J? 8^.0^ iP ?5^12 JL /T' THE EVANGELICAL DENUMIKATIONS OF TIIK AdK. BY REV. S. G. PHILLIPS. M.A., ,Al rilOK OK "NkKO ok IllK WORLK," " SaCUKU NamK>.'* &C., dti'. P- r " -Ihi/ io were the Chtd'uhrs eatabh'n/ied in the /iii(h, (iiui iiiCunscd in number daily." A(th xvi. ,"). : Tula )N TO: WILLIAM BRl G(iS 78 & 80 Kino SiMKBr Kast. I S82. ^2 8^- 0^ ! V. y^ A ^ . ;,^^... u:^ *- 1 1 .•'-r~"" ■ ■ ;■"' ■.i'^ % ■ sjVr,V<«' :^-;;?^sr^;*^v-^:w^; .:J;.-"-^' * " :"" .'"-'Jli-r'^^'-S^/'^F^' ■■■-":;: •■^/t- ■ - ,•■ '■*-.■ ■ .-v--'^^-^ , '^ -i^.-^" , - •..-■>' . - /•> -■•. ^ . w?^.-, '"-.I : ', ■■' . ^^ V ••£:- .■■.-.-.-■; ■^r. — ,,"A-*^. j^-. . _ .«-"%■ : 'V- ■-^■'^^' .-.*::..-;-,^-..--=s....^-.^ .-. -:',..•? '-. - , . ,. , .^. ^■■' '■ ■•■ V-'..i ':-^-V---^>.--'-/ -^ --- ->-^. ' '■ -' ,■ , •=«?.' -'i----.- • .^- : -. .■■ ,..--•-. . ■, i; - . •■■;-•■ -... V" '■ -"V- •"..;?'- -i .^.^r: '^v^^--'-^^-.^^^ ' ■ ■•'^'-■' " J - . ■ ■ ■ :' J< ■ '/ ' • ~ ' ' mr ' -.V»>. . i-fV ■-':•■'■■.-. -. '-^^iv: *,'■:• '3 ■' ^' V^-^-r•.....:,_^•:%,.:: ^ - r.< '.r .. . >*. .... ^ <- ';V.,:.- .-A - *• -C" 'M .'■.'i.*- -. ft' ' '■s " 'k- ~ ';,--* -ji-i- - * . . ■ -■ X ^^ THE EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE. 00383 THE EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE. BY < REV. S. G. PHILLIPS. M.A., Ai'TiioR OF "Nkkd ok tub World." "Sacrki> Namrs," Sec. &c. "And so were the Chtirchen eatablixhed in the faith, and incrfaaed in number • • • • • II.. ... .« ~T-i i I I I .'.'/••.:i"-i : "^'^ •,;;..:•■; « I TOKONTO : WILLIAM BRIGGS, 78 & 80 King Strbkt East. 1882. • < • • t « * « • • ■ f • ■ • r I • • • • , * * • PREFACE. f^pFll^ writer of the following i)ag('s was led at elovpn _1- yrars of age to unit*! himself with a section of the Christian Cliurch. in that communion for forty-tlin-e y«!ars he has >)een endeavoring to do something for the Master. He noA^ looks back with exceeding pleasere to that ]>ortion of his life, (conscious, thas he has hadfellowshi}) with people, the purest, and the best. That he has avoided many of the temptations by which he might have been led astray if he had lived outside the Christian circle. That he has enjoyed unbounded pleasure often in. the public and private means of grace, while uniting with the earnest, zealous, and conse- crated people of (lod. He is not blind to the fact, that inconsistent and unworthy IV PREFACE. persons are somotinifs found in all sortions of the vismlo Churcli of Christ. The Church of which tluty are nicnihcrs is not to l>laMi«^ for their unfaithfulness, for they often i^ive j^reat sorrow to tlios(; who are striving to live purer and better lives. Had the writer to live his life over again, with his know- ledge of the ('hurch<'s and their work, he would connect him- self with that ({(nionuBUtion whore he felt he could he the most useful and hajipy, for tht^ following reasons : 1 He believes that th<^ denominations are in accordance with God's plan, and His plan should be ours. 2. Within these Christ sheds spiritual light upon the hearts of thousands, sufficient to guide them all the way to heaven. '.\. Th<' Spirit of (iod is poured out U])on the lu^arts of millions, producing conversion and complete reformation of life. 4. Here God is ever present with His people, and is their strength, light, comfort, and defence. 5. This is a safe asylum for the out(;ast and wanderer, when by the power of God he is rescued from sin and moral death. Ff he is left in the world he will perish ; if brought into the Church it is likely he will be savod forever. 6. The Church of Christ in the denominations is the sweet, serene, and peaceful home ^f (Jod's spiritual and happy peo- ple. The place of His throne ; the place where His honor PFIEFACE. V dwollotl). Wliorp Oo(i is, is hoavon upon oarth. In " His presence is fulnoss of joy ; at, Ilia right hand, there are pleasures for evermore." Of hite, many persons who are not of the infidel class, but who claim to be devout, shun the (churches ; and often during the progress of revival services, advise penitents not to enter them, aflirming that they will receive damage by doing ao. That these pages may reach such people and lead them to see the absurd position they have taken ; and may lead pen- titents into the only place of safety and happiness, is the earnest prayer of THE AITTHOK. VanKLEEK illLL. CONTENTS Paok. CHAPTER I. The Evangelical Denominations of the Age parts OF THE Church of Christ ^ ^ CHAPTER II. The Evangelical Denominations of the goverend by the Laws of Christ Age 24 CHAPTER III. The Evangelical Denominations of the Age, places of Safety for the Outcast and Wanderer 36 THE EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE. CHAPTER I. THE EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE. E regret that many persons who seem to be very devout are waging a life waragainst the churches, stigmatizing them as sects. They use this word SECT, with a great deal of bitterness, saying that there is moral corruption in the churches. They often affirm " that the w^orld would be far better without the sects, than with them." I heard a man, professing to l>e a Christian say, some time since, that it would have been far better for the village where he lived, if no church ov minister had ever existed in it. I have carefully considered this class of men, and have found that they are not thinkers, but are in general ignorant, weak, factious, superstitious, and not capable of discerning goodness when it comes in conflict with their own narrow^ notions. People who become weary of their connection with the churches are generally of thi class. The world needs the evan- gelical denominations of this age. I have no objection 1*2 THE KVANJiELK AL DENOMINATlnNS OF THE A(;E to tli»' word " soct," as it siinpl y mocan.s a body of per- sons who follow some teacher, and are united in son\e settled tenets; as in religion, or in pliilosophy ; a reliii' )us denomination, o' a philosophical school. Thci'c is certaiidy n i!iing corrupt indicated in the term. The relkjious denominations are the Only re- I'RESENTATIVES OF THE ChURCH OF ChRIST AT THE RRESENT TIME. I cannot tind, by careful study, that God lias ever suffered the dark, and immoral w^orld to exist without the enlightening, and purifying influences in its midst, of an or<xanized church, under the im- uK'diate direction of God. In patriarchal times, as re- mote as th(^ age of Job, there were altars, sacrifices, and worship, and the patriarchs held the three oflices of Prophet, Priest, and King. We have in the Christian church to-day the sacrifice of Christ, the teaching of the Word, and the government of Christ, the three im- port;! nt elements found in the Patriarchal Church. The Jewish Church was called Israel, was loved and nourish(d of God, and received His word. Her sacrifices symbolized the sacrifice of Christ ; her people were the people of God ; lier laws were holy. She had her prophets and her priests, and God was her King. At last she was superseded by t'le Christian CJhui-ch, which is to continue to the end of time, and never give place to any other religion. Christ, when He commissioned His apostles to preach and govern His church, promised to be w4th them unto the end of I'Airrs OF THE cm kch of chuist. 