Birth of a Reformation; Or, The Life and Labors of Daniel S. WarnerByers, A. L. (Andrew L.)
Religion
Birth of a Reformation; Or, The Life and Labors of Daniel S. Warner
Byers, A. L. (Andrew L.)
Church of God (Anderson, Ind.) -- History; Warner, D. S. (Daniel Sidney), 1842-1895
If it be true that "thorough holiness destroys denominations,"
then it follows that where they yet exist this genuine degree of
holiness has not been attained by the people. But I have not quoted
correctly: it is "thorough and wide-spread holiness." Ah! here is
the sticking-point--a condition put in by the enemy of souls. It
implies the following: "Though entire sanctification removes all
sectarianism out of my heart, I will still adhere to my sect until
people generally abandon their schismatic parties and creeds." The
devil is perfectly easy over these principles. Now, if this evil
is to be done away by popular sentiment, then it is not through
holiness; but if by the latter it does not depend upon any foreign
influence. The condition of the church in one State does not rob
the Word and Spirit of God of their virtue in another. The power
of holiness to destroy denominations in one community does not
depend in the least upon another. Judah can burn down his groves
and destroy his idols, whether Samaria and Ephraim do it or not.
Therefore, we repeat, where the professed followers of Christ
are divided into a plurality of sects, they have not yet become
thoroughly sanctified to God.
Can it be said of professors of holiness that they have "one heart"
and "one mind," while some have a mind to be Presbyterian, others
Baptists, others United Brethren, and others have a mind to adhere
to the several different sects of Methodism? Have they "one heart
and one way" when they rise from the solemn altar in the holiness
meeting and go, each one in his own way, to the synagog of his own
sect?
Now, I must confess that I can not see the necessity of this,
unless it be to please the devil, break the unity of the Spirit and
grieve away the heavenly Dove, bring to naught the divided house
of the Lord, and destroy the work of holiness as fast as it can be
built up; to this end alone it is necessary.
But let us come still closer home. I would lay the responsibility
of this enormous evil just where God places it and all other sin.
We shall not be judged by sects, States, nor even by neighborhoods
and towns, but "every one of us shall give account of himself to
God."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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