Any man-made system of ecclesiasticism must necessarily be lifeless and powerless, just in proportion as it fails to recognize the personal presence and authority of the Holy Ghost, and sets up its own order and authority.
Indeed the modern church has so far lost sight of the veritable presence and authority of the personal Holy Ghost, that everything seems reduced to man-ordered system—yea, an endless treadmill of works. The form of religion takes the place of vital godliness, and the people seem to have forgotten that there is any Holy Ghost.
It is said history repeats itself; let us consider what meaneth the cry of "fanatic" now so prevalent in the sects as used against the holiness movement. Perhaps we may learn a lesson from Rome—why did the Romish hierarchy persecute the Reformers? Simply because there had been substituted a wire-bound ecclesiasticism (a man-made system) for the presence and authority of the personal Holy Ghost; a lifeless system—yea, a dead ecclesiasticism was thought to be the one holy catholic church. It was not allowed that any could be loyal to God unless loyal to the system, hence the cry of "heretic," which today finds its counterpart in the term "holiness fanatic" as used by the dominant sects against holiness men. In their devotion to churchism they lose sight of the personal Holy Ghost, and exalt the system. We must go back to apostolic ground; the presence and power of the Holy Ghost must mark (or make manifest) the church. The blinding power of churchism will deceive nominal professors in the Protestant sects just as effectually as it did in the Roman Church. It is eternally true that the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. The great Sanhedrin judged it right that Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, judged to be a vile deceiver, should be crucified between two thieves; the Romish Church considered it right to burn "heretics"; and in all ages the mystic Babylon of Revelation has persecuted the true saints of God.
Thus it will be till the time of the end.
THE ONE CHURCH
Through the night of doubt and sorrow
Onward goes the pilgrim band,
Singing songs of expectation,
Marching to the Promised Land.
One the object of our journey,