13 the world. " Go ye, therefore, and teach all uafions, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,, and of the Holy Ghost : Teaehhuj them to obscnw all things whatsoever I have commanded you ; and, lo, I am ii'lth yoii alicay, even unto tlw end of the world. Amen.''* This Cluirch is in tlie wovhl to-day. Wlicre is it represented if it is not in the (ivanjjjelical denomina- tions ? What organized body of people outside these denominations hold and propagate tlie truth of C'hrist^ and save souls out of the world, and huiM up believers ^ Where is there an asylum for the outcast and wanderer wdien he is reclaimed ? And where is there a home for the people of God ? Let these people wIkj are constantly opposiiig the ditferent branches of the (Jhurch of Christ tell us where she is to be found to-day. Has she finished her work and entered into her rest ^ Or is she hidinir her litrht in some unknown wilderness ^ I look into the evangelical denominations of the age, and I tind that Christ walks in their midst as once He walked in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, representing the seven Churches of Asia Minor. The denominations illustrated by these seven golden can- dlesticks are golden ; they are solid and precious in the sight of God, and they bear up the light of Christ before the world. They are the representatives of Christ's Church on earth, and I can find no other. As ORGANIZATIONS THEY ARE PARTS OF THE ChURCH * Matt, xxviii. 19, 2U. 14 THE EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE OF Christ. What constitutes the Church of Christ ? It is made up of human beings who are united in one body, haWng Christ as their head. Thus united, they have one Lord Jesus Christ ; one faith, faith in Christ ; one baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is made up of hitman beings, existing among human beings for Christian work, havinsf a visible form called an " Assembly,"* " Church of God,"-(- " Congregation of Saints,"^ " Family in Heaven and Earth,"j^ " Golden Candlesticks,"|l " God's Building,"1I "House of God,"** " Temple of God."tt The Church of Christ is an organization as a SOCIETY, " A Congregation of Saints ;"|J " Flock of Godfjijjlj " A Fanuly."|ill All who belong to this congre- gation, Hock, or family, have one aim and work, under a constitution, and laws. First, their aim is their own salvation, God's glory, and the salvation of their fellow-men. Secondly, the laws by which they are governed are found in the New Testament and in the Moral Law, which says : " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself." The division of the Church of Christ into dif- ferent BODIES is unavoidable IN HER PRESENT CIR- • Psalm Ixxxix. 7. II Rev. i. 20. t+ Psalm cxlix. 1. t Acts XX. 28. r 1 Cor. iii. 9. g§ Ezck.xxxiv. 12,13. X Psalm cxlix. 1. **1 Tim. iii. 15. llj| Eph. iii. 15. § Eph. iii. 15. ttl Cor. iii. 16, 17. PARTS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. 1 r CUMSTANCES. I think it is in accordance with God's plan of extending His Church in the world and does not in tlie least interfere with the essential principles found in the true Church of Christ, which is the union of faith, spirit, and life. A great army under one general nia\' be well dis- ciplined, and have one given object in view, the defence of a nation, or the overthrow of one, and yet it may be divided into regiments, brigades, and com- panies. This is necessary in order for it to be pro- perly officered, equipped, and employed. The Church numbers millions of members. No building or place would be large enough to contain them all ; yet, when divided up into small companies, they may meet in our churches, and, officered in every place, can -be use- fully employed, and no part of the work need be burdensome or oppressive. The same (Jhurch exists in difierent countries, speaking different languages, England, France, Ger- many, Asia, or Africa. It is the same Church in every place. The seven Churches of Asia Minor were " golden ;" they all held up light to the world, and •* Christ walked in the midst " of them. The same is observable in the denominations of our own times. The Church of Christ exists in the form of DENOMINATIONS. In the fundamentals of the Chris- tian religion these denominations are united, in ncn- essentials they allow liberty to all. They hold the same truths, believe and worship the same Saviour, 16 THE EVANOKLK'AL DExNOMiNATImNS OF THE AOE and in spirit, in faith, and life are one, holding one Lord, one faith, one baptism. ThH division of THE CHURCH INTO DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS IS A RENEFIT RATHER THAN OTHERWISE, IF EACH I'OSSKSSES THE SPIRIT OF ChRIST, WHICH IS ITNLIMITKD CHARITY TOWARD ALL. I do not believe in denominational bitterness, strife, or bigotry. In a qualified and limited sense I do believe in division, as I do in a nation, an army, or any great body of people appointed under different leaders to do either different kinds of work, or work extending over a large field of operations, where in a divided form they can do more work, and better, than they possibly could in one great body. No one denomination knows all the truth. As our churches are made up of differ- ent classes of persons, some ignorant and unlearned, some pedjudiced by early influence, such as erroneous teaching and example ; some self-willed, holding too high an estimate of their own abilities, and indeed of their piet}', there must necessarily exist in the de- nominations more or less error. Should the Church of Christ form only one body, these many errors would of necessity exert a more damaging influence than now. The Church being thus divided, we strive to correct each other's errors, and emulate each other's excellencies. As brethren in Christ we approve what is excellent, and we strive to correct what is defective. In short, we strive to help one another. There is a great difference in the denominations, some are more PARTS OK THF CfirHrU OF (HHIST. J7 Spiritual and useful