Newspaper Page Text
BY SAMUEL BOYKIN.
VOL. XLII.-N0 28.
CONTRIBUTIONS.
. Written fur the Christian Index.
Brief Discussions of Important
Doctrines.
No. VII.
CHURCH ORGANIZATION.
According to the programme of subjects
furnished by the Editor, the remaining dis
cussions of this series will relate to the ex
ternals of religion. The Saviour has taught
us that all his commands are not equally
great, and that internal purity is more tobe
sought than external: but nothing that he
has commanded is unimportant, and all
his directions respecting the outward forms
of religion ought to be carefully studied and
obeyed.
On two occasions the Saviour is known to
have used a ierm which our translators have
rendered ‘church.’ In one of thq* discour
ses, Matt. 16 : 18, he calls his people “my
church” and promises the preservation ofthe
body from the assaults of hell,
In the other, Matt. 18: 17, he gives in
structions pertaining to church discipline.—
In the first passage, the term chureh is ap
plied to the whole body of his followers; in
the second it is applied to a small .company of
them, charged with the responsibility of set
tling a controversy between two brethren at
variance. ThesAwo different applications
of the term are found in other passages of
the New Testament. It more frequently
signifies a small body, or local Church : but
in various places it manifestly intends the
whole company of those who are saved by
Christ, that is, the church catholic or uni
versal.
The word church, as used by English
speakers and writers, signifies a house of re
ligious worship, or an organized religious so
ciety. In the first sense we speak of St.
Paul’s church, aud St. Peter’s church. In
the second sense we speak of the Hoinan
Catholic church, the Episcopal church, the ,
Presbyterian chfenifei, the Methodist church :
and we sometimes hear the name Baptist (
church, applied to the whole denomination ]
of Baptists, although they do not form an ,
organized society. I
The word church in the English transla- ;
tion of the New Testament, is, with a single |
exception, a rendering of the Greek word ,
ecclesia : but the two words are not precise- ,
ly equivalent in signification. Tim Greek ,
word does not appear to have been everused ,
to denote a material edifice. In Acts 19:37, |
“robbers of churches,” it probably means
the temples of the heathen gods: hut this is j
the exception before referred to, in which ,
the term is not a translation of the word ec- ,
clesia. It. is used for an assembly not relig- *
ious, as in Acts 19 : 32, 39, 41, and in these
cases the word ‘church’ would be an inad- ;
missible rendering. It to have
been always used with a reference to an ac- ,
tual assembly. The word ‘church/ on the
contrary, is frequently used for a society so
scattered through a large district of country,
that actual assembly is impracticable. It is
true that no actual assembly of-the Church
universal, to which the term ecclesia is ap
plied, can ever occur on earth : but the saints :
on earth are said fey Paul to be “come to the ■
general assembly and church of the first ,
born, which are written in heaven.” Heb. i
12 : 22, 23. They are citizens of the lieav- i
enly Jerusalem, and belong to the ecclesia ,
actually assembling in that high and holy i
place. Hence the term ecclcsia, in its ap- i
plication to the universal church, does not ]
depart from its proper signification. 1
The word ecclesia is derived from a Greek
verb which signifies to call out , It was ap
plied to the assembly of the citizens iu the
democratic towns of Greece, when in obedi
ence to a public call they met to consider
and decide questions of State policy. The
authority of the summons, the obligation to
obey it, and the right of the citizens assem
bled to act as one body, resulted # from the
political organization of the State. We do
not affirm that organization is implied in ev
ery case in which the word is used. In Acts
19 : 39, the town clerk speaks of a “lawful
ecclesia” as different from the company then
assembled; and yet when he dismissed the
company, it is said, “he dismissed the eccle
sia j” verse 41. From this it appears that
the word was applicable to an assembly not
lawfully organized for the transaction of bu
siness. In Acts 7 :38, we read, “He that
was in the ecclesia in the wilderness.” Dr.
