be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” See Eph. iii. 10.

SOUND MEN.

Why do men regret to hear us say of a man, “He is a gospel man;” “He is a sound man;” “He is a New Testament man.” It implies that there are some that are not “gospel men,” not “sound,” not “New Testament men.” What if it does? Why need any man be troubled about that? Certain men will be suspected of being unsound! Indeed! Must we shut our eyes and think contrary to what we know to be matter of fact, that all are sound? But, you imply that some are not sound! Certainly, and you imply that some are not honest, when you put a lock on your stable, crib or smoke-house, lock and bolt your doors at night, and when you will not trust all men alike. When you say, “I will trust him, his word is as good as his note,” you imply that some other man is not good—that his word is not as good as his note.

But we tell you of A, B, C, D and E, that we have trusted, and they have all paid, and we believe all are alike honest, and will pay. If you are a business man, you will reply, “Yes, and I have trusted many more than that, all of whom paid, but I have trusted a long list that did not pay, and you need not preach to me that all will pay.” So referring to a few men who, on a few occasions preached the gospel faithfully, does not prove that _all do this_, or even that _these few_ always do it.