than others, while there is a lar<;c amount of <,'ood in all. All the Ohurchefi have pecu- liarities adapted to the character, conditions, and circumstances of the thousands of their adherents. A certain class of persons can be more useful in the denomination adapted to its own mt^ntal states, and to its peculiar suiroundinufs, hence \ think these divisions are important, and of Divine appointment. What I ohject to is denomlxational higotry, which holds that the Church of whieli I am a mem- ber is the only safe Church, the only true Church, Tlie ('hurch. In other words all who are out of this Church are not Christians, and, therefore, must perish. A good little work was published some time ago en- titled : The Voyagk to Glory. The author repre- sented the ditierent denominations as ships out upon the ocean of time, laden with hundreds of precious souls saved b}^ the grace of Christ, bearing them on to the port of glory. What if one of these ships should sink midway in the ocean ? Must the souls she bears perish ? Ah, no ! There are other sliips sailing for the same port, they have room enough, and tlie souls are safe tliough the ship may sink. If the Methodist, cr Episcopalian, or Congregational Churches should cease to exist, the souls saved through their instrumentality need not perish while the Evangelical Churches are doing the same soul- saving work. This I conceive to be God's plan, that if one ship sinks, one Church fails, He has others in which He can save precious souls, and the work of 9 IS TFIE EVANGELHAJ. I JKNOMl NATIONS OF THK AdE extondinnj His U'in;:]fflo?n may tluis ^o on. Finally, upon this point read :* "And as tln\v \V( nt throuj^li tho cities thoy dolivenHl thcni the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of tlie apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem, and so were the churches estai»lis]ie(l in the faitli, and increase(l in nuniher daily." Here notice : 1st. Paul and Timotheus went through the cities visiting tlie chnrch(^s. 2nd. Thc^y delivenMl to tlu^se cluirches the decrees for to keep that were ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem.-|- 3rd. The result of the didivery of those decn^es was — the chui'ches increased in numhers daily. The Chuiich of Christ is officered, and the officers are all found in the different denoimin- ATIONS of THE PRESENT AGE. There are two classes, ministers and deacons. Of ministers in the early Church, there were bishops, elders, prophets, and evan- gelists. Paul says : " And Cod hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, then gifts of healing, helps, governments diversities of tongues."J Again, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, " And he gave some, apostles ; and some, pro- phets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ : Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a per- * Acts xvi. 4, 5. t Acts xv. 23, 2\). J 1 Cor. xii, 28. PARTS OF TIfF, CirrTRCFI oF rmnsT. 19 feet man, unto the moasiire of the stature of the full- ness of (/hrist."* No one will doiiht that this ministry odlled hy Jesus (^hrist, an<l (pialified hy the saiietifyinjij ))ower of the Holy Spirit, was necessary to sti^ni^then and increase the early ('hureh of Christ. T3ut did the necessity for this ministry eease at the close of the apostolic period ? No one of conmioii sense will admit of this. You employ an architect to Imild a maijnifi- cent palace, he lays tlie foumlation, and partly huilds the walls, you then dismiss him, an<l suhstitute no other. I ask, if neither he nor any one else equally <j^ifted should complete the structure how couhl it be finished <! If the jxo<llv and self-tlenyini; ministers of this age are not the minsters of Christ, who are, and where are they to i)e f<mnd ^ If ministers such as Christ called and qualified to preach were necessary at the commencement of the Christian Church, are they not e(|ually so in this age of infidelity and sin ? Most enlightened people of this age belieye in the Divine appointment and usefulness of the ministers of Christ, while others urge the indiscriminate abandonment of that department of Christian toil performed by them in the churches. On this subject there are two classes of persons in the religious worhj who go to extremes. One class will uphold a despot and tyrant if only he is named a minister of the Christian Church, and another which will hinder as far as it can the usefulness of the most godly, humble, and self-denying mini.-iters, who ♦Epli. iv. 11, u. 20 THK KVAN(iKM("AI< DKNoMINATloNS oK TIIK A(JE ]iav(> only two a'lns in their liv«!S, tlie glory of Oo*), and tlu' salvation of num. TlIK grAl.IKICATloNS KOHTHK \Vn|{K OKTIli: MINISTUV IN Tin: KAHI.V ClirMCfl WKUK I'KKriSKLV WHA'I' AlU: NKKDKI) MV THK MIMSTKUS <)}-' TIIK MoDKKN (IUKCH : — 1. I^liy.sical Stren^^tli. " Tliey wore in labors many." 2. Intollt'ctual <,nt'ts to enable tbcm to understand the truth, and impart it to othei's. 2. The nfit't of laniiuaire, to »'nable thcni readily to communicntr tlieir knowiedf'C! to otliei\s. 4. A well-directed judfj^mcnt to discriminate ])etween rijLjfht and wronf]^, Qfood an<l evil. 5. Spiritual gifts, a regeneivite*! nature, and th(^ baptism of the Holy Spirit. Ministers in our denominations possess tlie same (|ualifieations, accomplish the same work, an<l tlieir labors are crowned with the same success. From the whole we learn : 1. Tliat true ministers in all ages are called of God. All possess the same general qualifications, and do the same work. 2. All are instrumental in the salvation of souls, some more so than others l)ecause of the (juality and extent of tlieir labors. 3. Common sense teaches us that there should be this ministry. 4. The Bil)le clearly defines it, and its work. It points out a certain class of persons for the work, and these shall be provided for in the work. " Moreover I'AKTS OK TIIK rniKril oK 'MHIST. 21 ke comiiutudcti the pfoplr tluit dwelt in Jet'siudem to glue the port ion of the priests and the Lerities, that they might he eaconnujed in the l(uu of the Lord."* And l*uul ill his cpistlo to tlu' (Ijilatiaiis says, " Let liim that IS taught in the; Word cnmiminicat*' unto him that teachi'th in all «>uo(I thiii;(s."f licrc you have proof that a paid ministry is a'-cordin;^' to (Jod's plan, and to the usa<res of the Apost' lie Church : — 1. It is (iod's plan that ministers sliould preach the Word, ami s[)iritually ^r,,v,'rn the ehurehes.:^ Those who oppose thr nnnistry of the churches believe in lay ai^eney ; so do we. 2. It is Ood's plan that private members shall re gard his ministers and treat th»Mn as messfmrrors from Him. § II 'J'hat they shall attend to their instructions.il 4. That they shall hold them in re|tutation and even love them.