The Book of Religions: Comprising the Views, Creeds, Sentiments, or Opinions, of All the Principal Religious Sects in the World, Particularly of All Christian Denominations in Europe and America, to Which are Added Church and Missionary Statistics, Together With Biographical SketchesHayward, John
Religion
The Book of Religions: Comprising the Views, Creeds, Sentiments, or Opinions, of All the Principal Religious Sects in the World, Particularly of All Christian Denominations in Europe and America, to Which are Added Church and Missionary Statistics, Together With Biographical Sketches
Hayward, John
Christian biography; Religions; Sects
This class of persons agree in the opinion that _he only is a Christian
who has the spirit of Christ_; that all such as these are members of his
church, and that it is composed of none others; therefore that membership
in the Christian church is not, and cannot, in the nature of things, be
determined by any human authority. Hence they deem all attempts to render
the church identical with any outward organizations as utterly futile, not
warranted by Christ himself, and incompatible with its spiritual
character. Having no organized society, they have no stations of authority
or superiority, which they believe to be inconsistent with the Christian
idea, (Matt. 23:8,)—“But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master,
even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” (Matt. 20:25, 26,)—“Ye know that
the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are
great exercise authority upon them. _But it shall not be so among you._”
As might be inferred from the foregoing, they discard all outward
ordinances as having no place in a spiritual religion the design of which
is to purify the heart, and the extent of whose influence is to be
estimated, by its legitimate effects in producing a life of practical
righteousness, and not by any mere arbitrary sign, which cannot be
regarded as a certain indication of the degree of spiritual life, and must
consequently be inefficient and unnecessary.
Their views of worship correspond, as they believe, with the spiritual
nature of the religion they profess. They believe that true Christian
worship is independent of time and place; that it has no connection with
forms, and ceremonies, and external arrangements, any further than these
are the exponents of a divine life; that it spontaneously arises from the
pure in heart at all times and in all places: in short, they regard the
terms _Christian worship_ and _Christian obedience_ as synonymous,
believing that he gives the highest and only conclusive evidence of
worshipping the Creator, who exhibits in his life the most perfect
obedience to his will. These views they consider in perfect harmony with
the teachings of Jesus, particularly in his memorable conversation with
the woman of Samaria.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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