The Spiritual Church
Fourth Lecture
INTRODUCTORY.
We will read the 12th chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians. In this Epistle the first four chapters are taken up with instructions and reproofs, concerning the divisions, the beginning of denominationalism at Corinth. In this 12th chapter we have a description of the organized Church under the new covenant in distinction from the old covenant.
1 Cor. 12: 1-3:
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.No man can call him Lord except by the Holy Ghost without which he is not a subject of his kingdom. Christ's kingdom consists of all who are in
147
subjection to him as Lord. His Church consists of all who are members of his body.
1 Cor. 12: 4-9:
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
"6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
"7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
"8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
"9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;"Paul, Apollos and Cephas had their different gifts and operations in the same gospel and the error of the Corinthian Church from their lack of knowledge was in making such differences a ground of division, whereas these different gifts were all needful for the benefit of the Church and ought not to cause divisions by preferring one Apostle above another.
MIRACLES AS A GROUND OF FAITH.
"10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues;"
Miracles belonged to the old dispensation. The Jews required signs. Miracles belonged with rituals under the old covenant and were continued as we
148
have seen until the year 64 A. D., when ordinances were abolished thirty-one years after Christ.
The instructions were not given to the Jews to leave Moses and the rituals until the year 64, and the same year the Epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians, Gentile believers, were written, declaring that ordinances were abolished and the partition
wall between Jews and Gentiles broken down.
I find from the instructions of the Word that miracles, instead of being a proof as finder the law, are an evidence against religious teachers. See 2 Thessalonians 2: 9, 10, Revelations 13: 13 and 19: 20. Mormonism is built on miracles; Christian Science and Dowieism, Sanfordism and every form of religious delusion is relying upon miracles, and destroying faith of mankind in all religion. True faith is built upon the Word, and not on marvels. The Christian would not go across the street to see miracles for the confirmation of his faith. His experience of the saving power of the Word is the ground of his faith. The miracles were the schoolmaster along with rituals to bring the Jews to Christ.
"11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
"12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body : so also is Christ.
"13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
"14 For the body is not one member, but many.149
"15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
"16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
"17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
"18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased him."
The unity of the Church is illustrated by the human body, the unity of its members with the head and each other.So, the one baptism of which Paul speaks is that which makes us members of the body of Christ.
And the unity of the body depends upon its direct connection with one head. Put two heads on one body and the members would not harmonize. This is the reason of the divisions of the religious world, -- there are too many heads. I wish they were cut off except one, and that is Christ.
God is here, as in every place, represented as the organizer of his Church, and there is no authority given to men to organize, but to preach the Word. God puts the members together. Every member he sets in the body as pleases him.
"19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
"20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
"21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you."150
Every Christian has his place in the body. He is set in the body by the Holy Ghost. We are born into the family of God. We don't join the family after we are born, but are born into it. With his law of love in our hearts we are one with all other members. "That there should be no schism in the body." In God's organization divisions are impossible.
"22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
"23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour ; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness."For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
"25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
"26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
"27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members 'in particular.
"28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
"29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
"30 Have 'all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
"31 But covet earnestly the best gifts : and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."
151
We are in the same Church here that the Apostles were in and don't need other Apostles.
God has a government for his Church and it is entirely spiritual, having the authority of truth and : t man's authority, and it is very different from the political governments of the world. I understand that the fall of the Church has been from a spiritual to a political body with man at its head.
That more excellent way which is more important than all the gifts, makes us one: That is holy love, the new commandment by which Christ's disciples are distinguished.
LET US PRAY.
Almighty God, our Father, in thy kind providence we are gathered in this place once more to hear from thee out of thy Word, and we are thankful that thou hast fully revealed to us thy way of salvation, Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and hast shown us the nature of the building of which thou art the author, whose foundation and only foundation is Jesus Christ thy son; every member of which thou hast placed in the body as it has pleased thee. 0 God, we pray that thy Spirit may give a right understanding of thy Word, that we may know what thy Church is, and see its distinction from the Churches of this world. We realize that we are in perilous times; men are saying, "Lo, here is Christ, and, lo, he is there." We pray that thou wouldest
152
have mercy upon the people and send the light of truth into their hearts. Grant that we may be satisfied with Jesus Christ they son, and seek to be members of his body in entire subjection to him as our I-lead, and that we may realize that we have in him a completeness and fitness for heaven, and not in a human priesthood, or in outward conditions. We are glad that thou hast said, "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," and that thou hast cut off all priesthoods and all middlemen. We would obey the invitation of thy gospel: "Come unto me, look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved." Now, Lord, lead us as we look into thy Word. We are thankful that we have the promise of thy guidance. May we lose sight of men, and not be concerned about their frowns or favor, but seek conformity to thy Word, and not be biased by our preconceived ideas from honest inquiry for the truth, sitting at the feet of Jesus to learn of him and the holy prophets and Apostles the way of salvation which thou hast declared to be so plain that the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. We are conscious of our insufficiency and of our dependence upon the wisdom which is from above. And we will give thee the praise and glory of our salvation, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
----------
My subject, which was announced last night, is, "My Church." Jesus Christ says: "Upon this rock
153
will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." That is the Church outside of which is no salvation.
Matthew 16: 13-19:
"13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?
"14 And they said, Some say_ that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
"15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
"16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
"17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
"18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
"19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."This rock was not Peter, but his confession of Christ. No one can be saved without this confession and recognition of Christ. This same confession of faith is the rock on which all human hopes are based. Hence it is the rock on which the Church is built. "Other foundation can no man lay."
The gates of hell have prevailed against what men call Churches in these times, which have more sinners than saints in them, and I am glad for the truth of this declaration that there is a Church against
154
which the gates of hell have never yet and never can prevail.
The keys of the kingdom of heaven is the Word of God. In the plural it may mean the gospel by Peter to both Gentiles and Jews, but this part of the passage, and "whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven, and whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven," agrees with what John says in the 20th chapter, "Whosesoever sins ye remit shall be remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained." The craftiness of Rome builds here the power of the priesthood to forgive sins. But the truth is plain that it is by than Word which the Apostles preached and which is, preached by God's faithful ministry to-day, which is "a savor of life unto life or death unto death" according to the manner in which it is treated, and is that which looses or binds; which remits or retains the sins of men. People do not realize the fact that the gospel that comes within their reach is either a savor of life unto them or of death, according to their treatment of it; and that those who reject the gospel have their . doom sealed by it, whatever the instrumentality is, the preacher may be the most in significant on earth, yet, if he is God's instrument, the Word he preaches seals the doom of those who
hear it and do not obey. Peter's authority was simply. the authority of the Word preached, not only by Peter but all God's true ministers. "On this rock will I build my Church." I do not find any other
155
Church in the New Testament but Christ's Church; and he says, "my Church." It is distinguished from all other Churches; he is the proprietor of it. In his prayer for his disciples in the 17th chapter of John Jesus says, "all mine are thine, and thine are mine," he claims his disciples as his own. And so on down to the end of time, he prays for their unity as a proof to the world of his religion.