*l '). That they shall help them.** (). They are ordaiiied.-f-f Surely such a ministry appointed by God, to which is given such pronnnence in the Scriptures, and wdiich is doino- Apostolic work, is worthy of the esteem and confidence of every ri;^dit-niinded religious person. Illustrations.— God has made his ministers lishers * 2 0111011. xxxi. 4. J; ] Cor. iv. 1. ** Phil. iv. ;3. t I ( 'or. i.x. 7-14 ; Cul. :, Matt, xxiii. 3 ; J'liil. ft Mark iii. 14 ; Titus ^'i- ^■- "-29. i.5: IThn. ii. 7; t Acts xvi. 1. Ii 2 Cor. viii. 7. Acts xiv. 23. 22 THK EVANGKLICAL DENOMINATIONS OK THE A(iE of men. This image is very fine. The fisher casts his net not knowing whether he will gather any or not, or whether many or t'ew^ The tisher takes his prey alive, and draws them together, and to himself. The work of the fisher is one of art and not one of force and violence. And even the death of the fish when it is drawn out of the waters has its analogy in the higher spirit world. A man drawn forth from the Gospel nets — from the worldly, sinful element in which he before lived and moved — dies to sin, to the world, and out of this death he rises to a higher life in Christ. — Trench. To stand up between God and man, to deliver God's message, to preach to man, is truly beautiful. It is among the most lovely and touching sights to be be- held on eartli. The position of a man striving to save the souls of men, to remove human sorrow, to alleviate the misery of man, is the highest, the noblest, and truest of all public functionaries on earth. Is any one worthier of the livelihood he has than himself ? J believe not. How hard some people are toward their ministers. A person called on his minister to tell him he could, not enjoy his preaching as much as he once did. " Well my brother," said the minister, " before you tell me what in me you have to find fault with let us pray together. Will you kneel down and pray for me V They knelt dow^n and prayed, and when they arose, the minister said, " Now, dear brother, sit down and PARTS OF THE CIirRCH OF CHRIST. 23 tell 1110 what fault you have to fiad." The man said, " I am ashamed of myself. I have no fault to find at all." " Why, how is that, my brother ?" " Why, sir since you asked me to |)i7iy fur you 1 cannot hnd fault with you : J believe now, sir, the fault is in myself; I never prayed for jiju before, but now I will." ""^^xai^ ^^1^ ^~?rc22lD^ r ^: CHAPTER II. THE EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE. |HE ^reat end of Christ's mission on earth was i(| to form a Church that sliould extend her '^' influence to the utmost limits of earth, and to the end of time. Daniel saw Christ's mission fulfilled in the vision recorded in the second chapter of his book, where he saw the destruction of the in.age re- presenting thefour monarchiesof the ancient world; the Assyrian, the Medes and Persians, the Grecian, and the Roman. The head of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly of brass, and the feet and legs of iron and of clay, illustrated these four great monarchies. ''He saw till a stone was cut out of the rock without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and of clay, and brake them to pieces."* " And in the days of * Daniel ii. 34. r.OVERXEI) in- TTIK LAWS OF rHRtST. '^ Z> those kings shall the God of heav(m set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed ; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God liath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter."* In the extension of this kingdom, now the kingdom of the stone, but in after ages to become the kingdom of the mountain, and to fill the whole earth. Ministers, teachers, evangelists, and deacons, appointed by God himself, and qualified for this great work are to take a prominent and important position. They are to en- force and explain the doctrines of Christ, and thus to confirm the people in a holy profession and the practice of Christian virtues, for the purest systems of religion must become corrupted, or dwuiidle into nothing if they are not perpetually inculcated and explained by a regular standing ministry. So the best histoi-ians affirm. A body so large as the Christian Church can not be governed without definite, just, and righteous laws. The laws of the Christian Chl'rch are clearlv GIVEN. Neither Christ nor His Apostles commanded anything as to the external forms of the Church- The regulation of this was to be left in some measure * Dauiel ii. 44, 45. 2{j IKE EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE A(.E to tiiiios and cir(3Uiri.stances, and to the wisdom and piety of the rulers. Yet there are definite laws laid down by (yhrist, and His inspired Apostles for tlie government of the Christian Church in her relations to Christ, to the world, and the mutual relationship existiuLi" between her memht^rs. TI/(^ l<nrs litiil (loir)i fnj Ch I'lsf (ive found chiefly In His Sertttoti on tite Mount. Some are left to be im]«lied, others are plainly i,dven, the former we have in the folio wini^' : — '' Blessed are the poor in spirit." (Be ve hundjle.) "Blessed are they that mourn." (Be ye sorry for sin.) "Blessed are the meek." (Be ye meek.) " Blessed are they that hunj^ei' and thirst after ]'i<diteousness." (Hunfjer and thirst after riq;ht- eousness.j " Blessed are the merciful." (Be ye merci- ful.) " Blessed are the pure in heart." (Be ye pure ill heart.) "Blessed are the peace-makers." (Make peace with one another.)* These are all implied laAvs given by the Great Lawgiver in the keeping of which He has promised a blessing. Further He says, " Let your light shine." He commanded that His disciples. shouM keej) the moral law. " Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets : 1 am not come to destroy but to fulfil. For, verilv I say unto you, till heaven and earth shall pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fultilled. Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, shall be called least in the king- * Matt. V. 3-9. GOVERNED HV LAWS OF CHRIST. 27 dom of heaven ; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called crreat in the kinixdom of heaven."* They were to live in harmony and love one with another.-|- They were not to eonniiit adultery.;]: They were to pluck out the right eye, or cut oti' the right hand, if these canst.' tliem to sin.jjj They were not to encourage divorce, nor swear, nor return evil for evil. Thev were to return ijood for evil, love their enemies, and be perfect as tlieir Father in heaven is perfect.;! In the sixtli chapter of Matthew, Christ gives laws with regard to alms-giving, prayer, fasting, laying up treasure, the Christian should have one aim, should regard heavenly things as more important than earthly.