Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/333

Rh average; but I thank God for it. Nobody can rejoice more than I can in the fact that God has given to me this great gift of an unwearied brain and diligence, and almost unwearied power to do work; and I think it is just the time when I ought to do something of the highest order. I humbly ask that these God-given powers may be preserved, and that I may continue on this level for years to come, learning how to make wiser and more effective use of these powers.

Coming to the basis of organization, after declaring that the apostolic office was intended to be perpetual in the church, he said:

Now I want to ask you to follow me in a very few direct remarks as to how the Christian Catholic Church should be formed. I believe, first of all, that it should be formed of all persons who are willing to come together upon this basis: that (1) they recognize the infallible inspiration and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures as the rule of faith and practice; that (2) they recognize that no persons can be members of the church who have not repented of their sins and have not trusted in Christ for salvation; that (3) such persons must also be able to make a good profession, and declare that they do know in their own hearts that they have truly repented, and are truly trusting Christ, and have the witness, in a measure, of the Holy Spirit; that (4) all other questions of every kind shall be held to be matters of opinion and not matters that are essential to church unity.

Now, that is a very broad church. I will show you, therefore, that we cannot be denominational, sectarian, or narrow. I would refuse to organize a church which should demand that a man should think exactly as I, or you or somebody else thinks upon a great many matters that are not essential to salvation.

I am a firm believer in baptism as essential to a full and perfect obedience; but if you want to make baptism a test of Christian fellowship, I decline to be in such a church, because I was a Christian before I was immersed. I know I was a child of God before I was immersed, and I will never immerse anyone who has not become a child of God. Therefore, have I any right to keep a man away from the Lord's table because of his upbringing or his want of Christian culture in a matter, or simply because he does not yet see with me on the question of baptism? God forbid!

You know how strong I am about divine healing. You know I teach that it is God's will that we should be healed, and I feel that every person who is a Christian ought to rest in Christ for healing; but do you think I would shut out of the church of God any person simply because he or she was not healed? The Lord forbid! Let them alone. They are in the church. They are Christ's children, and if they have not yet been able to receive healing, that is a reason why the church ought to receive them, and comfort them, and teach them, and educate them, and bring them into the way of