Doddridge renders this, “He that was in.the
assembly in the wilderness.” The reference
is to the assembly of the Israelites at the
base of Sinai, when the law was given. The
time is called in the old Testament, “the
day of the assembly.” Deut. 9: 10. No or
ganization seems in this case to be implied
in the use of the term. But local churches
of the New Testament are organized bodies.
They wrote and received letters as bodies;
as bodie-s they excommunicated the unwor-.
thy; as bodies they had officers who served
them at home, and as bodies they sent mes
sengers to perform service abroad. When
mr*n Sr-Vfngf• (h (*r rts cmeijotfy,- ft is nerenssry
that they he united by some species of or
ganization. *
That the churches cd the New Testament
were organized bodies, may he inferred from
the words, “If the whole church he come
together.” 1 Cor. 14 : 23. The context
shows clearly that the church universal is
not here intended. The body intended is
the church at Corinth; and the phrase
“the whole church” manifestly implies, that
there was a definite number of persons who
formed this church, and were under obliga
tion to attend its meetings. They belonged
■to the church, even when not assembled
with it; aud therefore had their member
ship determined by organization. A furth
er proof may he derived from the verse next
to that}ust quoted : “And there come in one
that helieveth not.”
If the church were a loose assembly, the
persons who come into its meetings would be
members of it: hut a distinction is here
clearly made, between the church and the
persons who come into its meetings, hut are
not inemhcrs of the body.
The right of a church to act as an organ :
ized body, may be learned from the words
of Christ: “Ts he shall neglect to hear them
tell it unto the clmreh : but if he neglect to
hear the church, let him be unto thee as an
heathen man and a publican.” Matt. 18 :17.
These words of the great lawgiver, author
ize the churches to receive appeals, and to
decide the cases properly brought, before
them : and in so doing they must act as or
ganized bodies.
While the Scriptures furnish proof* that
churches ftTr . .r ii i .... —:„„.i _
TioiTtes, they prescribe no forms or ceremo
nies by which the)’ must become organized.
Churches are organized for the worship and
service of God, and the spiritual benefit ’ of
the members : and an agreement of the
members to co-operate fur these ends, is ne
cessary to the organization. llow the agree
ment should be-signified the Scriptures do
not direct ; and therefore this matter is lelt
to the direction of Christian prudence.
To attain the ends for which churches are
formed, it is important that they should have (
officers. The church at Phillippi had bish
ops and deacons; and these officers are ne
cessary to the complete and efficient organi
zation of all churches. But thesfe officers
are chosen by the churches; and therefore
the churches have an existence previous to
.the election. When it 4s said, “They or
dained elders in every church,” Acts 14: 23,
it is manifest that the churches existed be
fore the elders were ordained.
The church universal is an organized
body; hut its organization is spiritual. It
w the body of Christ;. and its members are
spiritually united to him, the head, and have
a spiritual union* and sympathy with one an
other. It is a unit; hut it3 unity is not the
result of.external organization. The attempt
to produce unity by external organization
originated the Roman Catholic church; hut
this is not the church of Christ. Christ has
not two universal churches. He is not the
head of two bodies, the husband of two wives.
The good shepherd has “one flock” in which
he gathers his sheep, that “shall never per
ish.” To the spiritual universal church, the
.epithet Invisible liU£ keen applied to distin
guish it from a body unknown to the holy
Scriptures, called thg visible chureh catho
lic. This church is said to consist of all
who profess the true religion : but an or
ganization consisting of all who profess the
true religion, no where exists.
Interpreting Scripture in Prac
tice. ,
A pious merchant once sent a present of
chocolate, sugar, &c., to his pastor, with a
note desiring his acceptance of it as a com
ment upon Galatians vi: 6: “Let him that
is taught, iu the word, communicate unto
him that teacheili, in all good things.” The
pastor, who was confined to his house by in- „
disposition, returned his compliments to his
friend, thanked him for liis excellent Fami
ly Expositor, and wished the merchant to
give him a practical exposition of Matthew
xxv: 36, “I was sick and ye visited me.”
THE PA STOTT’S AID* THE CHRISTIAN'S GU4 Dg : THE SINNER’S FRIEND.