*' This is a brief out- line of Christian law laid dow^n by Christ in His Sermon on the Mount. We find the same laws en- forced by the Apostles all through the Epistles of the New Testament, and we mast not forget that the Apostles were inspired by God in the application and enforcement of these Divine laws. Are not all these taught and enforced in the denominations of the Christian Church to-day i' I think they are ; but no one of them refers to the mode of worship, nor to the external forms of Church government to be adopted by the foUow-ers of Christ in any age or place. As to the enforcement of these laws, we have already shown that this was done by the apostles, elders, and *Matt. V. 17, 19. IMatt. v. 27. .; Matt. v. 38-48. tMatt. V. 21-2t). §Matt. v, 29, 30. II Mutt. vi. 1-l;4. 2^S TUK EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE deacons. As Paul and Tiniotheus " went tlirongli the cities tliey <lelivered tlieni tlie decrees for to keep that were oi'dained of the apostles and elders that were at JerusaleuL"* Wliat were these decrees ^+ The Apostles showed that the people were to abstain from meats offered to idols, from blood and things strangled, and from fornication. By enforcing these degrees, whicli struck at th ' prevailing corruptions of tlie age, the Churches were established, and increased in num- ber daily.| T/iis is precisdij what Christian ministers are now doing. They are not flying with the wind and swinnning with the tide ; but are enforcing Chris- tian law, opposing the prejudices and sins of the age, and, by preaching Christ and His will, are establishing the Churches and increasing the number of members daily. The Church of Christ has a pure systkm of REMGIOl'S truth, AND THIS IS TAUGHT IN ALL THE EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS. Standing out promi- nently in this .system are the doctrines of the Trinity; the Deity, His attributes, and works ; the divinity and work of Christ;' the divinity, personality, and work of the Holy Spirit ; man's original and fallen state, and the vicarious sacrifice of Christ ; the atonement and the means by which the blessings of the atonement may be applied to the hearts of men ; repentance and faith. The extent of the blessings of justification by faitli, regeneration, santification, and glorification in "Acts xvi. 4. tAots XV. 29. t Acts xvi. 5. HOLD A PURE SYSTP:M OF RELKUOUS TRITM. 21) the world to come ; Christ crucified, and His resurrec- tion were prominent doctrines in the Apostolic age. Never were they kept more prominently het'orc the people than at the present time. The Word of Gixi was highly valued, and never was it more appr(3ciated and studied than it is to-day. The Apostles were sent forth in their day as heralds to proclaim the death, resurrection, ascension, and triumphant reign of Christ, and in this way to " open the blind eyes," and turn the people from sin to holi- ness, and from Satan to God. Peter on the day of Pentecost, before the assembled multitudes proclaimed, " Ye men of Israel, hear these words of Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs ; which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know : Him being delivered by the determinate counsel, and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and with wicked hands have crucified and slain : whom God hath raised up."* Peter and John afterward went up into the temple and cured the lame man, and then preached to the multitudes assembled, the same glorious truths. '' Ye denied the Holy One, and the Just, and desired a murderer to he granted unto yoil, and killed the Prince of Life ; whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses." f For this boldness of speech, Peter and John were cast into prison. Afterwards, before the rulers of the Jews, Peter afhrmed, that it was in * Acts ii. 2-2, 24. + Acts iii. 14, 15. :K) the EVAN(iELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE A(}E the name of Jesus, that this lame man had been liealed. Being iilled with the Holy Ghost he said unto them, "Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom vc liave crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole."* When was there a time when the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, together with His reign of righteousness, and His second coming to judgment, were more fully and impressively proclaimed than they are now ? When Peter proclaimed them, thousands were converted ! So thousands are being converted to-day under the same glorious truths. The Christian Church has a pure life produced \vi Christ through the proclamation of His truth. Paul said, " I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;"*!* and He who spake as never man spake said, " Search the Scriptures, for in them ye thimk ye have eternal life, for they are they that testify of Me.'' .| This pure life is not simply being educated in religion, nor is it union with the C'hurch of Christ. There are thousands in this ajre of profession who have been educated in religion and make a loud profession of it, who have never known by experience what this life is. Christ refers to it in His conversation with Nicodemus who came to Him * Acts iv. 8-10. tRom. i. 16. :|: John v. 39. Jini.I) A I'l'HE SYSTKM OK HI'I.KilOlS TIUTII. :\\ by niglit, dosiriiio- to know the way of otornal life. Ho said, "Except a man be born ai-vain lie cannot enter into tlie kingdom of God."* This life is spiritual. tli.Mvfore heavenly and snpernatural, whereby wc Ii\e to (lod and enjoy peace with Plini, " To bv spi nfn,f//>/ ,,, nnhd is life and p^arr."f "If ye then arc risen with Cliri.st seek those thin<,rs whicli are abo\e, where Christ sitteth at the rii:,dit hand of (rod. Set youi- atlections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in C{od.:|: Many persons of pretended piety, in speaking against the Churches, say they have degenerated and are not what (Christ designed His Church to be. Are thes<' allega- tions true :' If so these are facts which we cannot undervstand. If converted people enjoying this life are not in connection with the denominations of the age, then w^here are they to be found ? Have you ever seen them occupying any other sphere ? Have they all passed to their heavenly reward ? Or have they secreted themselves in some lone wilderness ;' Where are they, we repeat, if they are not found in the Churches ? The greatest enemies of the Churches will acknowledge that they are to be found there, and there are but few, if any, in any otlier place on earth. Then we cannot understand how it is that if the members of the Church of Christ in the denominations are not in possession of this life, there should be mani- *Johniii. 