The word "Church" is said to mean Christ's body. In Ephesians 1st chapter and 22nd verse we read, "Christ is head over all things and the church which is his body." Colossians 1st ch. 18th v. "Head of the body the church." 24th verse: "his body, which is the church." 1 Cor. 12: 27. "For ye are the body of Christ and members in particular." So, the Church is Christ's body; is it, therefore, an organization made by man? Can man make the body of Christ? What do the Scriptures say in regard to the author and builder of the Church? They began to give credit to Paul, Apollos and Cephas at Corinth as though they were builders of the Church. Paul takes the credit away from himself and the Apostles, and says: "Ye are God's building." He says: "Paul may plant, Apollos water, but God gives the increase. Neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God who giveth the increase." So, then,. the Church is God's building; and every description of the Church which we have, teaches the same lesson that God is the organizer and builder, of it, as we have already seen. "Every mem-
156
ber hath God set in it as it has pleased him." 1 Cor. 12: 18. In the Epistle to the Ephesians he says: "That the partition wall between the Jews and Gentiles, which consists of ordinances and rituals, is broken clown." That is, the cross has all the virtue that ever was in these outward things; lie has made both one, Jew and Gentile, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, ordinances, the cause of divisions. The word "commandment" never designated a ceremony unless the accompanying word gives it that meaning. "Zachariah and Elizabeth walked in all commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless." That kind of commandment which consists in outward forms is now abolished, and no ordinances are excepted from the abolished, for it says, "ye who sometime were far off, are made nigh by the blood." Sin separates us from God and his Church, the blood removes sin and makes us Church members.
CHRIST'S CHURCH WITHOUT ORDINANCES.
As carnal ordinances are considered essential to Christ's Church it is important to show that they belong to Moses and not to Christ. I have fully given the Bible proofs in my third lecture on the two covenants, but will in part repeat the same because it is necessary to cut off the idea of any priesthood besides Christ in his Church. No man by rituals can be made a member.
157
On the day of Pentecost we read, "The Lord added to the Church." We don't find in the New Testament that man added to the Church by performing baptism or any ritual. Going over the Scriptures on the two covenants we have seen that the law of Moses was in full force with the Apostles. and all Jewish believers until the first Gentile household was visited by Peter eight years after Pentecost hence he baptized under Moses. None but Jews were received at Pentecost, nor until eight years after at the house of Cornelius.
Christ's law was not in force until after his death. "A testament is of force after men are dead." Hebrews 9: 17. The Spirit's baptism was the beginning. All before that was under Moses. And for Jewish believers for thirty-one years after that.
When Christ was baptized he said: "Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." All. the commentators recognize the fact that the law required water baptism. We don't find the word baptize in the Old Testament because it is translated from the Hebrew the word baptize is Greek. We find the words wash and dip used interchangeably as in 2 Kings 5: 10 and 14. The word translated "wash" in Mark in the Greek is baptize. In the 11th chapter of Luke, 32nd verse they marveled that Christ had not washed before eating. The word washed in the Greek is baptized. So the word wash in the Old Testament is baptize. Peter commanded water baptism at Pentecost, for none but
158
Jews were received and the ritual law was in force until the first Gentiles were received eight years after Pentecost and then nineteen years after the New Testament Church had' commenced, the council was held at Jerusalem to settle the question as to the Gentiles, not as to the Jews. The chief use of the law as a schoolmaster was after Christ's resurrection, because they couldn't understand the Passover supper until the broken body and shed blood of Christ was manifest on the cross.
They could not understand the sacrifices until the great sacrifice was offered; they couldn't. understand circumcision until they had spiritual circumcision; they couldn't understand water baptism until they had Christ's baptism, which cleanses the soul and makes us members of his body and it is six times contrasted with the water baptism under the law.
Passing on to the 15th chapter of Acts, the council decided that the Gentiles should not be required to observe the rituals of the law. This was what was discussed at the council nineteen years after Christ. I am calling your attention to the record and to facts, which the sectarian preachers durst not bring to the public. They purposely keep the facts. . from the people.
It was many years after I was in the ministry before I knew these Scriptures in their connection and true meaning. Doubtless other preachers are igno-
159
rant of them as I was. We accepted tradition of men instead of searching Scripture for ourselves.
The fact of the record in Acts as we read in our third lecture and now repeat is that all Jewish believers, including Apostles, were in full subjection to the law of Moses twenty-seven years after Pentecost baptism. The record, in Acts 21, from 18 to 26th verse, shows this fact which I now repeat for its importance in understanding the Church in relation to Jewish ordinances not declared abolished until thirty-one years after Pentecost, in the Epistles to Hebrews, Colossians and Ephesians, the year of reformation, 64 A. D. Read Acts 21: 18-26.
"Paul went in unto James, and all the elders (apostles) being present they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are all zealous for the law. And they are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jews that are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs."
There the other apostles advised Paul to go into the temple and submit to the law concerning the Nazarite vow,
"That they all may know that thou thyself walkest orderly and keepest the law.
"25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
"26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to sig-
160
nify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them."So Paul went in and submitted to the law to show that he was a good Jew under Moses. This was four years before his Epistle to Hebrews, Colossians and Ephesians, teaching to leave Moses and ordinances.
If we are going to follow Paul and the Apostles in the Jewish ordinances we are not honest unless we keep the whole law of circumcision as they did. 0 the hypocrisy of all ordinance advocates in ignoring this record of facts in Acts 21. It was four years after this that we have the first instruction in Hebrews, Colossian and Ephesians that Moses and ordinances of the law are ended, and that we are to go outside the earthly Church camp unto Christ. Hebrews 13: 13, 14. After this date, 64 A. D., we have no more ordinances of the law, but the New Covenant complete.
THE PILGRIM CHURCH.