MACON, GEORGIA, MONDAY.,JULY 13, 1863.
F<JY the Christian Index.
Notes-by the Way.
BY- DR. J. S. RAKER.
A Parallel A cknowledynimts Conver
sions-—An Object ion to Tracts Noticed
and'Answered: . , *
Israel suffered from a want of water in the
wilderness. The Lord, through Moses, spoke
to a barren rock, and st raightway t here gush
ed forth a refreshing stream which followed
: ftr- rr*r**ft
neyings on the way to Canaan. Some seven
months since I entered upon the work of an
Evangelist among the soldiers on our sea
ocgaL I found in our army a great dearth
of the word of God, and a great thirsting
for its refreshing truth. I made the facts
known, and the Lord unsealed the fountains
in the hearts of those with T conversed,
and first one aid then another, and another
contributed of their substance to aid in sup
plying our soldiers with the Word of Life.
Contributions are still coming in, as needed,
to enable me to furnish the destitute among
our soldiers with Testaments and Tracts —.
for all which, thanks are due tq God and the
generous contributors.
Since my last published acknowledgments,
I-have received as follows :
Rev. A. E. Dickinson, Agent of Colpor
tage in Virginia,'a large box of tracts ; from
Rev. T. hi. Langley, six Testaments, the is
sue of the old A. B. S.; from Win. Wells,-
$5; Capt. Th omson, 810; Ueut E. Way,
$5; P. C. Pendletou, §5 ; Lieut. T. S. Dar
ling, $5; Major E. 0. Anderson, $10; Lieut.
John P. Hines, $5; Lieut. E. A. Elarboc, sf>;
Rev. L. C. Tcheaii, 85 *; Mrs. Almira Way,
82; ITon.S. A. Smith, 810; Rev. Robert
Fleming, 810.
One soldier, a member of one of com
pani<& to which 1 have been pmrching, was
baptized by our brother, Rev. C.S. jjaukliiw.
on the 15th of June, lie dates , his nrsfese
rious impression to a word of admonition
dispensations of (<reat
)| >f divine som- ;
mand —‘‘Itv ihk ajorning sow thy Sefed, and
in the evening wfHihold not thy hand/’&c.
Another soldier, a member of another com
pany to which I have been preaching, left
camp wy.h the intention of uniting with the
Baptist church. ,
It has been objected to tract distribution,
that the soldiers often receive the tracts and
afterwards tear them up. I have distributed
thousands and have never seen one
torn up or thrown away before it was read.
Many of them, I have nojdoubt, axe torn up
or thrown away f as newspapers arid-political
pamphlets are, after being read... If they
treasure up the truths they contain, it is a
mattes of very little consequence what be
comes. of’the paper on which they are print
ed. They but actus our children do to
whom we give nuts. • They crack the JWts,
eat the kernel and throw the..shells away.