5. + Rom. viii. 6. :J:Cf»l. iii. 1-3. 32 TME KVANCJKI.FfAI, DENOMIXATIONS OF TTIK AHE festcd in tho lives of so many its true characteristics, light, purity, peace, zeal, and fidelity. When you sec these fruits of ('hristian living: vou may rest assured that the Holy S])irit of CJod is operating upon the lu^art of the individual on whom the fruit is found. In the spring-time you see the stately tree hearing huds, then tlu' hroad and heautiful leaf, then comes forth the fragrant blossoms, and in process of time the delicious fruit. All this is the result of the flowing: sap, circulating through every bough and brjinch. So it is when the Spirit's influence is poured out upon the human soul, then appears the beautiful leaves of Christian example, and the blossoms and fruits of holy living. The Spirit of God is rlesignated Holy Spirit seve- ral times in the Word of God, because His proper office is to sanctify the people of God. The more we partake of the Holy Spirit's influence, the more devoted and holy Avill our lives become, and the more will they be governed according to the rules of sanctified reason, and tl)e dictates of God's Holy Spirit contained in His Word. When the Spirit of God has taken up His residence in the human soul, He exerts a powerful influence upon all that man's thoughts, words, and actions, and makes him to be ''fruitful and abound in every good word and work.'' Such a life is lived in the Churches, and w^e believe more extensively than in any age since Christianity was introduced into our w^orld. • The Evangelical Churches are freer from cor- ruption [N THIS AGE THAN W1<:RE MANY OF THE EARLY HOLD A I'L'KK SVSTKM OF JiELKJIOUS TRUTH. 33 CHIFRCIIKS IN APOSTOLK! TiMKS. Divisions and dissen- sions were fre(|Ucnt in tlu' Cliurchos ot* (joiintlj, Gahitia, and Rome. Tli(> fact tliat iImtc wvw many Clnirclios in tlie Apostolic nifv is no si^n of theiV weakness oi- irregularity. There were seven clmrches in Asia Minor, tlie C'liuiches of Epliesns. Smyrna, Peroranios, Tliyatira, Sardis. I'liiladdpliia, and oi" tlu' Laodiceans. They were desiiriiated golden candle- sticks, the hearers up (.f liM-lit, and Clirist walked in the midst of them. Christ points out certain defects, hut applauds wliat is excellent, and n>akes to the faithful many precious ])romises.* In the Cliurches of Corinth, Rome, and (mlatia there was the absence of that spirit nf unity, wincli is the prevailino- spirit of the Christian Clnirch, in its most spiritual state. In the primitive Churches some sins were induli-ed in which woukl not be tolerated in (food society outside the Christian Church at the piesent time.f The Galatian Church obeyed not the truth but lield the Jewish doctrine of circumcision.";: Tlie Cliurcli of Ephesus left her first love. In the (liui-ch of Peru-amos some held the doctrine of Balaam, who tau«>lit PJalak to cast a stum])ling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to com- mit fornication. The Church of Thyatiia suffered that woman Jezebel to seduce and to teach Christ s servants to commit fornication, and to eat thinors sacri- *Eev. ii., iii. ('liai)ter.s. fl Cor. v., viii. cliapters. IGa.]. v. 34 EVAN'IELK \l, DENOMINATIONS OP THE A(iE. ficcd unto idols. T\w. Chmvh at Sai'dis liad a namo to live and was doail, and tliini,rs tliat ivniaiiuMl wore ready to dir. T\ui Cliurdi of tlie Laodiceans was neither cold nor hot, was wretched, miserable, poor, hlind.and naked.* From a careful study of the Epistles of the New Testament and of the Revelation of St. John, I am convinced there were as many imperfections in the ('lunches planted hy the Apostles in Apostolic tinu^s as are found in the denonunations of this a<i;e ; and in a few instances there were crimes indulijjed in tliai would not now he tolerated outride the visihle Church of Christ. There are some who pro- fess a good deal of piety who seem to take special delight in speaking against the Churches. They .seem to l)e more bitter against them than against infidelity, sin, or worldliness. Th(^ Churches are the repositories of truth, the homes of the faithful, and the place of God's throne. These people should take care lest haply they speak against Cod. 1 would suggest to them, that the best remedy for tlieir spirit of fault-ftnd- inc' would be to assist the Churches to erect barriers ao-ainst tlu^ encroachments of sin and error, and unite with them in the dissemination of Divine truth and Scriptural holiness throughout the land, and through- out the world. An example. In a small village in Canada there were a few persons who professed a great deal of sanctity and devotion, and yet who waged a greater * Kev. ii. and iii. HOM) A nUK SYSTEM OF RELIGIOUS TKUTH. ;}.') war arrainst tlio Cl.urchcs in tlu' place than against wrong-doing. I startled them one day in their st'i'ong- liold, when I told them that I would prove tliat the ('hurches are pmvr to-day than tliey were in the Apostolic age ; tliat there is more union of spirit, the true union, tlian civer before; tliat there is more purity of doctrim-, more holiness, an.l more zeal, and earnestness; that we have the same truth and the same worshi}), a pure ministry, and as earnest a membership. Upon considrring the subject some con- fessed that I was right. We would 'not, however, relax our ellbrts on this account. It is as important now as it was in the Apostolic days thut we pusli on in the great and good work unto the end, and all we a.sk seekers after the truth to do, is not to impede, but to lielp us ; not to oppose, but to pray for us. Do not class the pure, good, and earnest workers in the Churches with the formal, inconsistent, and hypocriti- cal. This is base in the extreme. ->(i> CHAPTER III. THE DENOMINATIONS PLACES OF SAFETY FOR THE OUTCAST AND WANDERER. <i|||HE Gluirchos of (Jhristendoni aro tlio only places of safety for the outcast and wanderer, when tijevliave been reclaimed from the world and won to Christ. Wliere else can he go and be safe, while there is Satan to tempt, and the world to allure and fascinate him ? There are only two classes of i)ersons in the world, and eacli moves in its own circle. One is called wicked and worldly. The people of this class walk after the tiesh, after the rudiments of the world, and are in " bondage to sin and Satan" The way they pui'sue is that of sin and death, and there is no safety in it. It is a thorny, wearisome, and dangerous path strewn with the slain, whose blood cries for vengeance from the ground. There are many slain by strong drink. There are others who lived too fast, and while yet young were carried away as with a whirlwind, and are numbered PLACES OF SAFP:TY FOR OL'TCAST AND WANDERER. 