In the 11th chapter of Hebrews we have Abraham, Isaac and Jacob dwelling in tabernacles (tents) looking for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. These patriarchs were types of the Christian Church, pilgrims and strangers on earth seeking a heavenly city. This shows that the Church of Christ is not a corporation of this world, with earthly temples or an earthly home. It is a body of pilgrims and strangers on earth. The
161
only church of Christ in Charleston that God knows anything about, are the Christians of this city, and all who are with Christ outside of all earthly Church camps, seeking a better country, a city out of sight, pilgrims and strangers here. All other religions having their grand temples and imposing ceremonies are of earth and not heaven. They are the apostasy, the fallen bride, the harlot Babylon. Christ's Church only a body of Christian pilgrims who are visible only by their holy lives and not by steeples or gaudy temples, Church books and ceremonials. Holy men and women known by their fruits are themselves God's temples. As Origin says to Celsus "These are God's images, more beautiful than any statue Phidias ever carved, whose only adornment consists of the graces of the Spirit, love, joy, meekness, temperance, purity and every virtue."
Such has been God's spiritual Church through all the centuries. It is his own organization, by one Spirit baptized into one body. Let men undertake to make a Church out of the world's sinners, baptize them, sign their names to an orthodox creed, record them on man's Church books and what have they made? A bogus Church unknown in heaven! The most stupendous fraud, with Christ's name attached, a name of blasphemy. But God takes sinners who obey the gospel and makes them new creatures possessed of every virtue. Such is Christ's Church, living epistles known and read of all men, complete in him by a new birth.
162
There is no such thing as being half born into the family of God. We are either in or out of Christ, the only head and foundation of his Church.
THE DIFFERENCE OF ORGANISM.
The difference between the new Church and the old consisted in this The old had the law upon tables of stone and parchments It had the outward law. Every organization by men is held together by an outward law because it is earth and requires outward bonds to keep the members together.
The Church of Jesus Christ differs from every organization of this world by having no outward -law holding its members together, only the inward law of holy love, as is fully stated in Jeremiah 31:31-34, the Epistle to Galatians, 2 Cor. .3, 2nd of Ephesians, 2nd of Colossians and other Scriptures.
The third chapter of 2 Corinthians describes the Church as "living epistles known and read of all men, written not with ink or on tables of stone, but on the fleshy tables of the heart." In other words the law of love and virtue within every believing heart by the Holy Spirit, visible to all the world only by the fruits which appear in the outward life, -- the fruits of the Spirit, the only visibility of God's Church.
Its only book of names is kept in heaven. Hebrews 12: 23.
"22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the
163city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
"23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn."
"Rejoice not that the spirits are subject to you but that your names are written in heaven." Jesus, Luke 10: 20. Man-made Churches are written in earth, see Jeremiah 17:
"13 0 Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters."
Such are all earthly Church books of names unknown in Scripture.
"22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
"23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven."Man-made Churches are broken cisterns described in Jeremiah 2: 12 and 13:
"12 Be astonished, 0 ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.
"13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can ,hold no water."Again Paul speaks of those "whose names are, in the Book of life." Eleven times in the New Testament reference is made to the Church book, and every time it is kept in heaven. No earthly books
164
are named. Earthly Church books do not separate the Church from the world. You cannot find a Church book but what has sinners in it. All will admit that the majority of those members whose names are on earthly books show inconsistent lives. The dividing line between the Church and the world is a spiritual line of separation and not a line which men draw.
In the first place the Christian Church does not consist in externals, because these do not separate the Church from the world. I often hear people say of certain forms, "They are outward signs of inward grace." If that is true, all who have the outward signs have inward grace, and so sinners have grace as well as saints, for they have the outward signs. The words "visible Church" were used first in the 16th century to distinguish the Church of Rome from Christians outside. Rome was called the visible, and Christians outside were called the invisible Church. This is an error of Babylon. Rome was the invisible Church or no Church. But the true Christians are always visible, "the light of the world," "cannot be hid," "known by their fruits." A peach tree which hangs full of peaches does not need a paper tag to show that it is a peach tree. So the Church does not need a form to show its members. We all know that these forms as constituting the Christian Church, are not truthful. The Word of God does not refer to forms but to character, "By
165
their fruits ye shall know them." In the 5th chapter of the Epistle to the Galatians, 19-24, we read:
"The works of the flesh are manifest which are these: Adultery, fornications, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like : of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance : against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."
These works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit constitute the visible distinction between the Church and the world.
Nowhere in the New Testament are ordinances said to constitute the visibility of the Church, but only the fruits of the Spirit. The works of the flesh or known sins are the visible proofs of non membership as the following Scriptures show. 1 Cor. 5: 11, 13; 6: 9, 10 anti 1 John 3: 30.
The great mistake I made in Rockton, Illinois, with all human Church organizers, was in undertaking to draw the lines and separate God's Church from the world. Christ is the separator by his fan, the heart-testing word. I learned at Rockton that the machinery of the organization could not purify itself or the Church. I made a failure so far as separating the false from the true, by enforcing human discipline. I found members were unequally yoked
166
together with unbelievers in all man-made organizations and I could not separate them. But I have learned since the most important lesson of my life in regard to the Christian Church : That all those who are known to be living in open sin are already out of the Church. I have often been told, "You have bad members in your Church as well as in all other Churches, some who are not living righteously." I answer: "You show me a man that is not living right and he is visibly outside of God's Church." You don't have to turn such out, they are out already. When Simon the sorcerer offered Peter money for the Holy Ghost he did not say that he would turn him out for he was out already; he said, "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity." I have been wonderfully relieved since I do not have to enforce discipline in God's Church. This is God's business. "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away." All that I have to do is to preach the word. The word is the gospel fan; it is the separator. Men don't have to do the separating. The gospel drives the chaff away, and leaves the genuine wheat purified to be garnered for use.
LESSONS I HAD TO LEARN.
When I was pastor of the Congregational Church so-called in Rockton, I had the same false idea of all organizers of man-made Churches. There was a
167
mixture of saints and sinners inside the fold. I thought correctly that they ought to be separated. Of course if man has authority to organize Churches then he ought to draw the lines and turn out all the bad members. So I went to work full of zeal for God and a holy Church. I first preached a series of sermons for the separation of the Church from the world and the enforcement of the Church discipline. Then I called Church meeting after Church meeting to take measures to enforce discipline. I succeeded in getting a committee appointed, five with the pastor to visit or hear from the three hundred names on the Church book. This raised a great storm. The village was stirred. It was the talk at street corners and in the saloons, "Johnson is purifying the Congregational Church." " I found I had a big job on my hands. But I pushed ahead. I could only get one of the committee to go with me armed with our book of discipline to purge the Church. The first member we visited was the Post Master. He was a swearing man. When we entered the Post Office and I told our errand, the polite Post Master said: "I am glad you have come. I want you to get my name off that Church book as quick as you can. It is damaging my "business to belong to such a corrupt concern." So I had no difficulty with him. I purged out that member, the most honest of the lot.