But suppose some few, yea, even very ma
ny, tlirew thfeir tracts away without reading
them. Is this a good and sufficient reason
ivby we should withhold them front those
who desire them, agd who would seek to pro
fit by them ‘l By no means. We might as
well object to the preaching of the gospel,
because some give no heed to the word prea
ched, and others give heed only to find some
thing at which to cavil and scoff ! *-
A week ago last Sabbalh I preached to
the sth Reg. Ga. Cavalry, on the Isle of*
Hope, and after the conclusion of the servi
ces distributed a large package of tracts. —
An hour or two afterwards I walked out to
the river side and there saw, at some half
dozen different points, soldiers reclining on
its banks so absorbed in reading their tracts
as not to jiofice my approach. 1
Take another fact. After going around
and distributing tracts in the tents of a bat
talion in Bryan -county, I visited, conversed
with, and gave tracts and testaments to the
the hospital. I found one man with
isionji, f e ver on him. After conversing with
Turn I put a couple of tracts under his pillow
and told him I placed them there that lie
might read them after his fever went off. I
passed on to other wards. As l returned I
looked in to see how he was getting on and
found him, though his fever had not abated
in the least, with one of the tracts in his
hand reading it. I advised him to lay it by
for the presesent, commended him to God
and left him. ,
These facts, and many others of a simi
lar character that might he reported, evince
that if there are some few who attach no val
ue to tracts, there are others who prize them
highly and ever receive them gratefully. —
• Even our Hard Shell-brethren, with many
of whom I have met in camp, generally re
ceive kindly andread attentively the tracts
I give them'. * , * “
’ Had fho>% who offer the objection to tracts
*i above notieed heen admitted to’ the councils
of eternity, no doubt they would have objec
ted to the divine mission of the Saviour, that
ha would lie rejected and shamefully cruci
fied :
Tlurly-Second Ga. Regiment
Randolph County, Ga., )
June 22d, 1803. j
Jle.ar Bno. Boykin.—l propose to give
you a brief account of my recent visit to the
3*2d Regiment Ga. Volunteers, who are now
eoeatrijpSd at White Rluff, = some eight miles
below the city of Savannah. I arrived at
tie camp on Saturday, the 30th of May, and
was cordially received by*the excellent Colo
nel, G. P. Harrison, who, on learning that
the object of my visit was to .preach to his
men, assured me that he would assist me.in
any way be, could, and he did so by abbrevi
ating his-drills as much as. possible, so that
the men could attend upon divine service. I
continued my humble labors with them for a
little in ire*than two weeks, and during the
whole time tire congregations were large and
serion.dy attentive; a deep intqrest was man
i-festul belli by professors aud worldlings.—-
How my heart was moved *to see crowds of
from filly to one hundred of these weather
beaten soldiers coming forward for prayer,
when, fr-om impaired health, I ljad to desist
from any further labors. ‘ I asked whether
there were any present who had received
evidence of the pardon of sin. There were
six persons who professed to have found the
Saviour precious. Ob, it was good to lie
The last three days I labored with them,
all drilling was dispensed with and the whole
time devoted to religious services. I trust,
much. good was done.
The chaplain of th§ regiment seems tobe
a m u) irk iiHieh prayer, but is a young min-
Td? T’**"*-*.’ 1,1 1,1 nm-jiarip vnntinp
m ministerial experience. I think wesHTivnoj
have men of much experience in charge of
the spiritual interests of out soldiers.
For the encouragement of pastors who
would go and dispense the Word of Life to*
our soldiers, but for the pecuniary sacrifice,
I would say, that on leaving this regiment 1
received a handsome contribution, which
more than -remunerated me for the time and
expense. JAS. G. CUMBIE. - :
:mm ‘ i—
. The Sabbath School and the
Church. * * ‘. ■
. A faithful pastor,whose face is often seen by
the children in the Sabbath School, report
ing the state ol another church lie had viS
ited.says:
“The church has a Jarge Sahbatli School
Under the superintendence of Elder G ,
•amt so Lng as that flourishes, the church
may he sure of its own future growth; for a
prosperous Sabbath School gives prosperity
to the church. When the children are all
cared faf, and trained up in the nurture of
the Lord, the church and State alike will
prosper. A- neglected childhood is the pret
ty sure precursor of a vicious manhood; and
so Ion? as multitudes of children are suffer
ed to grow up in ignorance of God, and sal
vation! through Christ, evils great and many
will continue to multiply and abound. The
Sabbath school places itself at the head-wa
ters of public corruption, and aims to purify-
Ihem. Os all our efforts, those for thgSab
bath'School are in our judgment among the
most promising and imperative.
The Mother.
Bishop Roane, on the death of Rev. Dr.
Wharton, said:
“JTe is to be added, on his own testimony,
to the host of great and good men who have
owed their greatness and their goodness, un
der God, to a mother’s precepts, piety and
prayers. ‘Many of her parental precepts
and tender caresses/ he saysinalittle sketch
of his first fifteen years, ‘are still fresh in
my memory, and frequently present her dear
image to my mind.’ Until eighty-five years
of age, lie was accustomed to speak of these
benefits with the fervor and susceptibility of
youth.”’