'M with the decad. Tliore are also those who, by many irregularities, have brought upon themselves (l(\struc- tion, and upon no other being than themselves, will they be able to cast the odium of their wretched destiny. Others are still carried around in the world's eddies and move in its own circles. There is no safety there for one saved out of the world. He must be lifted out of this perilous way, there is no safety there for one moment. For such the Lord has pro- vided a place of safety. It is, however, in another class, and moving in anotlier circle among the people of God, the righteous. Their experience is thus described, " They walk in the Spirit." " The Spirit of God dwelleth in them." " They are tilled with the Spirit ; " having " Christ in them the hope of glory." Their happy state is designated, " Spiritual life." There are only two words here but they convey a fuller meaning, unfolding the spiritual state of the people who are saved. It is " life," " spiritual life," " eternal life." Here, then there is perfect safety and no where else. The Lord employs special providences in connection with His Church for the preservation of His own people. Reynolds says, "As a man by a chain made up of several links, some of gold, others of silver, others of brass, iron, or tin, may be drawn out of a pit ; so the Lord employs a vast variety of things, insubordinate and independent of each other, for the deliverance of His people. That it may appear to be the work of His own hands. He has 38 EVANGELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE. sometimes ordered and armed natural canses to this end. The stars in their courses fight against Sisera ; a mighty wind from heaven beating on their faces discomfitted them. So the Christian armies under Theodocius against Eugenius the tyrant, were de- fended by the winds of heaven which blew away the weapons out of their enemies' hands to make good that promise. "No tueapon that is formed against thee shall 'prosper^ The Lord slew the enemies of Joshua with hailstones, and on another occasion the Moabites were overthrown by the sun shining upon the water. The Lord has sometimes employed phantasies and frightful apprehensions in the minds of His enemies for the defence of His Church, as in the cases of the Midian- ites and the Assyrians. He caused a voice to be heard in the ten^j/if- before the destruction of Jerusalem, warning the idtli^'v.l to go out of the city and escape for their lives. He employed Cyrus and the Medes and Persians to overthrow the mighty Babylon, to restore the captive Jews to their own land, and to re-establish them and their temple. Cotton rags, thrown aside as good for nothing, drew Jeremiah out of the pit ; and so in searching the pages of history we may find thousands of other instances illustrating the lo /e of God in securing the safety of those who have been rescued from the power of sin, and brought into His banqueting house. In THE Churches of Christendom is to be found A suitable home for God's saved people. There PLACES OF SAFETY FOR OUTCAST AND WANDERER. 39 are to be found in them all the true elements of home, love, friendship, unity, and mutual forbearance. The elements of a happy home are peace, cleanliness, order, and necessary temporal and spiritual supplies. In the pure Church, living under the smiles of heaven, all these elements will be found. The love that will influence all hearts is spiritual. Its brightness can never be dimmed, nor its ardor ever be quenched. It is of the nature of the love of God ; it reaches out to others, and is never wearied nor discouraged. When felt towards God it is ardent and desires only His g\oYj. When directed towards the members of the family group it seeks both their honor and their happiness. Often it extends its influences beyond the boundaries of home, and seeks to rescue and save the lost. Its friendships are also spiritual, therefore of the highest type. They are bonds that should never be broken except by death, and then to be re-united in the better world. They are the closest bonds because they are of the heart, sanctified by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are the delight of youth, the pillar of age, the blossom of prosperity, and the joy of adversity. An important question is, where is a true friend to be found ? Many who wear the title are unworthy of it. He is to be found in the circle of the spiritual, and when found he is valuable and can be relied upon. " A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." * * Prov. xvii, 17. » 40 EVANGELICAI, DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE. Then there is mutual forbearance amid tlie little obstructions and inconveniences of life. There is more of real happiness to be enjoyed in this state than in any other on earth. These are order, social purity, and rich and heavenly supplies. In this home nothini^ is wanting to make man holy and happy. It is the only real home of God's people upon earth. The Churches of Christendom are typical of THE Church in Heaven. They are formed of the '' faithful of the land:' The best, the most spiritual beings upon earth. Those who after death inherit heaven are gathered within their circle. God sits upon His throne in heaven, and the blessed influence of His presence is felt by all the heavenly company. The same glorious influence is felt throughout His Church on earth, wherever a waiting and worshipping people are to be found. John, when he saw in his vision the heavenly state, said : " Andlsaiu no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it ; for the glory of the Lord did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the lioht of it : and the kin^s of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it."* Heaven will be enriched with the glory of earth; and this glory can only be found within the denominations, among the people who live in the Lord, and who die ' Kev. xxi. 22-24. PLACES OF SAFETY FOE OUTCAST AND WANDKUEU. 4J in the Lord. " T lieard a voice from heaven spy- ing unto me, Write, blessed <(re the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth : Yen, saith the Spirit, thit they may rest from their labors; and their works do folloiu them."