We kept on our visiting, and struck a party of Spiritualists, and prominent Church members. I took the necessary steps, and cited them to appear
168
before the Church for trial. They employed two other Congregational preachers for their defense. We had a time at the Church court. Some officials danced with rage, but I held up the discipline and the Bible and breasted the storm. But by parliamentary tricks the proceedings were staved off. I was not well posted on organization machinery. So . I started in again another process in parliamentary order according to Cushing or Congress rules, if not according to Bible. The second process succeeded. Six Spiritualists were ousted. But the Church was yet far from being pure. The Sabbath school superintendent, a leading Church member and friend of the Spiritualists, was offended at my disturbance. His two children, a fine young lady and gentleman, were converted in my meetings, for a good revival and conversions were in progress in spite of the 'Church tempest. This superintendent got up a dance at his house to draw away his children from my religion. Then I cited him and others before the Church for trial. But this time I could not succeed so well. The storm raged too fiercely against me, and I was bothered to know where to draw the lines, for they were not all perfect saints who were on my side. So at last I resorted to heroic measures.
I called a special Church meeting for general discipline, and proposed that the lines be drawn wholesale, and that all be disfellowshipped in a body who were opposed to discipline and on the side of the dancing and Spiritualist members. My proposi-
169
tion was that if the majority were against us let them have the house and we withdraw altogether. I succeeded in this. The majority of the Church disfellowshipped the ungodly members. But one fact we had not considered. The house was held by law by the Church and society. So then my opponents sprung a church and society vote of some outsiders, and thus by a majority voted me and all the praying members out of the house. We then left in a body and worshipped elsewhere. If I had the vote of the town, saloons and all, I would have had a sweeping majority. But this war ended in our peaceable occupation of halls and private houses in subsequent years. I was, within a year, called to be pastor of the Congregational Church at Galena, Illinois; but regularly visited the praying band in Rockton. Then the dancing faction of t1iat Church secured another pastor, and within two or three years they preferred charges before a council and disfellowshipped the praying members which left with me, and then, soon after I left Galena. the dancing faction procured through the association my dismissal from the ministry without trial or my knowledge, until a month afterwards. President Blanchard of Wheaton College wrote me to appeal to the state association.
He said the action of the Congregational Association to which I belonged was disorderly in expelling me without a hearing or my knowledge. Blanchard said I would be restored by the state association.
170
But I replied I was done forever with the Church machinery made by man. It could not be used to purify the Church because it was the devil's machinery and controlled by money.
In answer to the question asked me in September, 1865, the time I was expelled by the devil's Church machinery, "What are you going to do?" for all thought I would yield and get back into the organizations again and thus secure salary and support. To their question as to what I was going to do, I replied, "I am done with the devil's yokes of all man's Church organizations. I have ventured my all on Jesus Christ! If Christ goes down I want to go down ! If Christ goes up I expect to go up. This is all I know." Well he has not gone down yet. I feel and know in spite of sinking sands with man's sinking Churches, Christ is rising and I am rising with him on whom I have built all my hopes.
THE VISIBILITY OF THE CHURCH.
From the above account of my personal experience we see clearly the absurdity of man's organisms for God's Church, and for man to attempt to draw the lines, as all organizers do, between the Church and the world. All attempts to make a platform or creed which all Christians can accept have proved failures. Calvin and Luther, master minds, tried it, but they only made sects bearing their names instead of Christ's name. Paul himself could not make a creed
171
or organization which all Christians could join. It is God's work alone to draw the lines and separate the chaff from the wheat by his Spirit and Word. No blasphemy from human lips ever exceeded the absurdity and sin of claiming to organize machinery for the Holy Ghost to run, or a Church which is Christ's body separated from the world by lines which man's wisdom draws. For no organization or forms or Church books got up by man ever did or ever could separate the Church of God from the world. This is a fact which I have been compelled to accept by experience, and which proves the folly and madness of all man's organizations as separating God's people from the world:
Now on the other hand the question, is God's Church visible, can its difference and separation from the world be seen? And if so, what is its visibility?
Jesus Christ says it is "the light of the world, a city set on a hill which cannot be hid." He says again, "If ye were of the world the world would love its own, but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." This proves its visibility beyond question. Besides this, all the Epistles instruct Christians to so live before the world as to commend Christ's religion. They are "living epistles known and read of all men." And Jesus says in his prayer for his disciples that the world may believe through their unity, and says: "By this shall all men know
172
that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another."
Now then if the Church is visible in its separation from the world, why can we not draw the lines and enforce discipline?
Why could I not succeed in purifying the Church at Rockton? If I could see the true saints from the false why could I not successfully separate them? Why cannot elders take the judgment seat and tell who are the saints and sinners and furnish a book of names of the faithful which corresponds exactly with the book kept in heaven? Here is the question for the Church of our times. The Toledo faction have commenced such operations. The Baptists have, . been distinguished long for the rigor of close communion by water tests. The early Methodists when in their life and power had a rigorous discipline respecting pride and world conformity, cutting off all who wore ruffles, artificials and jewelry. So every sect was made, and preserved its existence by tests of Bible faith or sainthood by some ceremonials, creeds or organizations. And I at Rockton made the enforcement of the discipline, against visible sins and error the ground of separation and fellowship inside of- man's organizations.
Now let us see the plain error of this Babel of sects. It is the antichrist spirit which usurps the place of Christ as head of the Church. This was my error and of every sectarian. We mistook God's Church for an earthly house and we took
173
God's place when we undertook to draw the lines. We might just as well box up the sunlight and separate it from the sun, as to organize God's Church and enforce its separation by lines of our own. The light goes out and its visibility ceases the very moment we organize it or box it up by our short-sighted judgment, and draw any lines of fellowship or disfellowship which we push into a separation of our own which is not the work of the Holy Spirit.
