[The first article in this series, "God's Great Oneness," appeared last week. It ought to be read in connection with this, that we may see what should be and what is.—Editor.]
CHRISTENDOM divided!
Seets and cults numbering hundreds!
Religious chaos bordering on spiritual anarchy!
Hopelessly separated into independent, non-coöperative, repellent units—a house divided against itself—this is the religious world of to-day.
Through conflict of creeds, differences of faith, counterworking of leaders, variance of standards, and discord of members, the professed church of God of the twentieth century is causing the gospel trumpet to give "an uncertain sound," and the great unsaved world knows not "the meaning of the voice." 1 Cor. 14: 8, 11.
It requires no argument to show that so-called followers of Jesus Christ are far indeed from answering His prayer "that they all may be one." John 17: 21. They are many.
It is of no particular credit that religious teachers, many of them, are ready to step forward and proclaim that, after all, the differences existing are apparent rather than real. "Is it not true," they say, "that denominational faiths are but different roads leading to the one great center?" They seem to forget that the roads of which we speak begin at the center and end at the circumference; and that those following these roads are traveling from the center rather than toward it.
Reference to the words of inspiration makes it plain that divergent denominational pathways are certain evidence of worldly weakness and carnality. The trouble began in a lack of conversion, in forgetfulness of Christ Jesus. Writing to the Corinthians, the apostle said: "It hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, . . . that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" 1 Cor. 1: 11-13; 3: 3, 4.
No apology may reasonably be offered for the unlovely, unattractive picture presented at this time by the church. Only one answer may be given to those who inquire why the church is now split into hundreds of sects; and that is that the great Teacher, God's Holy Spirit, has not had and does not now have its rightful place in men's lives. Men follow men rather than God, and man's word rather than God's word.
Over and over again the honest in heart have been thrown into confusion and distress by the various conflicting church teachings; and in despair they have asked, "How may I know what is right, when all the churches say, 'We are right'?" Certain it is to every candid mind that somebody is wrong.
A Survey of the Field
Scan the field! Behold the Babylon of organization! First and foremost stands Rome, the church of many centuries—tho by no means apostolic—proud, intolerant, and declaring as heretical all who fail to acknowledge her teachings or submit to her customs; whose unity is based on coercion; and whose communion admits of neither actual freedom of conscience nor true liberty of action.
Behind the great overshadowing presence of the Roman Church, with her marvelous array of mystery and inconsistency, stand the multitude of so-called Protestant churches. I say so-called, because it is a sad fact, and one which is well known, that many Protestant bodies have ceased to protest against the principles of the Papacy, and are ready to join hands with her in certain lines of church work which they believe will prove an uplift to society.
As an illustration to the point, take a statement made not long ago at a meeting of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. Appealing for the unity of all Christendom, the Rev. Dr. Lloyd, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, said, "There never will be anything like unity until the Greek and Roman churches unite with us." What must be the condition of Protestantism when it stands ready to welcome a unity which embraces Romanism? Protestantism has almost ceased to protest.
Church Federation—Its Meaning
In this connection, let it be noted that the great Federation of Churches has committed itself, in principle, to a union of religion and the state, thus sanctioning and laboring to sustain the very fundamental doctrine of papal errors. And remembering that this federation includes within its membership "over thirty denominations, representing eighteen million adult communicants, and fifty million adherents," we may easily see how fully Protestantism has given itself up to Rome, and thus may see also how little of the old-time Protestant material is really left. And yet this is only one of present-day chaotic religious conditions.8Great efforts are made nowadays to bring about a condition, or at least an appearance, of unity. The federation movement has for its chief end concert of action. The fact remains, however, that there is no true basis for real spiritual unity. Whatever of unity comes through federation is based on compromise. The Baptist is still a believer in immersion, the Episcopalian still a believer in sprinkling. They may appear to be a unit, but they are not. They have not the same mind. And when they work together as missionaries, they continue to teach divergent views. If they divide the field, and do not work together, but each in his own sphere, then each has abandoned his right and his duty to give to a part of the world, at least, that which he holds to be God's truth. Such unity is worse than open disagreement, for it robs men of all genuine liberty, and smacks of hypocrisy and utilitarianism. It may succeed politically, but not spiritually, and in the end, leaves the world to perish in doubt and confusion.
Think of it, dear reader! If you are a church-member, bear in mind that your church, if federated, has abandoned her original gospel position, and has agreed to bury much of her true faith, in order to participate in a great movement which ultimately shall prove her complete spiritual overthrow.
Higher Criticism
Practically all the great churches of to-day are honeycombed by that infidelity which masquerades under the garb and name of "higher criticism." Old-time faith in the Bible as an authoritative, inspired word of God, as the great inflexible, unchangeable standard of divine truth, has almost ceased to be. Comparatively few of those who occupy the pulpits of the land are willing longer to stand on the old Protestant rock of "the Bible and the Bible only;" but, contrariwise, seek to introduce the various man-made teachings of the time, holding that the Scriptures are but a part of a great evolutionary system, which includes within its scope the writings of great modern scholars.
So far has this infidelity found place among Protestant teachers and believers, that the Roman Church now stands up and poses before the world as the great defender of the Scriptures. And multitudes actually believe her claim. Speaking of the uncertain, confusing teachings of the time, a certain editor remarks: "We would venture the opinion that it is just here Protestantism fails. The world misses the splendid assurance, the serene reliance, and the courageous faith that challenges skepticism, materialism, and ungodliness through the voice of the Catholic Church."
Even in matters of faith where the churches seem to agree, there is to be found a perfect Babylon of conflicting claims, illogical logic, inharmonious reasonings. Take the question of the Sunday. One church holds it to be a sabbath; another, not sabbath, but Lord's day. One says the Sunday is to be observed out of respect to the fourth commandment; another, that the fourth commandment is not now obligatory. One tells us that Sunday, without doubt, is the first day of the week, the day of Jesus' resurrection; another, that time is lost, and we can not tell which day of the week is the first or resurrection day. One church teaches that God requires the observance of one seventh of our time, that it matters not which day is chosen; another declares rigidly for the one day—Sunday—and asks for a law to compel everybody to keep it. One teaches this, another that, opposing one another in phases ad infinitum.
The Consequences
In view of all the foregoing, it is not at all strange to find the churches down spiritually. "Lovers of pleasure" is written everywhere. Never so much form, and never so little power! Commercialism has supplanted the love of God, formality the warmth of the Spirit. "The world is growing better," declare a thousand pulpit orators; but they are really saying that the church is growing worse. It is only because of spiritual retrogression and religious deterioration that church leaders view the world as they do.
It is only to be expected that low spiritual standards, so prevalent in all localities, bring great weakness and inefficiency. The church has no power to draw sinners or to hold saints. Conscious of this, ministers are resorting to cheap, worldly advertising to attract crowds and fill the empty pews. Of course, they sometimes succeed, but ever to the shame and further weakening of the church which they seek to build up.
The great doctrines and mighty arguments of the gospel of the Lord Jesus are made to give place nowadays to political and other present-day, stirring questions. High-salaried divines are expected to keep their religious ideas up to date, abreast with the times. Municipal reforms and cleansing of politics have therefore crowded out individual conversion and heart cleansing. The result is X—I—the church minus Christ.
With power gone, the churches earnestly seek what Rome sought and found centuries ago,—connection with worldly authority. What they fail to accomplish by the agency of the Spirit, they hope to bring about by the strong arm of law. This, dear reader, is the secret of the great effort of church federation. By banding together, the great churches hope to become so strong that they can dictate to the state, and secure the passage of civil laws which shall compel respect for religion and religious observance.
But why go further? The case is one of open, self-evident confusion and spiritual discord. God calls it Babylon. Surely it is not His planning, and it receives not His sanction. He has better things for His children. He has them for you, dear reader. He has them for me. Those better things will be pointed out in a future article.
[The third article in this series is "The Healing Remedy" for the divisions of Christendom.]
