Christian Churches and Churches of Christ; Lutz, Henry Frey, 1868-1926 -- Biography; Restoration movement (Christianity)
If they are yet in error on any points, they
are in a position and ready to correct these as fast as they discover
them through a further study of God's Word.
_The Church Triumphant._
Christ declares that the evangelization of the world is dependent upon
Christian union. Therefore, the ultimate triumph of his church
necessitates the triumph of Christian union. We praise God for every
movement that looks toward a closer union of Christians; but we are
sure that nothing short of the removal of every vestige of
denominationalism and the complete restoration of the one body or
church of New Testament times will satisfy the demands of God's Word. A
number of forces such as the Sunday-school, C.E., Y.M.C.A., Evangelical
Alliance and Church Federation are destroying the sectarian spirit and
the field is getting ripe unto the harvest for the restoration of the
unity of the early church with its converting power. The success of
this movement for Christian union on the primitive gospel has been
phenomenal. In eighty years its adherents have increased from ten
thousand to about one and a third millions. The per cent of gain in
membership, from 1890 to 1905, in the six American religious bodies
that number a million each was as follows: Christians or disciples of
Christ, 94 per cent.; Roman Catholics, 73 per cent.; Lutherans, 51 per
cent.; Methodists, 40 per cent.; Baptists, 38 per cent., and
Presbyterians, 35 per cent. Barring out the Catholics and Lutherans,
who get most of their gain by immigration, the Christians or churches
of Christ show more than double the gain of the other three bodies. We
glory in this growth only as the glory of Christ is involved in it. It
is an earnest of what Christian union will do even through very
imperfect instruments. What will the harvest be, when the prayer of
Jesus is answered and all his followers are united in one "glorious
church, holy and without blemish, not having spot or wrinkle or any
such thing" (Eph. 5:27), going forth to the evangelization of the world
"fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners,"
"looking forth as the morning" (S. of Sol. 6: 10)! May the prayer of
Jesus for the union of his followers be our prayer, and may we do all
in our power to bring a speedy answer! Amen.
The following is a splendid statement of the aim of the Restoration
movement. I do not know its author:
OUR AIM.
1. The restoration of primitive Christianity and consequent union of
all the followers of Christ in one body.
2. To build a church of Christ, without a denominational name, creed or
other barrier to Christian unity, whose terms of fellowship shall be as
broad as the conditions of salvation and identical with them.
3. To lead sinners to Christ in the clear light of the New Testament
teaching and example.
I have summarized the situation as I see it as follows:
ARE THESE THINGS TRUE?
SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES AND SEE. ACTS 17:11.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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