Yes, God's Church is visible by its fruits of holiness, and the spirit of its membership in contrast with the world. It is entirely a separation of hearts between the carnal and spiritual that gives the Church visible existence. This separation is entirely God's work in the hearts of believers. It is visible and glorious. But for man's wisdom to touch it by enforcement of human discipline spoils the life of it. Jesus himself says: "I judge no man." Even a Judas was with his twelve and sat at his last supper. He did not turn him out of Church. Judas went out himself. Peter did not turn Simon Magus out of Church, but told him lie was out already. But the faithful word Christ preached and all prophets and Apostles, was the fan that separated the chaff from the wheat. This spiritual instrument is what God uses to separate the false from the true and keeps the Church pure.
God forbid that we should take the judgment seat, but faithfully use the gospel fan and let God draw the lines, rebuking open sin and error but fully
174
fellowshipping as Jesus did, all who take the Lord's side of the line drawn by his spiritual word. 0 the blessed fellowship of all who love the faithful word no language can exaggerate ! That is the visible Church which God's word builds. Every member is born of that word, and Paul says in his farewell to Ephesus, "I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified." Acts 20: 32. I have already said enough of the visibility of God's spiritual Church.
THE CHURCH NAVE.
I will now speak of the name of the Church. We read that they were first called Christians at Antioch, because they were distinguished as followers of Christ. We read of the whole family in heaven and in earth that is named after Christ. Ephesians 3: 15. But what right has a believer to the name? Is it a form that entitles a man to the name Christian, because he has his name on a Church book? What is it that gave the name to the religious world? A truthful name is that which truthfully distinguishes a man's religion from all other religions. I had a controversy with a Mormon. He said, "We are Latter Day Saints." The State legislature gave them this name. I said, "I can't help that. We want the truth." There is no difference between latter day saints and former day saints. So far as I can judge
175
by the fruits, I don't consider that those who are called Mormons are saints at all. There may be saints among them. The name Mormon is a true name because they are the only people who hold to the Book of Mormon. A truthful name accords with facts. And so, in regard to the name of any religious body. That in any religion which distinguishes a body from the rest of the world is a truthful name. The name "Joe Smithites" would be a correct name for the Mormons. Any name which distinguishes one from all other religious bodies is a correct name. A gathering of believers in Jesus, who have nothing but Christ, born of the Spirit, the love of God in their hearts, living godly lives before the world so that the world can see that they are Christians, can be truthfully called by Bible names, saints, disciples, Christians or Church of God, etc.
The world may nickname them falsely, but that does not alter the facts. Such are entitled to the name Christian Church or Christians, because they are followers of Christ, and they have no other distinction. God's free people are often called by the name of some leading preacher, such as Hofferite, Cramerites, Johnsonites. But such nicknames are proved lies by the fact that those preachers had nothing in their teaching different from what all Christians have alike. If I had any thing in my gospel or religion different from any other true Christians, then those who separated on account of following my difference, would truthfully be called Johnsonites.
176
But I have nothing in my religion different from what is essential to all Christians. It cannot be said truthfully therefore that there are any Johnsonites. But if I preached anything all Christians could not accept, then I would make a sect of my name. Since I have nothing but salvation by Christ I cannot make a sect or division of Christians.
Now, in regard to what is called the Commission, to baptize in or into the name of Christ, his spiritual baptism entitles us to the name, but no form does it. The teaching of the Bible all the way through is that God is the author of the name. Isaiah 62 chapter and 2nd verse teaches that God shall name his people. God gives the name to the Bible Church by the Spirit's baptism (baptized into his name, Matthew 28: 19) entitled to Bible distinction such as "believers," "Saints," etc. We are entitled to the name only by possessing the character. Let a body of men organize themselves together, saints and sinners, and assume the name "Church of Christ." It is a Bible name indeed.
But it is precisely the same fraud as when men make a bill like the genuine, and stamp on it "twenty dollars." In one case state prison would be the penalty, and in the other case if a willful fraud the penalty would be hell. It is not what a religious body calls itself, but what it is, that entitles it to the name Church of Christ. If it is such, God has already named it, and it don't need to name itself, but will own its truthful name.
177
Now passing on to the description of the Church which we find in the New Testament. I don't know of any other way to find out truthfully the Church of Christ, than from a description which we have in the New Testament letters addressed to the Church. Take the Church at Rome. The Epistle to the Romans-Paul says, "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to. be Saints."
The saints living at Rome are the Church of Rome. Do we find the Church of Rome at Ephesus or Corinth, or Jerusalem as we find it in Charleston and Boston to-clay ? Why not? Simply because the name is false now, does not mean saints of Rome, but a corporation fraud like the Standard Oil with Christ and souls for its stock in trade extending around the globe. Do we find the Church of Ephesus at Rome or at Corinth, as we do the Presbyterian and Methodist Church in a thousand different cities? No, why? Because these modern Churches are all forgeries of Christ's name, and do not mean the saints of a place, or saints at all, but a corporation which has adopted the name Church for commercial purposes, making salvation its merchandise as the Standard Oil makes oil its wealth.
The letter to the Church at Corinth reads, "To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints." The same address is true of the Churches in Charleston, "To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints." God knows no other Church in
178
this or any other city, nor does any honest man who knows the Bible. If we are not willing to take the Bible description of the Church let us be honest and throw the book away. God wants us to be one thing or the other ! I could not believe that book and dare to uphold a forgery of Christ's name for his Church.
Every Epistle to the Churches in the Bible, where a Church is described, designated it as the saints of the city or country or house where they assembled, or lived. No mention of a society or any thing to join in the New Testament. And no one has any right to suppose anything more necessary for a Church than we find in the Bible. We cannot add to God's Word without having its plagues added to us, for it is treating him with contempt to assume that we can make any improvement on his plan of salvation. See Revelations 22: 18.
According to the Bible, if you who are here tonight, are believers in Jesus Christ, born of, his Spirit, you are members of his Church in this city by being in Christ. You know that the Bible teacher no other Church in Charleston. And if you are out of Christ by a life of sin, you are out of his Church though your name be on every man-made Church book.
CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
1 Cor. 12:28. "God hath set some in the church -governments, etc. Acts 14: 23. "Ordained elders
179
in every church." Titus 1: 5. "Ordained elders in every city." Acts 20: 28. "Whom the Holy Ghost hath made overseers, to feed the flock."
