"Why, then," some one may ask, "do we read of 'churches' in the Bible?" It is true the word "church" frequently appears in the plural; but a little attention to the word will convince any honest mind that the church of God is plural only in its diversified geographical location, but in a variety of faiths and orders, never. Асcordingly, the word never occurs in the plural except when the writer is speaking of God's assembly located in several cities or in various localities throughout a country or province. For examples:

"Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified." Acts 9:31.

"And he went through Syria and Cilicia confirming the churches." Acts 15: 41.

"As I teach everywhere in every church." 1 Cor. 4:17.

"As I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye." 1 Cor. 16:1.

"And so ordain I in all churches." 1 Cor. 7:17.

"The churches of Asia salute you." 1 Cor. 16:19.

"They returned again to Lystra, and to

Iconium, and Antioch: . . . and when they had ordained them elders in every church." Acts 14:21, 23.

In all the above instances except the last the word "churches" refers to the congregations of God located at various places throughout one or more countries. In the last the reference is to the congregations in three cities. That these churches were not separate sects is clear from the fact that they were all combined under the same ministry. One inspired apostle enjoined rules upon them all; but we all know that no bishop of one sect has jurisdiction over another ecclesiastical order. By means of any complete concordance you may see that "church" is never once used in the plural number when referring to the disciples of Christ in any one city. No matter how large the city and how numerous the believers, there is but one church of God in it. This church, however, may have had several places of assembling on account of not all the members being able to meet in one place. This evidently was true of the church at Antioch, where the believers numbered thousands. Yet when all these were spoken of, they were termed "the church that was at Antioch," or "the church

of God which is at Corinth." 1 Cor. 1:2. "The church of the Thessalonians." 1 Thess. 1:1. "Unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea." Rev. 1:11.

Thus you see that there was only one church in one city and that the seven churches of Asia, so often appealed to in apology for men's sects, were not seven sects in one town, but God's one community located in seven cities. There is, we repeat, not a single instance in the New Testament of more than one church of God in one place or city; not one case where the word "churches" does not mean a plurality of locations, and not a plurality of denominations. Indeed, according to every characteristic of the divine church, she is but one body in heaven and on earth, composed of all those who are saved; and but one in her manifestation in any one place, composed of all in that place who are saved in Christ Jesus. And though under the apostasy there are today many bodies, many towering steeples and rival altars in every city, God's Word is just as true today as when writ

ten by the inspiration of the apostles, and there is but one body in Christ (Rom. 12:4, 5). Yea, there is but one body universal, and but one body in Chicago, New York, or in any other city on earth. Therefore, if "God be true and every man a liar," it follows that the multitude of ecclesiastical bodies seen in these last days are not in Christ, not the one body of Christ. However, we admit that individuals who, through erroneous education, dwell in these manifold factions, and also sincerely abide in Christ, are in the one body of Christ, notwithstanding their sect relation. This, however, they are always ready to abandon when they properly discern the divine body into which God set them and the rival character of the sect into which they were taken by man. The church of God is one in heaven and on earth; hence she is necessarily one holy family wherever she appears on earth.

OF THE CHURCH.

We have just seen that God's church is one fold, one family, one body. We shall next prove from the Scriptures that her divine author demands perfect harmony in all her members, has fully provided for that unity, and forbids all

divisions. Not only is the community of God one body, but all divisions of that one body are condemned in the strongest terms. Let us hear the great Founder, as he pours out his heart in prayer to the Father, while already suffering the inward pains of death in behalf of his dearly purchased church: "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are one." John 17:11. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." Verses 20, 21. "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." Verse 23.

Three times he earnestly prays that all who believe on him through the apostles' word should be one, yea, one even as he himself and the Father are one. Are we Christians if we respect not those deep heart-yearnings of Christ? Do we care for the salvation of this lost world if we are indifferent about this heav