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Chosen no: R-584 a, from: 1884 Year. |
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Our Name.
New readers in all parts of the country are
constantly inquiring: By what name do you call yourselves? Are you
"Primitive Baptists"? Are you "Missionary Baptists"? Are
you "Universalists"? Are you "Adventists"? Are you
"Primitive Methodists"? etc., etc. We have several times tried to
make clear our position, and now endeavor in a few words again to do so.
We belong to NO earthly organization; hence, if you should name the entire list of sects, we should answer, No, to
each and to all. We adhere only to that heavenly organization--"whose
names are written in heaven." (Heb. 12:23;
Luke 10:20.) All the saints now living,
or that have lived during this age, belonged to OUR CHURCH ORGANIZATION; such
are all ONE church, and there is NO OTHER recognized by the Lord. Hence any
earthly organization which in the least interferes with this union of saints is
contrary to the teachings of Scripture and opposed to the Lord's
will--"that they may be ONE." (Jno. 17:11.)
By what name may this Church be called? We
answer, By the name of its founder and instituter--Christ. Hence
it is the "Church of Christ" or "Church of God,"
for God founded it on the Rock Christ Jesus; or "Christians,"
as they were known in early times. (Acts. 11:26;
26:28, and 1 Pet. 4:16.) But because
Paul and the other disciples were not followers of Calvin's teachings, therefore
they were not called Calvinists; because they were not followers of Luther's
teachings and example, therefore they were not called Lutherans; but because
they followed the ONE example and teachings of CHRIST only, therefore they
gladly acknowledged it when they were called "Christians."
What think you, do we not occupy the only
ground of union? Suppose that all man-made creeds, and forms, and
prayer-books, and liturgies, and names were laid aside, or that all Christians
met in the one name of Christ, and in earnest simplicity studied HIS words
under the direction of God's Spirit and the explanations furnished in the
Apostle's writings, would there long be serious differences even of opinion in
the Church?
Was not that old saint, John Bunyan, who lay for
years a prisoner in jail in Bedford, England, because he preached the doctrines
of Jesus and the Apostles, in opposition to certain doctrines of the Episcopal
Church, right when he said: "Since you would know by what name I would be
distinguished from others, I tell you I would be, and hope I am, a Christian;
and choose if God should count me worthy, to be called a Christian, a believer,
or other such name which is approved by the Holy Ghost. And as for those
faction (or sect) titles of Anabaptist, Presbyterian, Independent, or the like,
I conclude that they [R585 : page 2] came
neither from Antioch, nor from Jerusalem,
but from Hell and Babylon,
for they tend to divisions: you may know them by their fruits."
But is it asked, Was not Bunyan a Baptist? We answer,
yes, in the same manner that we are Baptist. He was a "Christian" and
because in God's Word he was taught immersion, or baptism, and not sprinkling,
and because he practiced with other humble saints his, faith, therefore by
Episcopalians or the worldly such were, in derision, termed
"Baptists," &c. So some now say that we are Baptists because we
believe in the doctrine of baptism. Some incline to call us Calvinists because
we believe what we find taught in Scripture, that the Church is elect according
to the foreknowledge of God through sanctification of spirit and belief
of the truth. (1 Pet. 1:2; 2 Thes. 2:13.)
Some call us Adventists because we find taught in the Scriptures, and therefore
believe, that the heavens received Jesus, only until the restitution of
all things." And so, by whatsoever names men may call us, it
matters not to us; we acknowledge none other name than "the only name given under heaven and among men"--Jesus Christ. We call ourselves simply
CHRISTIANS and we raise no fence to separate from us any who believe in the
foundation stone of our building mentioned by Paul: "That Christ died for our
sins according to the Scriptures"; and those for whom this is not
broad enough have no right to the name Christian.
W.T. R-584a : page 2 - 1884r