The above Scriptures teach that Christ's Church has a government by elders. It is of importance to understand the nature of this government. This is the strongest argument which is brought for man's Church organizations. But the error is the same we have already considered for an earthly Church. The fall of Christ's bride to harlot Babylon consists in the substitution of a carnal, political government of this world for the. Spiritual kingdom of which Christ alone is Lord.
The authority of God's elders and of man's elders or bishops is, the one is entirely spiritual and the other is entirely carnal. Just the difference between earthly governments of which man is the head, and of Christ's spiritual kingdom of which he alone is head.
The Apostles themselves never claimed any such authority over Christians or other elders as is claimed by all elders and bishops of Rome and every religious sect organized by man. The only authority the Apostles or Bible elders had was the truth or word of God over the' consciences of believers. They had the truth, were backed by the word, and that is the authority of God. If a man is known to be right, he has God's authority to that extent. The authority of Luther and Wesley, like that of the Apostles, was simply the knowledge that they had the truth
180
and had the spirit of truth. Paul says "If I or an angel preach any other gospel unto you let him be accursed." The Bereans were more noble because they tested the Apostles by the word. It was no blind servility to man that the Bible taught. "Call no man master," was Christ's law. We see from this his Church government was entirely spiritual. The elders were not made by the Church, but were recognized by the Church as already made by God's grace and gifts. To ordain elders was not to create them, but to accept them and point them out as God's elders. Human authority could not make God's elders or bishops but his spiritual children could see and know them and adopt them as teachers and advisers, and obey them in everything so long as they were proved to be right and faithful to God's calling. But if an elder or apostle set up his own authority as lord over the consciences of brethren he must be rejected as antichrist: If a little child comes to me with a rebuke or a command and I see the child is right having God's word, I must obey or else be found fighting against God. We are to try the spirits and not to allow any one to take Christ's place as a lord over our conscience, but in all righteousness or matters of indifference we are to submit to God's elders and indeed be subject one to another in holy love. Such is the government of God's spiritual Church. Behold in contrast the fallen Church, all human organizations with man at the head. The pitiable
181
sight of the sectarian world divided politically into Papal, Episcopal, Presbyterian and Congregational, corresponding to the world's politics, Monarchy, Aristocracy, Republican and Democratic governments with man at the head of every one of them, either one man a pope, a board of bishops, representative elders or majority votes. I was in the Congregational system and have seen righteousness voted up and voted down, and all the Church had to submit, right or wrong, just as under any form of popery.
The great apostasy of the Christian Church was gradual from the Apostles. Paul says, 2 Thess. 2: 7: "The mystery of iniquity (man of sin) doth already work." The exalting of man, Paul, Cephas and Apollos, was manifest in the carnality of the Corinthian Church. So gradually the pastors and elders of a city became princes, possessed of temporal authority which did not belong to them, lording it over the consciences of believers, like "Diotrephes" turning members out of the Church. 2 John 9 : 10.
In regard to these sectarian Church governments they are all anti-Christ. They cut off liberty just as all popery. In gospel meetings, a little Protestant pope says to the brethren, "We want no exhortations here. We do the preaching-you tell how you feel-be short."
If a brother or sister burdened with God's truth begins to exhort or teach, and more capable than the
182
preacher, the little pope will spring to his feet alarmed lest some paying members have their feelings hurt, and cries out, "Say, brother or sister, be short-tell your experience. We want no preaching here. We won't have any talk that disturbs the meeting," etc. If a conscientious brother persists in obeying God by his faithful word the preacher will have him arrested as a disturber and put in jail. That is man's Church government, "Anti-Christ," and the devil runs all such organisms.
1 Cor. 3: 11. "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ."
They began to build on Paul, Apollos and Cephas. Paul repudiates himself and all others for a foundation except Jesus Christ alone. Every separate building has a separate foundation. Every separate sect is built on that which separates it from all other sects. If Christ is the 'foundation of a Church then all who are in Christ are in that Church. But is this true of any existing denomination? Am I a member of any existing sect Church by being in Christ by saving faith? Surely not. Therefore every denomination has another foundation, and not Christ. This is a simple fact any child can see. We want the truth in these vital matters of salvation; and especially of God's Church out of which is no salvation.
What is the foundation of the Baptist Church? You can all see that to join Christ don't join us to it. How do we join it? Answer by a Baptist preacher dipping us under water, and recording our names as baptized. The word Baptist marks the sect Church,
183
meaning immersion in water. That is all. Being a saint does not make us a member. But water does. Hence water, and not Christ nor character is the foundation of that Church. In Greek mythology Neptune is the god, a water god ! Hence pagan idolatry, a heathen religion with the name Christ forged in addition to a water god !
The Methodist sect the same, has not Christ but the Methodist discipline which in part is a copy of the Roman Catholic catechism. You will find the same words about baptism and the Supper and the Church as in the Catholic books, hence a direct daughter of Rome. Rome has one head bishop and many under him. The Methodist has many bishops as their head. Their discipline and political heads are their foundation.
So the Presbyterian and Congregationalist have a political foundation like the governments of earth, and forge the name of Christ's Church to their corporations, which like the Standard Oil Co., encircle the globe, while no Bible Church built on Christ was known by its name to exist outside of the city of its name, like the modern corporations, broken cisterns, with salvation for their merchandise !
CHRIST THE DOOR, VINE, FOUNDATION,
HEAD, HUSBAND.The prominent figures by which the relation of Christ to his Church is illustrated in Scripture show the true Church in distinction from the false..
184
In John's gospel 10th we have the sheepfold. "Verily, verily I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a thief and a robber." Again verse 7th, "Verily, verily, I say unto you I am the door. By me if any man enter in he shall be saved." The repetition of verily gives emphasis to the lesson he teaches. The fold is the Church. A flock of sheep is a common Bible figure for the Church. The fold is the church enclosure, that against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. Christ is the door. lie cuts off all the other doors. Not a literal door but a figure. How is a man in Christ bu t by faith? His atoning blood passes the sinner inside the Church, born of the Spirit. So then the moment one is born of the Spirit and forgiven he is in the Church. For Christ cuts off all other ways. No priest can put us into Christ, nor any fleshly rite. We are not made perfect by the flesh after beginning in the Spirit.
Whose Churches are those of which Christ is not the door? Churches that men may be in without Christ, or be out of while in Christ? No honest man can say such are God's Churches. Hence they are the devil's churches, for whatever in religion is not of God must necessarily be of Satan.
