Vol 33 Issue 11

Sometime ago a brother with a view to my making some comment in this column loaned me a little pamphlet with the above title. Who this Uncle Mike is we are not told. The Meditations are compiled and distributed by a certain M.F. Engle of Corbin, Kentucky.  Our readers, as we did, may find some of these Meditations interesting reading. We therefore quote some of them without further comment.  “If nobody is ever offended at your preaching, shut up your Bible and quit. You are in the wrong business. 

With the position that favors church-domination over the state we cannot agree. The church has no more right to impose itself upon the state than the state has to imposer itself upon the church. Yet, is not this the conclusion that must be reached by those who oppose “separation” and insist upon “unification” of church an state? If these two separate entities are amalgamated, it is inevitable that the stronger of the two will dominate the weaker so that either the “church-state” or the “state-church” will be practical result.

Article 7. This mystery of his will God discovered to but a small number under the Old Testament; under the New, (the distinction between various peoples having been removed), he reveals himself to many, without any distinction of people. The cause of this dispensation is not to be ascribed to the superior worth of one nation above another, nor to their making a better use of the light of nature, but results wholly from the sovereign good pleasure and unmerited love of God.

We’ve heard and read them often enough to be familiar with their contents. In our churches those who intend to, make public confession of their faith are asked to reply to the following questions:

It happened at a picnic.  A ball game was in progress. Many of the men had shed their coats and rolled up their sleeves; and a lively game was being pursued by the players and being watched with interest by numerous spectators.  Then it happened.  A spectacular play. A brilliant move by one of the members on one team. Then came the response from the lips of one who appreciated that particular play, “If you were as good on the pulpit as on, the hall diamond, Domine, you would he one of the best.” 

The attentive reader will notice, that in this essay we are beginning a new series of articles in the rubric “From Holy Writ.” In the past we have written a series of essays on the first four Chapters of I Corinthians. We have also written five articles on Matthew 11:25-30. These latter articles, evidently, met with some favor with the readers, judging by the response I might receive on them. 

The subject of the multiformity of the church is not only of some theological importance, but it also is from a practical point of view, a very interesting topic.

The Free Offer  In the issue of our paper of Feb. 1 we started to discuss the pamphlet “The Free Offer of the Gospel” composed by the Revs. Murray and Stonehouse of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.  We commenced our discussion by calling attention to the introduction in which the authors set forth the principles on which the booklet is based. We still have to call your attention to the closing paragraphs of this introduction.  The first of these reads as follows: 

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; . . . being rooted and grounded in love.” Eph. 3:17