DEFINITE THESES FOR VARIOUS CHURCHES

All church organizations and religious movements are composed of that flesh which is grass. None are inherently superior, and with the most exalted profession of having reached finality in higher or deeper life, doctrine and experience, everywhere there co-exists a host of lower life characteristics: covetousness, unfairness, avarice, refusal to speak to neighbors and enemies, unlawful separation of wives from husbands, sinful anger, an unforgiving spirit, neglect of obligations, immorality, violent rage at prospective motherhood, oppression and studied injury of competitors, misrepresentation of business transactions, plural wives and husbands, spiritual pride and prejudice against those not sharing the same religious views, ^[2] narrowness and selfishness, and, in many instances (just as the Romans substituted paganized activities for true Christianity) men hide their selfishness behind great zeal for healing, speaking in tongues, profession of holiness and church membership.

Everywhere I go I find people with the conviction that things in the Church are not right, that we have lost our way, that God is not in the midst, that preachers have lost their vision and preach professionally for hire, seeking to confirm their flocks in the narrowness of selfish sectarianism; and many of these awakened people have a greater insight into the need of the hour than their leaders: today, as of old, the leaders of the people too often cause them to err. Many have a deep, insatiable hunger for freedom, and already, by faith, they can be seen breaking for liberty by the thousands. The people have been loathe to accuse their leaders of selfishness and narrowness, but the facts are too apparent to be denied.

Just recently a traveling man said to the writer: "I have tried to put a charitable construction on what seemed to be the narrowness of my church and pastor, but when church and pastor opposed me and ejected me from the church and Sunday School because I suggested cooperation with others, I was compelled to know the truth I had suspected."

Of most religious movements extant it may be said, "in large measure, that all men seek their own and not the things of Christ." The pathetic part of the situation is that all of the mistaken zealots seem to think that they are right and claim to be working hard for unity, but they mean unity not purely in Christ, but in their sect: the Hydrolater wants it, but in the water; the Pentecostals want unity but on the basis of all speaking in tongues; the healer wants unity on the basis of all seeing as he does on the basis of bodily healing; the ecclesiastic wants unity but it is an organic unity of his church, not in Christ; the sectarianist wants unity but it is on the basis of his sect; the foot-washer wants unity but he feels others do not go far enough if they do not participate in the ordinance so dear to him, but so often a mere form; the Pharisee wants unity but on the basis of his traditionalism; the come-outer wants unity, but on the basis of coming out of all organized churches -- but there is really only one unity and that is the unity of the Spirit; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, the unity of the Body (the true believers) with its Head (Christ), giving those who receive it heart fellowship.

But how sad to see on every side -- narrowness, bigotry, lack of fellowship among those whom God fellowships, within and without other churches; sinful respect of persons -- in honor preferring themselves and their own, rather than others; over-emphasis of some one phase of truth (and that often relatively non-important) as though it were the whole of truth; magnifying the minor while passing over the major; thinking the ray was the whole sun; mistaking a drop from the ocean for the whole ocean, and a chip:of the diamond for the diamond one star has been mistaken for the firmament -- a part of the Gospel has been mistaken for the whole Gospel.

Commingled with a narrow perspective of truth has been an almost fanatical zeal to arouse enthusiasm in others for a partial Gospel, ofttimes perverted, and condemnation of others Who do not share their zeal. Let us ever remember that there is no truth which the lopsided movements hold which is not included in the life of every well-rounded Christian.

The foot-washer, in enthusiasm for that practice, too often overlooks the sin of avarice, covetousness, and the sinful hoarding of treasures on earth; the holiness professor will often substitute for the devotion and entire surrender to Christ, enthusiasm for his doctrine and experience. The Pharisee will substitute his activities and zeal for tradition, for that justice, mercy and faith which God desires; the Pentecostal man often has an exaggerated conception of the importance of speaking in tongues, (whereas that is one of the lesser gifts, which Paul wrote was not to be forbidden if properly exercised), but how much more important that it be accompanied by the far weightier characteristics of Pentecost as witnessed by the unselfish spirit of the community of goods, unity, and sacrifice of all for Christ.