The same is true of Christ the vine. "I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman." John 15: 1. There must be false vines just as other doors to the sheepfold. "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away." There is danger there
185
fore of being cut off, not by man but by God himself, if we fail to bear fruit. "Except ye abide in me ye cannot bear fruit," hence will be cut off. Is it to abide in Christ to join another vine? Have we any Bible authority to join anything else but Christ, the only true vine? Surely not. Whose are those churches men teach us to join after we have joined Christ'? Are they not all the devil's churches? Hence Babylon? I am asked often what branch of the Church do you belong to?" I answer, "I have joined Christ the vine and no branch. I am myself 'a branch of the vine."
Christ is the head of the Church his body. Eph. 1: 21, 22. "Head over all things to the church his body." We have in this same lesson cutting off all other heads over the Church. We cannot sing "All hail the power of Jesus' name, crown him Lord of all," without lying so long as we have other lords of conscience as every sect has. The Apostles did not claim in v such authority as all human organizations claim over their own preacher. Paul besought Timothy to abide at Ephesus and he greatly desired Apollos to come to Corinth but it was not his mind to' come. No authority was exercised in stationing 'preachers. Every minister of Christ and every Christian was perfectly free to go and come under Christ's leadership alone. He was the supreme head of every member of his body. But man has set up other heads in every denomination. No one is free to go and come and labor in the gospel by his own
186
convictions and Spirit leading. He must act in subjection to the rules and regulations man prescribes in his denomination. Such is the universal antiChrist of the sectarian world. I often hear the denominational divisions compared to a wheel, with Christ the hub and the sects the spokes centering in the hub. But the truth is every different denomination has a separate hub. No denomination has the same head as any other, so such a wheel would fall to pieces. Christ is not the hub of any denomination, but he is only tacked on for purposes of deception.
Lastly Christ as the Bridegroom and the Church the bride is the strongest figure in the Bible. Ephesians 5 : 25 to 32, the relation of the wife to her husband represents the relation of the Church to Christ.
Members of his body and his flesh and his bones. The most intimate of all earthly relations is that of husband and wife. The strongest earthly love binds them together. And love is jealous in its very nature. It admits no rival. Christ is jealous of the chastity and purity of his Church, as a husband is of his wife. He gave himself for the Church that he might sanctify it with the washing of water by the word. The great work of his ministry is to purify the Church by the word.
There is no language so strong to express Christ's feeling for his Church when it goes after other lovers as the jealousy of a husband for his wife's in fidelity and impurity. The spotless garments he has purchased for his Church and the cleansing or wash
187
of water by the word that she may be clothed in pure white, linen, the righteousness of saints. Rev. 19: 8 is a vivid picture of the holy love with which he adorns his bride, the habiliments of chastity and purity which Jesus gave himself to purchase for her beauty at the marriage supper, the rapturous consummation of heaven's highest felicity. All Christians like Paul should feel the same holy jealousy for the Church. Every Christian feels this jealousy for a holy Church. No one is a lover of Christ without this jealousy.
"2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
"3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your, minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
"4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him."How is it in regard to sectarian names? I hear professors say Jesus don't care what name we have ! 0 cruel blindness and hardness of heart ! Does a loving husband care nothing for the name his wife bears? Nothing is more plain than that Jesus cares that his wife cherish his name. We are to do all things in his name, and 'to honor that ' name above all other concern. No husband ever felt keener pangs of jealousy than Jesus feels to see his bride' the Church take other names besides his own ! The
188
Church name must signify the true husband. No sectarian denomination has Christ for its husband. Every one is married to another, and only takes Christ's name along for deception. Just as an adulterous wife to hide her shame attaches her husband's name and secretly plays the harlot, pretends fidelity to him while she runs with unlawful paramours. Every sectarian cares more for its sect name than for Christ's, and only attaches his name for deception. The sect Church claims to be Christ's wife while it has another name and is wedded to another body besides the body of Christ.
I am glad to advocate that heresy for which millions have died at the stake or have been put to death by every torture which human malice could invent.
I realize that this word of God is extremely offensive to the religious world in existing conditions. But I rejoice that I am counted worthy to suffer reproach for the same heresy which cost the lives of millions of faithful martyrs, for which they were burned at the stake and subjected to every conceivable torture which human or satanic malice could invent. I am glad to have the honor in these last days of standing by the side of those faithful witnesses who sealed with their blood precisely the same faith which constitutes the sole offense of these pages. Frith, the London martyr, was burned at the stake for saying, We receive ,the broken body of . Christ by faith and not with our teeth," thus spirit-
189
ualizing the Lord's supper. So millions suffered death for a spiritual Church and a confession of completeness in Christ without a priesthood or man's organism. I would now have the liberty of any pulpit if I would make my gospel labors tributary to its Church finances. But because I preach completeness in Christ alone I encounter the jealousy of the priesthood, false Protestant and papal, just as in all the centuries past.
WALLS OF THE SPIRITUAL CHURCH.
Isaiah 26: 1: "In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah. We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks." The walls of human organizations are regarded as necessary for the existence and security of the Church. The ideas of monasticism have come down to us through the centuries, that Christians could not live holy lives without literal walls of separation from the world. Early Christians, seeing the peril of ungodly associations in the cities where they were surrounded by wicked and corrupt humanity, sought retirement and seclusion in deserts and caves of the wilderness. From this false idea of God's keeping power of faith there arose the monasteries and nunneries where brick and stone walls were trusted to shut sin and the devil out and for the safety of monks and nuns who have made these cloisters their refuge.
190
But the very unbelief which trusts brick walls to shut sin and the devil out shuts them in. Hence the iniquity that has ever been exposed to shock the public sense when these religious dens have been opened to daylight. I wish our government had the same justice of the English under Henry the Eighth when the king's secretary Cromwell with English soldiers surprised the monasteries and nunneries at midnight and all Europe was horrified and disgusted with the iniquity exposed in these sanctuaries of Rome.
The idea that material conditions can be a protection against spiritual dangers shows the folly of fallen man. It is only spiritual walls that are any protection against spiritual perils. The security of God's Church is inside and not outside. The same power that makes a saint out of a sinner is that which can keep him a saint. The Church stands only by faith. It is the body of Christ, all who are kept by the power of God through faith. But so-called Protestants depend on paper walls of human organizations. They tell sinners outside, "You cannot live holy lives until you get inside our paper walls." But if material walls are any advantage for the security of God's Church then Catholics have the advantage of thicker walls. What infinite absurdity are all. these refuges of lies for the safety of souls ! The only real design of either Protestant or papal walls is the security to the priesthood of the purses instead of saving the souls of their members. They are all like the Standard Oil Co., organized for the traffic of
191
religion and merchandise of souls described in 2 Peter 2: 1-3.