*' Believers will carry their liglit, purity, and life with them into heaven. In the higher life on earth we have the earnest money, or foretaste of the heavenly life to come. We sometimes call it heaven begun below : " Br faith we already Ijcliold That lovely Jerusalem here : Her walls are of jasper ami gold, As crystal her buildinj^'s are clear. Inimovably founded in grace, She stands, as she ever hath stood, And brightly her Builder displays. And Haines with the glory of God. " The saints of God, who are the sons and daughters of the Most High, are all found in the churches. They have no suitable resting-place outside these sacred enclosures. What they are here, they will be in a more perfect state m the better world. What they possess here spiritually they will possess in a higher degree in the better land. The death -bed experiences of many show that there is but a short distance between the Church of Christ on earth and the Church of Christ in heaven. Example. — A Christian on the morning of his death asked of his daughter some food, and then medita- * Rev. xiv. 13. 42 p:vangemcal denominatioiNS of the age. ting a wliile Hcaid, " Hold ! daughter, hold ! My Master calls me." With these words his sight failed and he asked for the Bible and to have his fingers put on the text in Romans. " J am persuaded that neither death nor life," &c.* " Is my finger upon it ? " he asked. Being told that it was, he added, " Now God be with you, my dear children. I have breakfasted with you and shall sup with my Lord Jesus Christ this night," and then expired. Is not such an experience heavenly ? The influence of the denominations is precisely THAT OF THE Church OF GoD. Luminous, peaceful, and converting, from the very beginning of the Christian Church, the Gospel has been preached in the denominations, and such has been the effusion of the Holy Spirit that millions have been converted. The work is still advancing. We have no reason to believe that there is any change for the worse ; but we have abundant evidence that there are signs of constant and unceasing improvement. One of the evidences of this improvement is that Christians are active. Suppose that during a war between two nations, a recluse should shut himself up in some cave in the mountain side and meditate upon his country's glory, would you call him a patriot ? You would say, '' Bring him out into the camp, arm him and equip him for the war," and then as he waved his colors, or brandished his sword, you would say, " There truly is a patriot." * Koin. viii. 38, 39. PLACES OF SAFETY FOR OUTCAST AND WANDERER. 4.S In his mountain don a fungus would be of as much use as he. There are some useless members in the Church of Christ to-day, this wo will not deny; but there are many loving, active, earnest w^orkers too, and, because there are, the Church is advancing. When you see a little stone grow into a mighty mountain and make inroads upon all the kingdoms of the world ; when you see kings and emperors submit to a doctrine, proclaimed at first by weak and unlettered men, op- posed to'the natural inclinations of men, and teaching nothing but self-abnegation ; when you see that doc- trine spread and prevail, you behold the power of the Gospel. It is not human but divine. It is not the might of intellect, w^ealth, or social relationship. It is the influence of the Spirit of the living God upon the hearts of men. There is unity, not separation, in the Evangeli- cal DENOMINATIONS OF CHRISTENDOM. WhAT THAT UNITY MEANS. Perhaps the strongest reason uro-ed against the denominations of Christendom is that of sectarian bigotry. This, which in nearly all cases is regarded as a foul blot, is often nothing more than a strong love of home. Here is a Christian who has received all his good in a certain branch of the Christian Church. . By experience he knows nothing of the good to be gained in others. This is his spiritual home. Why should it not be to him the happiest place upon earth ? The home of his second birth, and the channel through which he receives the largest amount 44 EVAN(JELICAL DENOMINATIONS OF THE AGE. of spiritual o-ood. As Christians come more together they learn to love each other. As the churches frater- nize, they become more united in spirit, which I think is the true union, such as that explained and illustrated in the Word of God. If they hold Christ as their common Head and Saviour, one atonement, one faith, one baptism ; if they are agreed upon the fundamental doctrines, and the true life of Christianity, they are Scripturally one. If the enemies of the denominations can show that this oneness is not found in the churches of Christendom let them do it ; we think they have a difficult task before them. Illustration. At a meeting held some time ago, I mentioned the apocalyptic account of the seven churches of Asia Minor, and that there then existed seven churches distinct and separate, but united in spirit. They were denominated churches which were in Asia, unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pero-amos, and unto Thvatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. I stated that these were real churches, existing in the cities men- tioned. A person who had been preaching a good deal against the denominations stated, that the passage above referred to, was not to be understood in a literal sense, but in a symbolical one, that it was intended to symbolize the present state of the churches, their cor- ruption and separation. I replied that for the sake of arofument we would admit so much. Then we must come to the following conclusions : — PLACES OF SAFETY FOR OUTCAST AND WANDEKEli. 45 1. These churches were separated from each otlier as far as the cities were distant. 2. They were one in doctrine and spirit. 3. Tliey were golden. Seven golden candlesticks. Gold is the purest, rarest, most precious, and ihirahle, of all metals. If these churches were symbolical of the churches of Christendom, then they are the purest, rarest, most precious, and durable of all systems of religion. 4. With all their imperfections, Christ walks in the midst of them. According to the above exposition, Christ walketh in the midst of the churches to-day. We have no doubt that this is so, and notwithstanding hundreds of persons holding the positions of religious teachers are trying to pull down and destroy the churches of Christendom, they cannot succeed, for Christ walketh in the midst of the churches, and as they are built upon the Rock of Ages the gates of hell cannot prevail against them. ' • ,,.• : • . . . '• .• . , . », ... * ••••'... :.. • - » OUR PUBLICATIONS. Works by Rev. John Carroll, D.D. Case and His Cotemporaiues. 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