Protestant Churches And Indulgences

Although often little suspected, the principle of the sale of Indulgences is with us, even in our day, necessitating Reformation.

The sale of Indulgences may be of two kinds: (1) open, and (2) veiled. Tetzel's indulgences were sold openly, under the clear light of the sun, while modern indulgences are veiled and difficult of detection. The principle is the same -- the form only is changed. What boots it if the donation for the construction of St. Peter's at Rome be given in the form of an open indulgence, bought from Tetzel, duly signed and sealed, embodying the privileges thereto, or if it be a secret concession of Christianity and Christian service to an ungodly modern business man, on the payment of a liberal donation which has been obtained through violation of the right of his fellows, to build for a leading denomination the finest representative, granite, million-dollar temple in the National Capital, to help conserve denominational prestige?

The Omniscient eye of Jehovah sees through both demoralizing transactions. In either instance, the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Almighty, and His woe is upon him that justifies the wicked for reward.

Construction of fine Protestant Temples for formal worship does not satisfy Him who dwells not in temples made with men's hands, any more than building St. Peter's at Rome, for His desire is to inhabit the heart and to be worshipped in spirit and in truth.

It matters little whether the Pope grant the open indulgence to sin to its purchaser (remitting the so-called ecclesiastical penalty) or if an ambitious modern Protestant churchman concedes the veiled indulgence in the form of a memorial to the Christian (?) millionaire (who corners wheat, or holds eggs, or whose predatory wealth exists because of unChristlike advantage over his fellows in withholding necessities, or making the price prohibitive), meanwhile going beyond Rome in exemption from the ecclesiastical penalty, and often seeking to lift the eternal penalty by denying Hell.

Lutheran Church

Lutheranism rose up to rebuke salvation by works, false unity and traditionalism. Rome has little advantage over her in the multiplicity of works for salvation; the name of the works only is changed -- it is salvation by Lutheran works and Lutheran traditionalism. For unity, the security lies in the Lutheran Church rather than in fellowship with Christ.

Modern Lutheranism is rapidly reverting to type, substituting salvation by catechism, confirmation, communion and church-going (Lutheran church-going) for the original simple justification by faith, direct, (without the mediation of catechism or church confirmation) in the finished work of Christ, and His shed blood and righteousness.

Churches Of God, Church Of The Brethren, Dunkards, Mennonites, Amish

Foot-washing, practiced as an ordinance, is not the equivalent of heart-washing in the blood of Christ as a conscious experience and life. It is not an invariable sign of humility, as that is not of the external, but of the heart, and unless the soul has drunk deep in the humility of Christ, there will be in the participation in this ordinance, the deepest of all pride -- the pride of humility; and enthusiasm for this ordinance will not answer for the lack of enthusiasm for the weightier and more costly things which the Pharisees passed over, while magnifying the minor things of the law. The observance of foot-washing will not answer for the lack of justice, judgment, mercy, sympathy, benevolence and faith. He who said that the disciples ought to wash feet, also said that they ought not to lay up treasures on earth, and many like injunctions.

Likewise non-militarism, non-swearing and non-law-suits are negative, and held alone are worthless to salvation which is by faith in Christ, which is positive and includes them.

To be a non-militarist in theory while buying up scrap-iron in practice and selling it for shrapnel, is the most rank hypocrisy; and to claim conscientious scruples for not giving to the innocent suffering victims of the war, lest we cast our pearls before swine, when we are not casting them anywhere, reveals the depths of Satan in deception. Or to promptly assist our own in time of distress while indifferent to others is to show how foreign is our conception of the Spirit of Christ.

