What, then, is the repellent property among them that prevents fusion, or union? It is this very pet, dear and precious creature that they all press to their hearts, guard so sacredly, and love so dearly, and hold on to as to life itself—denominationalism. This is the element, the corroding element, the foreign property, that will not fuse. It is constitutionally a rebel against union. It is antagonistic and repellent. What is it that makes the denomination? It is that which is peculiar to it. It is not the Bible that makes a Methodist, nor the love of the Bible, nor anything in it, for the Presbyterian has the Bible, loves it, and all that is in it, as well as the Methodist. It does not make him a Methodist. It is not the Lord, for the Presbyterian receives the Lord as fully as the Methodist, and the Lord does not make him a Methodist. It is not the Holy Spirit, for all the first Christians received the Holy Spirit, and they were not Methodists; there never was a Methodist before John Wesley.
What, then, is it that makes the Methodist? It is simply that which is peculiar to Methodists, and that which is not received by a Presbyterian. What is it that makes a Presbyterian? That which is peculiar to Presbyterians, and not received by Methodists. Why, then, can not Methodists and Presbyterians fuse into one mass, or unite? Because the Methodists will not give up Methodism, that which is peculiar to Methodists; and the Presbyterian will not give up the Presbyterianism, or that which is peculiar to Presbyterians. That which is peculiar, makes the denomination; it is the disturbing element in the way of fusion, or union, and that must be given up, or union can never take place.
The Lord prayed that those who believe may be one, that the world may believe. This denominationalism is the very element in the way of union, or the cause of division, and division is in the way of the world believing, or a main cause of the world not being converted. The way is now opened for carrying the Bible into all the world and turning the world to God. Shall that ever be done, or shall our power be expended in sending denominations into the countries now open for the one pure and holy religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Or, can we not now, under the influence of the love of Christ, receive the one religion of the New Testament and nothing else; unite on it, and carry it to Italy, and every other country now in Divine Providence, opened up for the reception of King Jesus? What need we care for denominations? The body of Christ, the church of the Living God, the kingdom of God, is denomination enough for a man who loves the Savior; and the Book of God, containing the law of God and the gospel too, is creed enough for all who sincerely love our Lord Jesus, the Christ. What a grand and glorious work could be performed, if, all in good earnest in the work would unite under God, put their hearts into the work and determine to push the cause of Christ, the gospel of the grace of God, the kingdom of God, through the world. We have one book, a book no where in doubt—the volume of God, the Bible, and, can all with one heart, and one soul, push it through the world, enforce it on men to read it, teach it to others, and make it the great power in the earth, to break down and wipe out Romanism; to sweep away all pagan gods, temples, and altars, and all sectarian denominations, and unite all the friends of the Lord under Prince Messiah; let him go before them, lead and guide them forever and ever. What is a mere denomination, separated from others by some peculiarities not mentioned in the Bible, nor received by any other party on earth, compared with what the Lord styles, “my church,” Matt. xvi. 18; the body of Christ; the kingdom of God, containing all the people of God? This is what we have in our view; we will go for nothing less than the body of Christ, the kingdom of God. It is of God, the denomination is of man.
[WOMEN IN THE CHURCH.]
READ the Bible carefully, and note the part the women took, the greatest and best of them, as well as all classes, in the Patriarchal, Jewish and Christian institutions, and follow what you find there. It is safe to follow that, and for the good of all, both men and women. No improvement can be made upon that. As we depart from that we injure all. We desire to see women curtailed in no privilege or blessing; nothing that can make them happy, useful, wise or good. But the less they have to do in the business meetings, the ruling or discipline of the church, the better for them and all concerned. They have a natural and scriptural work to do, and men cannot do that work for them, and men do not lose any of their rights, when not appointed to do the natural and scriptural work of women. In the same way women lose no rights, are excluded from no privilege, nor are they in any way degraded in being limited to their legitimate sphere of operation. The Bible gives women the highest honor they can have, and lays down the road to the highest happiness. It has elevated women from the abject slavery in which Paganism had bound them down, and given them the strong arm of the man to protect and support them. The nearer they follow the Bible, the Lord, and the apostolic teaching the better. This is the road to greatness, happiness and goodness.