Babel, when He cut the people up into sects and parties. By confounding their language they became divided, and as a consequence they were unable to carry on their project. "United we stand, divided we fall" is a maxim as true in religion as it is in the family or nation.

First, we notice the evil tendency of division.
Second, the basis upon which all may unite.
Third, the causes of division.

Fourth, the nature of the union for which Christ prayed.

Fifth, the object of union.

David says, "How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Nothing is more unpleasant than the effects of disunion among professed Christians.

First, we wish to mention the evil tendency of division. It is the most prolific cause of the discord, animosity, contention, and ill-will so often exhibited on the part of those who profess to worship the same God and are destined to the same heaven.

Again, it is the cause of an immense waste of time in contending for and distinguishing between the peculiarities of numerous creeds and parties, which might be spent in opposing the common foe, extending the knowledge of salvation, encouraging the weak, and visiting the distressed.

Again, it wastes millions of dollars in publishing useless and worse than useless creeds, formulas, and confessions of faith, in erecting sometimes a number of houses in one village where one would meet the entire

wants of the community, and in employing the same number of preachers to maintain and defend the peculiar tenets of each denomination, which money might be expended in providing for the poor, caring for orphans, sending missionaries and circulating the Bible in heathen lands. Lodges or human organizations do not commit such folly.

Again, it hinders many Christian ministers in preaching the Word by prejudicing the people and closing the doors of the church against them on the ground of their denominational peculiarities, and consequently, God having appointed preaching as the means of salvation, disunion has prevented the salvation of many souls for whom Christ died.

Sectarianism is a sin, wherever it exists and under whatever circumstances it is found-a sin of the first magnitude. It is utterly and forever repugnant to the genius of the gospel and to the Christian system. It imposes new and untried tests in church polity and government, it supersedes the divine institution-the church-by a code of laws of its own enactment, and breaks up the household of faith into many warring factions. It cripples Christian conquest, weakens the power of the gospel, hinders the conversion of sinners, lessens the force of Christian testimony, arms infidelity with its most deadly weapons, opposes the object of the prayer of the Lord, retards the increase of scriptural knowledge, calls forth and strengthens the baser passions of humanity, and robs heaven of many of its rightful inhabitants.

Can a religion which produces such effects be the

religion of Jesus Christ as it appears in the Gospel? The religion of Him who is the Prince of Peace and the author of good-will and love to man? If such be the destructive nature, ruinous effects and evil consequences of the present divided condition of Christendom, is it not the indispensable and paramount duty of every child of God to endeavor to restore to the world pure, primitive, apostolic Christianity in letter and spirit, in precept and practise?

No truth is more prominent in the Bible than the unity of the saints. No point do the apostles more often and more strongly urge, and there is no duty more solemnly and frequently enforced than the perfect oneness of believers. And they place this union on high and sacred ground.

First, the oneness of their spiritual religion. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." a "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God. . . . For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ." c "Stand fast in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel." a

Second, the oneness of their relation. "For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." "That

e

ye should be

e 2 Cor. xi. 2.

a

married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." Third, the oneness of their hope. "There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling."b

Fourth, the oneness of the body of which they are members. "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." "For as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members of another.”d

Fifth, the oneness of the spirit which animates it. "For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit." e

Sixth, the oneness of their baptism. "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, their is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace there is... one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all . . . But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head, even Christ." This constituted, in the age of the apostles, a perfect bond of unity.

a Rom. vii. 4.
d Rom. xii. 4, 5.
8 Eph. iv. 3-5, 15.

b Eph. iv. 4.

e 1 Cor. xii. 13.

с

I Cor. xii. 12. f Gal. iii. 27, 28.

CHAPTER XXXVII

WHAT IS IMPLIED BY UNITY

The Basis of Union. The One Confession. Inclusive and Exclusive.

SECOND, what is the basis of union? No one can doubt the ability of Christ to form a plan of union. He was supremely wise and divinely good, hence His system is perfect. The basis of union, as expressed in His plan, the word of the apostles, perfectly expressed the will of Christ. He says, "He that heareth you heareth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth Him that sent me." a ." a "It is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."

This basis is authoritative, Jesus says, "All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded " The apostles spent their lives in compliance with this commission.

you.

The word of the apostles contains a perfect system. Paul says, "All Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God a Luke x. 16. b Matt. xxviii. 18.