There is no gaining or maintaining virtue in wearing a peculiar garb; the Lord does not specify in His Word a straight-jacket uniform for His people. The absence of a necktie is not identical with the presence of grace.:Broad hats are not synonyms for piety and generosity. Salvation is not by beards or bonnets. The peculiarity of God's people is not in their dress, though that will be modest, but in that while the world lives for self, the child of God lives unselfishly and is zealous of good works.

Christian Churches (Disciples Of Christ)

"Christ, our only leader; Christian, our only Name; Christian character, our only test of discipleship; the Bible, our only statement of doctrine, " is all very fitting if it be not limited to the corner-stone of the church, else the lofty sentiments are as cold as the stone upon which they are chiseled. A church is not Christian when it assumes the name Christian, but when it is Christian in heart and life.

Just as an artistic label may adorn a spoiled can of corn, so the loftiest church names may be but a camouflage for lives spoiled by selfishness. Christianity does not inhere in lofty church names, however Scriptural and pretentious of sanctity they may be. It is rather inherent in the manifestation of the Spirit and life of Christ in the believer, so that from his innermost being flow rivers of living water, refreshing the world.

Presbyterian Churches

There is no salvation by faith in Election, or in the Decrees; or by the Final Perseverance of the Saints. Salvation is contingent upon faith in the Divine Elector; it is through trust in Him who Decrees; and it is by confidence in the ONE who enables the saints to persevere. Neither is there salvation by appearing before a Presbytery of unconverted men -- "In Zion everyone appeareth before the Lord."

Methodist Churches

The original definition of a Methodist was: "One who lived according to the method laid down in the Bible."

Much of the present Methodism, with its denial of the plenary inspiration of the Bible, with its conformity to the world, with its educational program of Destructive (so-called 'Higher') Criticism; with its form of godliness, rather than the power, with its multitudinous socialized activities as substitutes for her original spiritual fervor and fire, out from which every worth-while activity of the kingdom of heaven flowed; and with her substitution of Chautauquas for Camp Meetings, is as far from original Methodism as day is from night.

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army was, originally, what its name signifies- an army of consecrated, Spirit-baptized workers for the salvation and sanctification of souls, primarily, and secondarily, for the care of the body, with the purpose in view of its redemption.

The present Salvation Army is too often an array of Social Service workers, more efficient, often, in ministering to the bodies of men, than Spirit-anointed to minister to their souls; and they are largely financially dependent upon the enemies of Christ, who violate, in their money-getting, the benevolence of Christ, for the budget of their socialized activities. Originally they were greatly despised and persecuted; now they are feted, banqueted, limousined and entertained in exclusive hotels in royal style.

Holiness Churches And Movement

The leaders of the Holiness Churches and Movements have cried loudly for the reformation of all other churches, but the amazing thing is that they do not seem to see their own deep need of Reformation -- as much deeper as their claim to superior piety and light, for "Of him that hath much shall much be required."

When those who arrogate to themselves the distinction of being the real children of God, fail to bring forth the fruit of the kingdom of God, the Lord rejects them and gives the kingdom to others who will produce the fruit thereof.

Baptist Churches

"The objective of the baptism of John the Baptist was not the mode of its administration, nor was there reliance in the efficacy of the water, but the great objective and burden of John's message was "unto repentance." This includes the knowledge of sin, or conviction, godly sorrow for sin, confession of sin, separation from sin, reparation for sin where possible, a change from selfishness to benevolence, which imparted the extra coat and food to him that had none, a cessation of all exaction and extortion, and a change of Masters from Satan and Self, to Christ, and gave light on, and aspiration for the greater baptism of the Holy Ghost, which should be administered by the greater One who should come after John.

Too often water immersion results only in making the dry sinner, wet.  

2 The author knows of the refusal of Higher Life publishing houses to aid the circulation of a book which had to its credit the salvation of several souls and the help of hundreds of others because of a divergence in doctrine, which, without comment is stated in quotations from the Word of God. So far may prejudice lead good men.