Ifc r;. '’ —r •
JdSgrA child is eager to have any toy he
sees, but throws it away at the sight of ano
ther, and is equally eager to have that. We
are mast of us children through life, and on
ly ebenge one toy Sox another from the cra-
REASONS FROM THE BIBLE
FOR BELIEVING THAT THE
Future Punishment •
OF THE WICKED WILL BE ENDLESS.
By Rev. Andrew Fuller.
Mr. Fuller was requested by a Universal
istto give him the reasons why he believed
that the future punishment of the wicked
will be endless: ami lie gave him the four
•ffrifalMlMMri 11 :
I. All ‘those passages of IScrjdure whii n
describe the. future stales of men in contrast:
“Men ofthe world, who have their por
tion in this life: I shall-.be satisfied when I
awake in thy likeness. The hope of the
righteous shall be gladness; but the expec
tation of the wicked shall perish. The wick
ed is driven away in his wickedness: but the
righteous hath hope in liis death. And
many of them that sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake; tome to everlasting life,
and some tp shame and everlasting contempt.
He will gather his wheat into the garner ;
and will burn up the chafi* with unquencha
ble fire. Wide is tjie gate, and broad is the
way that leadeth *to destruction, and many
there be who go in thereat; because strait
is the gate, and narrow is the way that lead
eth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall
eater into the kingdom of heaven ; but lie
that doeth the will of my Father who is in
heaven. Many shall com*, from the east
and from the *est, and shall sit down with
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the king
dom of heaven; but the children of the
kingdom shall be east into outer darkness :
there shall bo weeping ar.d gnashing of teeth .
Gather ye first, the tares, and hind them in
bundles; to burn them; hut gather the
wheat into my barn. The Son of Man shall
send forth his angejs, and they shall gather
out of his kingdom all things that offend,-
and them that do iniquity, and shall cast
them into a furnace of lire : there shall he
wailing and gnashing of teeth : shall
the righteous shine Curt 1 1 as the sun in the
kingdom of their Father. Well done, good
‘ trr~?riTr^ j;: TTr^u
joy of thy Lord. But east ye the unprofita
ble servant into outer darkness; there shall
be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then
shall tire king say unto Them on his right
hand, Gome/ye blessed of my Father, inher
it the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of thq world. Then shall lie
also say unto them on the left hand, De
part from me, ye cursed, iitto everlasting
fire, prepared for the devil and liis angels.
And these shall, go away into everlasting
punishment; but tlie righteous into life eter
nal. He .that helieveth and is baptized shall
De saved ;„bat lie that helieveth not shall be
damned. Blessed are ye when ‘ men shall
hate you for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice
ya in that day, and leap for joy ; for behold,
your reward is great in heaven. But wo un
to you that are rich ! for ye have received
your consolation. God So loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever helieveth on him, should not per
ish, but have everlasting life. All that are
in their graves s'hall come forth ; they that
have done good unto the resurrection of life,
and they that have (Tone evil unto the resur
rection-of oamnation. Hath not the potter
power over the clay, of the same lump to
make one vessel unto honor, and another Un
to dishonor ‘f What if God, willing to show
r, that
his wratli to make his power known, endured
with much long-suffering the. vessels of wrath
fitted to destruction; and that he might
known the riches of his glory on the
vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepar
ed unto glory. Tire Lord knoweth them
that are his. Rut in a great house tftere’are
vessels to honor, and vessels to dishonor.—
Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also
reap. For ho that soweth to tire flesh, shall
of the flesh reap corruption; hut he that sow
eth io the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap
life eveilasting. That which beareth thorns
and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cur
sing, whose end is to he burned. But, be
loved, we are persuaded better things of
you, and tilings which accompany salvation.”
I consider these passages as designed to
express the final state of men, which, if
they be, it is the same thing in effect as their
being designed to express the doctrine of
endless punishment; for if the descriptions
here given ofthe portion of the wicked de
note their fined state, there is no possibility
of another state succeeding it.
