Class .D X g 
 
 Book .AVT?7 
 
 Gopigftt'N 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSIK 
 
Our Saviors Prayer 
 for Unity 
 
 A Symposium on the Seventeenth 
 Chapter of John 
 
 BY 
 
 REPRESENTATIVE WRITERS 
 
 Compiled by the Publisher 
 
 .-wo, ^ £ , 
 
 F. L. ROWE, Publisher 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 1918 
 
2** 
 
 Copyright, 1918 
 By F. L. Rowe 
 
 APR I0i9i8 
 
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 ©CI.A4 94 538 
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INDEX 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By Willis H. Allen 7 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By Monroe M. Bell 11 
 
 The Savior's Prayer for Unity. By Joshua Brown 14 
 
 The Redeemer's Prayer for His People. By W. J. Brown. 18 
 
 Unity. By J. E. Cain 23 
 
 Unity. By S. R. Cassius 28 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By J. A. Craighead 32 
 
 The Lord's Prayer for Unity. By J. H. Curry 36 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By W. H. Devore 42 
 
 The Union of God's People — John 17. By Tice Elkins 48 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By Ben J. Elston 53 
 
 The Savior's Prayer for Unity. By H. M. Evans 58 
 
 A Call to Unity. By E. N. Glenn 61 
 
 The Oneness of Christian Believers. By Flavil Hall 65 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By W. H. L. Hamilton. 68 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By W. N. Harkins 72 
 
 Christ's Prayer for Unity. By C. E. Holt 77 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By Isaac C. Hoskins 82 
 
 Unity. By Thaddeus S. Hutson 86 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By Lee Jackson 91 
 
 In the Shadow of the Cross. By D. C. Janes 96 
 
 Unity. By L. E. Johnston 101 
 
 The Savior's Prayer for Unity. By E. L. Jorgenson 106 
 
 Unity — Oneness. By T. H. Kirkman 111 
 
 Christ's Prayer for Unity. By George A. Klingman 115 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By John A. Klingman-- 121 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By J. M. McCaleb 125 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By N. C. McDougle 130 
 
4 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 The Unity of the Church yet Future and Glorious. By 
 
 Walter McMurry 133 
 
 The Lord's Prayer for Unity. By C. C. Merritt 138 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By C. D. Moore 144 
 
 Our Lord's Prayer for Unity. By Ira C. Moore 148 
 
 How Should We Pray? By J. C. Mosely 154 
 
 Unity. By J. A. Perry 158 
 
 The Savior's Prayer for Union. By C. Petty 162 
 
 Unity in Christ. By John T. Poe -- 164 
 
 Our Lord's Prayer for Unity. By Geo. M. Ranee 169 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By W. L. Reeves 172 
 
 Christian Unity — Its Importance, Nature and Basis. By 
 
 C. R. Rice 179 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By E. G. Rockliff 185 
 
 Union. By T. Short - 189 
 
 Our Savior's Prayer for Unity. By H. C. Shoulders 193 
 
 Unity of the Spirit. By J. F. Tomson 198 
 
 The Lord's Prayer. By George W. Varner 205 
 
 Shades of Infidelity Not a Basis for Unity. By J. J. 
 
 Vanhoutin 210 
 
 Union of God's People. By L. S. White 217 
 
 Christian Unity. By C E. Wooldridge 223 
 
 'Thou in Me and I in Thee." By F. L. Rowe 230 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Probably no section of scripture has given religious 
 people more occasion for serious thought than the prayer 
 of our Savior in behalf of his apostles, and those that 
 were to believe on Him through them. It was an easy 
 matter for the Savior to keep them rallied about him, 
 listening to his every word, following his every sugges- 
 tion, comforted by his words of warning and sympathy, 
 while he was with them; but the Savior realized that 
 they were going to be put to a severe test after he should 
 take his departure. Not that he had not taught them all 
 things ; not that his example had not been always per- 
 fect ; not that his doctrine had not been firmly ingrafted 
 into their hearts and lives, but because he realized that 
 when he would leave them, "grievous wolves would enter, 
 scattering the flock. " So far as the record shows, the 
 apostles were all faithful throughout their lives, having 
 been a part of all that Christ began to do and teach; and, 
 having received a special endowment of the Spirit, it 
 became quite second nature for them to "declare the 
 things they had both seen and heard." 
 
