tality of his people who had been led honestly into these denominations. The oldest of the Protestant sects is the Lutheran. As before observed, its creed was formed in 1530. Since that time all the other sects of Protestantism, numbering nearly one thousand, have arisen. At different times men have come out of the older institutions and have preached some truth that had died out in those older organizations; but, not discerning the body of Christ, which only is the church, they have formed their followers into sects-humanly organized bodies with human government, human creeds, human disciplines. These organizations they have called churches. The very foundation of Protestantism is sectish strife and division. When weighed in the balance of God's Word, it is found sadly wanting.

The New Testament teaches one faith, one baptism, one body-the church-one fold, one heart and soul, one mind, no division. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1 Cor. 1: 10. In

the light of this text either the Bible is wrong or sectism is wrong. We are forced to one conclusion or the other. It is a fact that in denominationalism today the members do not all speak the same thing. They are not perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. I ask, In what are the various denominations united? They claim to be one in the essentials, but somewhat divided on the non-essentials. But what are the essentials? Is baptism one of them? Is it not an essential, since Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved"? Do these men all speak the same thing on baptism? Nay verily. As to mode, one preacher teaches that sprinkling is the only true mode, another that pouring is the Scriptural mode, another that triune immersion is the Biblical action in baptism, while still others teach that single immersion only is baptism. Many sects teach against baptism in any mode or form; and there are those who teach that either sprinkling, pouring, or immersion is baptism. With respect to the design of baptism, one minister teaches that in this ordinance sins are washed away, another that it is the door into the church, another that through

baptism the new birth is effected and our names written in heaven, and still others that baptism is only for justified believers. Some teach infant sprinkling, others do not. Thus on this essential truth, the ministers of sectism and their devotees do not fulfil the scripture, "All speak the same thing." This is true not only of the ordinances, but of all other essential NewTestament doctrines. Protestants are divided on the divinity of Jesus Christ. They are divided on the work of the Holy Spirit. They have various ideas regarding God himself, Therefore I repeat that either this text of Scripture is wrong or sectism is wrong.

"Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Psa. 133: 1. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." Acts 2:1. "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they

had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." Acts 4:31-33. "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.” Acts 5:12-16.

This blessed power and unity of apostolic days is a complete stranger to Protestants. They are scattered in hundreds of sects, adhere to so many different faiths, and belong to as many separate bodies. In a small town in our land a dozen or more steeples will be seen, and on Lord's day morning the people will congregate

in a dozen different places and profess to worship God. Oh, what a picture modern so-called Christianity presents to the poor sinner! In the early church the children of God in a town were found all of one accord in one place. They dwelt together in unity. The result was, the world believed and the Lord added to the church daily such as were being saved. But Protestantism presents a divided religion, and the result is skepticism and infidelity. The following scriptures describe the condition of Protestantism:

"Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Rom. 16: 17, 18. The Lord gathers his people into one fold, into one body. "Ye are called in one body." He reconciles "all in That one body is his

one body by the cross." church. And to all such he delivers the one faith of the gospel to observe. When the honest people thus saved and gathered into one fold are persuaded and led by ministers, so-called