That the above passages do express the
final states of men, may appear from the fol
lowing considerations :
TERMS, SI.OO IN ADVANCE
50 NOS. IN A YOL.
and. The state of the righteous, which is all
along opposed to that of the wicked, is al
, lowed to be final: and if tire other were not
the same, it would not have been in such a
variety of forms contrasted with it; for it’
would not be a contrast.
2. All these passages are totally silent, as
to any other state following that of destruc
tion, damnation, Ac. If the punishment
threatened to ungodly men had been only a
purgation, or temporary correction, we might
have expected that something like this would
7iaveT>e<;'ii InuiTiivtod wftrtr ttreir Arturo stale
is described ; but nothing like it occurs in
any cf the foregoing passages, nor in any
other.
3. The phraseology of the greater part of
them is inconsistent with any other state
following that which they describe. On the
supposition of salvation being appointed as
the ultimate portion of those who diein their
sins, they have not their portion in this life;
hut will, equally with those who die in the
Lord, behold, his face in riyhteousness, and
be ‘satisfied with his likeness. Their expec
tation shall not perish; hut shall issue, as
well as That of the righteous, in e/ladness :
and though driven-away in their wickedness,
yet they have hope in their death ) and that
hope shall he realized. Tift broad way doth
not lead to destruction, hut merely to a tem
porary correction, the end of which is ever
lasting life. The chaff will not he burned, ’
hut turned into wheat, and gathered into the
garner. The cursed as well as the blessed,
shall inherit the kingdom of God ; which al
so was prepared for them from the founda
tion of the world. There may be a wo against
the wicked, that they shall be kept from
their consolation for along time, hut not that
they have received it. Those who in the
present life believe not in Christ shall not
perish, hut have everlasting life. This life
is also improperly represented as the seed
time, and the life to come as the harvest, in
asmuch as the seeds of heavenly bliss may
be sown in hell! and though the sinner may
reap corruption, as the fruit of all liis pres
ent doings, yet that corruption will not fee
” the opposite of rrcrlastive/ life/, seeing it w#B*
issue in it. Finally: though-they lar !., y
ars amt (horns, yet their end is no t'hJLy
burned, but toobtain salvation.
( To be Continuedj)
Rules for Holy Living.
XIX— OF PERSONAL DUTY
“Ye are not your own.”
‘Know thyself.’ Reverence thyself.
‘Deny thyself.’ Govern thyself.
‘Abhor’ and Hee from ‘the appearance of
evil.’ Guard the senses.
Avoid all occasions to impurity of heart
Eat and drink ‘to the glory of God.’
Eat to live, rather than live to eat.
Be careful of health. Avoid repletion
XX— OF RELATIVE DUTY.
“Love thy neighbor as thyself ”
“Do unto all mqn as you would they^should
do unto you,” were you in their circumstan
ces.
As a-sacred duty, visit the sick. Always
pray with them. Read to them the Scrip
tures. Ascertain their state. Lead them to
Christ.
Cultivate the disposition of compensation
to the poor : care for their spiritual interests
XXI—OF MAKING PROGRESS.
“ Go forward.”
Religion is the greatest business of life;
therefore begin the day with God in prayer
and reading His word—in meditation and
solemn purpose.
“Let nota day go over your heads in which
your hearts have no converse with God in
heaven : and romember that, so far aft you
suffer your hearts to retire from heaven, so
far they retire from a life of Christianity and
peace.”
Aim in all things at the glory cf God, and
the good of man.
Be continually striving in the daily occur
rences of life to exemplify the fruit of the
Spirit in holy tempers, kindness, meekness,
palierce, purity, truth.
Neither speak evil, nor hear evil.
If possible, got retirement at noon day.
Watch, all occasions, for opportunities of
doing and ’gaining good.
Exercise habitual dependence on God, and
trust in Christ every where.
Submit to trials, and use them.
Expect temptations, and resist them.
Prepare for injuries, and forgive them.
Inquire every evening if the day has been
an improvement on the last.
Would you rather die.than sin Y