 The danger would come when others, to whom the 
 w r ords would be committed, would prove false, and, 
 "having itching ears, would lead off many" who were not 
 satisfied with the simple faith of the Master and His 
 chosen ones. Paul warned Timothy that there would 
 be those who would try to make shipwreck of the faith 
 of some. Even within a few days of the time Christ had 
 ascended to the Father, the little church in Jerusalem 
 was put to a severe test, proving that in the absence of 
 the Master there were some there who did not grasp the 
 spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom. The lack of per- 
 ception and subsequent fall of Ananias and Saphira 
 clearly showed that some of them did not comprehend 
 that the Holy Spirit, even though Christ was not present, 
 could discern the thoughts and intents of their hearts, 
 
6 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 and that God, through the apostles, could detect their lie 
 and smight them dead with the words yet warm on their 
 lips. Evidenly some of them thought, as some do now, 
 that the Church was just an association of people for 
 social purposes ; but the warning thus early given to the 
 first Church has served to safeguard the Church through 
 all the centuries after against those who would profane 
 its holy character and discredit the Father's connection 
 with it. 
 
 There was no variation between Christ and the 
 Father: they were absolutely identical in thought and 
 in purpose. Christ could not have been the son of God 
 had his mind or purpose been the least shade different 
 from the mind and purpose of God. "He that hath seen 
 me hath seen the Father," and whatever Christ spoke 
 were the words that the Father would have spoken had 
 he been here. One was the exact counterpart of the 
 other, but Christ was the visible part. To know the Son 
 was to know the Father; to hear the Son was to hear 
 the Father ; to obey the Son was to obey the Father with 
 the promise of the Spirit. The oneness of the Father, 
 Son and Spirit is hard for some to understand. How 
 could two or three separate bodies be one and the same ? 
 It is not necessary for us to understand this from a 
 physical sense, enough to know that Christ has said so. 
 Recognizing, therefore, this three in one, we can 
 then ask the question, What is real Christian union? 
 That is an interesting question with a more interesting 
 answer. Christian union is absolutely a condition of the 
 heart and mind. It is not outward, it is inward. In the 
 apostolic Church there were no sects ; therefore, the 
 thought of unity in the mind of Christ was not of the 
 scattered sectarian bodies, or branches as we hear them 
 called, but of his immediate followers who were mem- 
 bers of the one and only church that existed at that time. 
 In the chapters following the readers will be uplifted 
 by the thoughts of devout brethren on this deep spiritual 
 theme. F. L. R. 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By Willis H. Allen. 
 
 To the writer's mind there is nothing that should be 
 so close to the heart of a faithful follower of the Lord 
 than our Savior's prayer for the unity of His people, 
 made during the last hours of His eventful life. On the 
 night before His cruel death, with His mission on the 
 earth almost completed, having carefully taught and 
 drilled the chosen twelve for the great work soon to be 
 committed to them, with the tenderest of affection for 
 them and of love for the whole world, Jesus spent some 
 time in very earnest prayer to the Father; first, for His 
 chosen apostles, and second, for all of His disciples in 
 succeeding generations, even for "them also that believe 
 on me through their (the apostles') word." That prayer, 
 therefore, was for you and me. And the great burden 
 of His petition was "that they may all be one . . . 
 that the world may believe that thou didst send me." 
 (See John 17:21.) And in these words, Jesus clearly 
 indicates the purpose of that prayer, and the great need 
 of unity among His people — "that the world may be- 
 lieve" 
 
 The work of evangelizing the world has been put into 
 the hands of the church, and by the church it must be 
 done. But it must be pursued in God's own way. In the 
 light of present-day conditions as given to us by men 
 who have investigated these conditions, and know, there- 
 fore, what they are, it seems to us that we are not prog- 
 ressing fast in carrying out this assignment of our work 
 of saving men. And we are sometimes made to ask the 
 cause. Without attempting to name the various causes 
 that may be partly responsible for this apparent slow 
 progress in missionary work, may we not say that the 
 chief cause is that we have not regarded our Savior's 
 
8 OUR SAVIOR S PRAYER FOR UNITY 
 
 prayer for unity as serious enough to direct our activi- 
 ties in that direction? How was the gospel preached 
 throughout the known world during the apostolic age, 
 and so many men were made believers? Why is it so 
 much more difficult now to get men to believe in the Son 
 of God than it was then? Is it answered that the world 
 is larger now than it was then? But, is there not the 
 same proportionate increase in the number of workers 
 in the field? They preached that there is one God; so 
 do we. They taught that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; 
 so do we. But they went to different cities, towns and 
 villages in different parts of the world, going as a united 
 people, and preaching one doctrine; today, men go as 
 1 epresentatives of so many different sects, preaching as 
 many different doctrines, each with his own distinguish- 
 ing creed, etc. Is it much wonder, then, that some tell us 
 they are bewildered? One says, "I don't know what to 
 do" ; another, "I don't know which church is right" ; and 
 another, "I am so bewildered by the conflicting doctrines 
 in the religious world that I shall take chances by stay- 
 ing out." Dear reader, would such statements as these 
 be made if we were all "one," even as Jesus and the 
 Father are one — yea, would it be possible for such condi- 
 tions as these to exist if we were all speaking the same 
 things? In the days of the apostles, when the last apostle 
 died, and for some time afterward, there was one church 
 — one in name, one in faith, one in doctrine, and one in 
 practice. Why should it not be so now? Then there 
 would be no grounds for bewilderment in the minds of 
 the people. Paul says, "There is one body, and one Spirit, 
 even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; 
 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father 
 of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all." (Eph. 
 4:4-6.) Thus, we see the great unity of things pertaining 
 to the body of Christ. Men should as reasonably expect 
 to find many Lords as many churches, or bodies. When 
 at one time the Corinthian church was being ruptured 
 p©ss9jdx3 sip Xq sapj-ed pun suoipbj o;ui papiAip pun 
 
OUR SAVIOR S PRAYER FOR UNITY ^ 
 
 preferences of some for certain men, Paul promptly re- 
 proved them and corrected the evil. "Now I beseech you, 
 brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that 
 ye all speak the same thing, and there be no divisions 
 among you ; but that ye be perfected together in the same 
 mind and in the same judgmnt." (1 Cor. 1:10; read 
 also 1 Cor. 1 : 1 1 - 1 3 . ) Divisions among the Lord's people 
 are no more pleasing to the heavenly Father now than 
 in the days of Paul and the Corinthian church. 
 
 But, how may we become united? Who can devise a 
 plan of unity that would be so satisfactory to the world 
 that all of the different religious sects and denominations 
 would upon that plan come together in one great body? 
 Ah, there we must not make a mistake ! No mortal can 
 devise such a plan ; the plan is divine. And in that plan 
 may be included the following propositions : 
 
 1. Nothing is essential to the conversion of the world 
 but the union and co-operation of Christians. 
 
 2. Nothing is essential to the union of Christians but 
 the inspired scriptures. 
 
 On the first proposition, let us note again the words 
 of Jesus : "Neither for these only do I pray, but for 
 them also that believe on me through their word; that 
 they may all be one ; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I 
 in thee, that they also may be in us : that the world may 
 believe that thou didst send me." (John 17:20-21.) And 
 Paul says : "For even as we have many members in one 
 body, and all the members have not the same office, so 
 we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally 
 members one of another." (Rom. 12:4-5, R. V.; also, 
 read very carefully in this connection, 1 Cor. 12:12-27.) 
 On the second proposition, we note Paul's words to Tim- 
 othy: "Every scripture, inspired of God, is also profit- 
 able for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruc- 
 tion which is in righteousness : that the man of God may 
 be complete, furnished completely unto every good work." 
 (2 Tim. 3:16, R. V.) What need have we of anything 
 further? All may be perfect and complete by the simple 
 
10 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 word of God. Let it be understood that we are not after 
 a unification of the sects of the world, but our purpose 
 should be to get men and women everywhere to take 
 God's word as their only guide, to become and be just 
 what it tells them to be, and to teach and practice just 
 the things revealed therein, subscribing to no creed, 
 written or unwritten, of men. Brother Alexander Gamp- 
 bell was not far wrong when he said that no human 
 creed can be found that has not made a division for every 
 generation of its existence. And, brethren, may I say 
 just here that we make a sect of ourselves when we make 
 use of such expressions as "we as a people," "our plea, 
 "our doctrine," etc. We have no plea of our own, no 
 doctrine of ours; but let us ever strive to present the 
 doctrine of the Lord plainly and simply to the world, 
 praying that the Lord may hasten that glorious day when 
 we may all be one. 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By Monroe M. Bell. 
 
 Question No. 1 : Has Christ's prayer for unity been 
 answered? (John 17.) Yes, as to the apostles. (See 
 verse 6.) And they have kept thy word. (Verse 7.) 
 For Jesus had given them God's words, which God had 
 given him; and they had received them. (See verse 8.) 
 And none were lost but Judas, who had to fulfill the 
 scriptures. (Verse 12.) God's word had made them a 
 unit as to oneness ; and Jesus had given them the word, 
 and it has the power to make them one faith. (See John 
 1 :1.) "In the beginning was the Word; and the Word 
 was God" ; therefore, we conclude as Jesus had given 
 them of God's words that they were as one through the 
 truth of God's words, being begotten by the words of 
 God's truths. (See John 1:13, 14.) And now born of 
 God's words were one mind; thy words are truth and 
 everlasting. (See John 1:17.) They were his witnesses 
 given by God himself, and were filled with words of truth 
 sent from God ; and were one and the same ; all of the 
 same faith, and knew Jesus was the Son of God, as Peter 
 had heard God speak from the clouds and confess him 
 (Matt. 3:17) ; and on the Mount of Transfiguration, on 
 the mount. (See Mark 9 :7 and 2 Pet. 1 :18.) Peter con- 
 fesses to the brethren having heard God confess his son. 
 It came in words of truth from God, and it is impossible 
 for God to lie; so Jesus and God are the same in spirit 
 and truth. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my 
 words shall not pass away," Jesus says. All are one who 
 keep Jesus' words, and he says, "If you love me you 
 will keep my words ; ye shall know the truth, and the 
 truth shall make you free." 
 
 Has that prayer been answered to Question No. 2? 
 Yes, as follows: In so far as they hear and keep God's 
 
12 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 word in faith and obedience to Christ. For all who truly 
 believe him are willing to confess his name, and to obey 
 his word as told by the Holy Spirit through Peter and 
 the rest of the apostles on the Day of Pentecost. The 
 first offer of remission of sins to all the world of man- 
 kind if they want their sins remitted; that is God's offer 
 to the world, and all who refuse are to be condemned. 
 (See Mark 16 :16.) So Christ made it possible to save all 
 believers through his words to all people, as his words 
 are life and truth and spirit; and faith comes by the 
 hearing of God's words. (See Rom. 10:17.) On the Day 
 of Pentecost, God sent his Holy Spirit to the world and 
 confirmed his Son's words in the mouths of Jesus' wit- 
 nesses, who had been fully qualified by the words of God 
 and Christ, and then by the Holy Spirit was confirmed 
 to all mankind throughout the world for the remission 
 of their sins ; and all who want forgiveness can obtain 
 it in the same way ; not by prayer, or any other way, but 
 as in Acts 2 :38 ; and the gift of God to the world is sure, 
 and life eternal is offered in obedience to God's words 
 as spoken on Pentecost by the apostles as they spoke just 
 as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4.) Those 
 who gladly received his w r ords were baptized and were 
 added to the church. (Acts 2:47.) And the Lord added 
 three thousand that day, and they were all agreed in 
 fellowship kept by the word of God, and had more love 
 for God and all men than the money of earth; sold 
 their possessions of earth and gave to those who had 
 need ; and when the Gentiles were added at Antioch, they 
 were called after the name of Christ as Isaiah had said, 
 when the Gentiles have seen my glory, etc. ; and Paul 
 was sent, for Barnabas went after him, and Jesus told 
 Ananias that he should bear his name to the Gentiles ; 
 and Paul stayed with them a whole year, and the Lord 
 added many people to Christ's church, as all power had 
 been given into his hands. (See Matt. 28 :18.) The Holy 
 Spirit set the new offer in operation then. 
 
