ings and palaces within, their furnishings, their drapery, or their scenic grandeur. As Paul knew a man, caught up to the third heaven who heard words which could not be expressed in human language, so John could not describe the mansions which Christ has gone to prepare for those who love Him where the redeemed will congregate and sing the song which angels can not sing, "Thou hast redeemed us," and listen to the heavenly eloquence of those elder Sons of God who shouted for joy at the creation of the human race, where unshackled by death and unhampered by sin, growing in knowledge, increasing in wisdom, traversing the universe, surveying the past creations of God, and witnessing the new, they shall run forever the high race of immortality.

CHAPTER XXXVI

CHRISTIAN UNITY

The Savior's Prayer for Union. The Union of Believers both Practical and Desirable. The Evil Tendency of Division. The Oneness of Believers.

HAVING given consideration to the evidence of pardon and to the organization of the Church of Christ, we now state that Christians were a united people under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And it is plainly evident, from the prayer of Christ, that they should be united now, as they were in the days of the apostles, to convince and convert the world. We read, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe

that thou hast sent me." a

While Protestant nations owe their advancement to the protest they made against Roman Catholic domination, and Protestant Christians are the foremost leaders in civilization and religion, their work, however, is crippled, retarded, and cannot be finally successful until the churches are united, or the Church of Christ in its purity and simplicity is restored. It will John xvii. 20, 21.

be shown, from facts and figures, that Protestant churches, in their divided form, can not make the masses Christian even in Protestant lands, much less convert the world while they are divided into a multitude of sects and parties. Union, then, is absolutely essential to convert the people in Protestant lands and Christianize the pagan nations.

That all the believers in Christ should be united so as to constitute but one body, one communion, one church, is a proposition clearly set forth and strongly inculcated in the Christian Scriptures.

The language of the Savior which we have quoted, exhibits very plainly His divine will on this subject. The apostles frequently enjoined it, and condemned all divisions in the strongest terms, and those who assert that there are so many different denominations of Christians that every person can be suited, take a stand in direct opposition to the prayer of the Savior, and rejoice in that which the apostles reprove.

This prayer of the Savior was uttered under the most solemn circumstances just before His betrayal. He had for some three years been developing the principles of His government, preparatory to a permanent establishment of a remedial system adapted to the nature of man, in all his varied circumstances and necessities, and one which, in its perfect organization and infinite motives could yield more happiness than all systems of religion or moral philosophy ever presented to the consideration of man. He had, by the wisdom of His teaching, the benevolence of His example, in connection with the power of God which He

displayed in the miracles He performed, such as the expulsion of demons, the restoration of sight to the blind, and the raising of the dead, fully established all His claims to divine power and authority.

He selected twelve apostles whom He made the subjects of His special instruction, and to whose care He was soon to entrust the affairs of His kingdom, when the great work of redemption had been accomplished by His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. After praying for Himself He next prayed that the apostles might be sanctified through the truth, and then for all those who should believe on Him through their word that "they may all be one, that the world may believe that thou hast

The union of all those who thus believe is not only practical, but it is an object greatly to be desired and essential, or the Savior would not have prayed for it. Those who argue for divisions among the people of God are inconsistent, for two reasons: they oppose union and preach against it and at the same time pray for it. They pray that the watchman on the walls of Zion may see eye to eye, that all may speak the same things, be of one heart and one soul, “endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace."

Second, some argue against the union of all believers in one body or church, and in support of different sects and parties in Christendom, and at the same time they preach in favor of all uniting with the particular sect to which they belong, which is, in effect, preaching against union. They will contend

that the different sects are necessary to keep the church pure, by watching over each other, and especially are necessary for the accommodation of unbelievers who, if they cannot conscientiously subscribe to the peculiar doctrine of one particular church, can have the privilege of choosing from a variety of sects such an one as will suit their particular fancy. Such persons on other occasions will argue in favor of their own particular creed, and will try to make others believe as they do, which is virtually striving to do away with the very means which, according to this view, God in His wisdom designs to purify the church and save sinners. If these parties are designed to benefit the children of men, why should each one strive to have all persons believe as they do? If they are beneficial it is indeed strange that the Savior in His prayer should entirely overlook the importance and necessity of divisions among His people, and in misconception of the real interest of His kingdom pray for all believers to be one, even as He and His Father are one. And that on another occasion he should say, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."

Union among all true believers is both desirable and attainable. It is desirable because "in union there is strength." This is clearly shown from all the laws of nature, the history of nations and the word of God. The Almighty has always preferred union when men were disposed to do right, but disunion when they were engaged in wickedness. Thus He gave an example of sectarianism at the Tower of