This is the great sin of the ages, the fallen Church, the Harlot Babylon ! God has children in them and he says; "Come out of her my people." Rev. 18: 4. In the days of my ignorance I helped to organize these so-called Churches. But I have since learned, from the Bible instead of tradition, what the true Church is. The Protestant reformers of the sixteenth century had a better understanding of the true Church than modern Protestantism.
Melancthon, Luther's companion, could speak for the sixteenth century reformers. He said, "There is no other Church than the assembly of those who have the Word of God and are purified by it." The word church in the Greek means an assembly called out from the world, from the Greek word ekklesia, meaning called out. When a public assembly was required in any city, criers were sent through the streets to call the people out, and the assembly thus called was an Ekklesia, our word Church, literally a called-out people. That word is applied to the Christain Church, which is the whole body of Christians in one locality or everywhere, who are called out of the world to become pilgrims and followers of Christ. It is God's word with the Holy Spirit which makes saints out of sinners through preaching; thus they are called out from the world. The Church consists simply of God's called-out people. All who are called out and sepa-
192
rated from sin and Satan are known by their fruits and not by the things. which mark and separate the corporations of this world from those outside.
John Wesley says of sectarian divisions:
"Ye different sects who all declare, Lo, Christ is here, lo, Christ is there, Your stronger proofs divinely give, And show me where the Christians live. Your claims, alas, ye cannot prove, You want the genuine mark of love."
"All the reformers of the 16th century taught that the pure grace of God is the only condition of salvation and that the church consists of all who possess true faith and not of those who slavishly adhere to a dominating hierarchy" or human organization.
George Whitfield, when he was preaching on the balcony of the Court House in Philadelphia, paused and said in the midst of his sermon to the multitude on the street:
"Father. Abraham, who have you in heaven? Have you any Methodists there?" "No." "Have you any Baptists there?" "No." "Have you any Lutherans there?" "No." Have you any Presbyterians there?" "No. "Who have you there, then?" "None but Christians." He says, "let us then, all be Christians."
Such is the simplicity of those who have accepted God's plan of salvation and are enabled by the Holy Spirit to understand his spiritual Church.
The duty of Christians is to meet together only in the name of Christ. Simply as believers in the Bible regardless of any denominational lines which men draw ! I don't find any instructions in the New
193
Testament to meet on any other lines than those which separate believers from the unbelievers. "Where two or three are gathered together in my name I am in the midst," and if we meet in any sectarian name we can't claim that promise ! "For there is no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved." Acts 4: 12. And if we meet in the name of Christ in any place, and there is inquiry made as to what religious body meets there, men cannot truthfully say it is any other denomination but Christians only. They cannot truthfully designate such an assembly by any sectarian name. Down in Pennsylvania in a certain part of that country, those who have nothing but Christ are called Hofferites, in Indiana in another place they are called Cramerites, because certain men of those names first preached Christ there; and there are some who accuse me of having disciples, and call them Johnsonites. I can show you that all these names are false. If I am the author of the gospel I preach, or any idea of it which. differs from that of the rest of Cod's children, then you can call those who follow my difference Johnsonites. But if I preach nothing but the common faith of all God's children and against all other faiths, all those are proved liars who call such by my name or any sect name. They misrepresent the facts.
I am glad to challenge the world to show that I preach any other than the Bible faith or anything that can divide God's children or make a sect.
194
that can divide God's children or make a sect. I haven't advocated anything peculiar to myself or any party. If any one is separated from me in religion it is by what be has, and not what I have. I have nothing in my religion that will separate God's people, but I am obliged to preach that which will separate Christians from the world and split up and destroy every sect. There is a line which will be drawn in the day of judgment, and it is our business to work to that line which God's Word has drawn and at the Judgment will separate forever those on the right from those on the left of the Judge.
With all the confusion of the religious world by other questions when the books are opened one question only will concern us then: "Is my name written there?" "Do I have the love of God shed abroad in my heart?" is the only question which will concern us in the dying hour. My prayer to God is that you may be persuaded to drop everything in your religion which makes you different from other Christians.
There is but one thing which concerns all alike and that is salvation from sin. The creeds, forms and ceremonies which make Christian sects, you know very well do not separate Christians. from the world. Candid and fair-minded men of every denomination, even among Roman Catholics, are obliged to admit that one who is born of the Spirit is on the road to heaven. They are obliged to recognize God's Church, those who are living epistles of truth. No
195
steeples or church books are useful to make that, Church visible. Nothing but rascality teaches the people anything else. Those who would make merchandise of the souls of men and bind them to their selfish interests by organizations, and thus make divisions where God commands unity, and unity where God commands separation, are doing the work of apostasy, seducing the Bride of Christ.
It is not the carnal wisdom of this world that can extricate us from the reigning confusion of Babylon. God has hid the things of his kingdom from the wise and prudent of this world. We do not need Hebrew and Greek to understand the Bible sufficiently to escape the errors of our times. God's way is a plain way. The simplicity of the gospel is understood by all who are satisfied with Christ alone outside of man's organisms and priesthoods. If knowledge off the letter or man's wisdom was the basis of unity, no two Christians could be united. 'But if we are in Christ alone we find all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge concentrated in him. Col. 2: 3. Martin Luther, Calvin, Zwingle and Wesley had so much of college education, university discipline as to make them too artificial for the Spirit to perfectly use, yet they had the power of God to break through the bars of the papal and English Church systems of bondage. Luther and Zwingle split over the bread and wine because of the letter of the old law, and made the first sects of Protestantism. Luther and Calvin and Wesley organized machinery from the wisdom of
196
the world's universities which made stupendous ruptures of the Church, but which fragments prevented a more disastrous union of carnal Protestantism into another hideous monster like Rome, but gave birth to her false Protestant daughters. It is a good thing by God's overruling powers that these wise master-builders could not unite in another despotism of conscience under a hierarchy with Luther, Calvin and Wesley for its head and foundation and thus destroy the direct headship of Christ over every individual believer.
May God save us from the wisdom of man, and from every builder of human systems and cause us to be satisfied with Christ and the Church lie alone has organized by his Spirit through the instrumentality of his Word. And now I close with Paul's farewell words to the Church of Ephesus. "I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified." Acts 20: 32.
197