"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."
"That they all may be one."—John 17:21.
Surely there is nothing for which Christian churches have
such cause to hang their harps on the willows, as the extent to which the
Shibboleth of party is heard in the camp of the faithful—sectarianism rearing
its "untempered walls" within the Temple gates!
How different "the mind of Jesus!" Sent "to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel," He was never found disowning "other sheep not
of that fold." "Them also will I bring," was an assertion continually
illustrated by His deeds. Take one example: The woman of Samaria revealed
what, alas! is too common in the world—a total absence of all real religion;
combined with an ardent zeal for her sect. She was living in open sin; yet she
was all alive to the nice distinction between a Jew and a Samaritan—between
Mount Gerizim and Mount Zion—"How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink
from me, who am a woman of Samaria?" Did Jesus sanction or reciprocate her
sectarianism?—did He leave her bigotry unrebuked? Hear His reply—"If you knew
the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me to drink; you would
have asked of Him, and He would have given you!" He would
have allowed no such narrow-minded exclusiveness to have interfered with the
interchange of kindly civilities with a stranger. No, He would have given you
better than all, the "living water" which "springs up to everlasting life!"
How sad, that when the enemy is "coming in like a
flood"—the ranks of Popery and infidelity linked in fatal and formidable
confederacy—that the soldiers of Christ are forced to meet the assault with
standards soiled and mutilated by internal feuds! "Uniformity" there
may not be, but "unity," in the true sense of the word, there ought
to be. We may be clad in different livery, but let us stand side by side, and
rank by rank, fighting the battles of our Lord. We may be different branches
of the seven golden candlesticks, varying and diversified in outward form and
workmanship; but let us combine in "showing forth the praises of Him" who
recognizes as the one true "churchmanship,"—fidelity in shining for His glory
"as lights in the world." How can we read the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians,
and then think of our divisions? "How miserable," says Edward Bickersteth,
"would a hospital be, if each patient were to be so offended with his
neighbor's disease, as to differ with him on account of it, instead of trying
to alleviate it!"
Ah! if we had more real communion with our Savior, would we
not have more real communion with one another? If Christians would dip their
arrows more in "the balm of Gilead," would there not be fewer wounds in the
body of Christ? "How that word 'toleration' is used among us!" said one
who drank deeper than most, of his Master's spirit—"how we tolerate one
another—Dissenters tolerate Churchmen, and Churchmen tolerate
Dissenters! Oh! hateful word! TOLERATE one for whom Jesus died!
Tolerate one whom He bears upon His heart! Tolerate a temple of the
living God! Oh! there ought to be that in the word which should make us
feel ashamed before God!"
"Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind."