The Cry of Christendom; For a Divine Eirenikon a Plea with All the Churches, for the Rights of the People Christianity and Peace (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1890 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IH. SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY REGARDING THE SACRAMENTS. "How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious 1" "Tbuth, in the end, shall shine, divinely clear; But, sad the darkness, till those times appear." In discussing the claims and ordinances of the Churches, our principal inquiry must be, "What saith the Scripture?" "How readest thou?" It is, therefore, very important, to enter, in the right spirit, upon a full, earnest, and intelligent, investigation of the divine record. Much unprofitable controversy has been sustained, by a partial and inadequate reference to portions of Scripture, wrenched from their true scepe, and forced into foreign service. But, the more rational and reverent course is, simply to seek the meaning which the words employed in any instance, were intended to convey. In order to this, it is important to discover the relations of different portions of Scripture, to each other; and on some questions it is essential to endeavour to follow historical sequence and chronological order. In the study of the New Testament it is also helpful, to apprehend clearly the relations of Christianity to Judaism, and to be informed regarding the general state of the Eoman "world," at the opening of the Gospel era.1 We should, moreover, study and investigate, in order to learn. The tendency to rest in hereditary beliefs, betrays many persons into a grievous abuse of the beneficent conservatism, by which one generation inherits the privileges and acquirements of another. However much it may be deplored, it must, alas be freely admitted, that many orthodox professors can 1 " The Roman Empire, in the first century, extended not only over the whole civilized world, but almost over the known world. Beyond it, little was known, besides the ...