 To Question No. 3 (i. e.,), will it be answered? We 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 13 
 
 can't tell, except as God tells ; but we think it certainly 
 will, as Christ has been given all power in heaven and 
 on earth. (See John 14:6.) No man cometh to the 
 Father but by me. Verse 7 says the apostles had seen 
 the Father in seeing Jesus ; verse 9, have I been so long 
 with you and yet you have not known me ? He that hath 
 seen me hath seen the Father. See verse 10 : I am in the 
 Father, and the Father in me. See verse 13 : They were 
 to pray in Christ's name and Jesus will give it ; verses 14, 
 15 and 16, the Comforter which is to abide with you 
 forever, which is the spirit of truth, verse 17. But the 
 Comforter is the Holy Ghost, verse 26; and strengthen 
 their memory, as we are to hear Christ's name ; and be 
 Christians and follow Christ by words of truth. We 
 are to pray in his name (see John 16:16) ; but the world 
 seems to hate the very name Christian. Yet it is the only 
 name offered to the world of mankind. (See Acts 4:12.) 
 The world must be educated by the word of God till all 
 love the name of Christ; as the babies are all in the same 
 faith, so all could be taught God's words, and all be in 
 unison or oneness ; as the three thousand on Pentecost 
 were added to the church (Acts 2:47), and shortly there- 
 after five thousand, and they all went everywhere preach- 
 ing the Word of God as they had heard it; and the 
 world soon had the gospel ; but a lot of the Jewish Chris- 
 tians thought they needed to keep the old Mosaic law, 
 and be circumcised, to which the Holy Ghost replied, 
 "not so." (See Acts 15 :8, 9.) But faith comes by learn- 
 ing God's word, and Jesus says, if ye love me ye will 
 keep my words. But the old law was taken forever out 
 of the way. (See Chap. 15:10.) Jesus had said he did 
 not put a new patch on an old garment ; it was moved 
 out to make room for the new and living way to life 
 eternal through Christ, and those who are not willing to 
 keep God's words are deceiving themselves, and are 
 condemned already, and hate God's words and true be- 
 lievers. 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By Joshua Brow^. 
 
 That they may all be one, as thou, Father, art in me, 
 and I in thee, that they may also be one in us, that the 
 world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21.) 
 
 The unity that the Master prayed for is the same in 
 quality and kind as exists with the Father and Son, as 
 thou, Father, art in me and I in thee. 
 
 1. They were one in purpose to redeem man from 
 the thralldom and degradation of sin to the highway of 
 holiness and righteousness, which leads to deathless glory 
 and immortality. 
 
 2. They are one in love for sinful man, which 
 prompted the Father to give to the world his only be- 
 gotten and well-beloved Son that whosoever believeth in 
 him should not perish, but have everlasting life, and 
 prompted the Son to leave the glory of heaven and come 
 to this sin-cursed world and suffer all the indignities and 
 ill-treatment heaped upon him by his enemies, and to shed 
 his life's blood for the redemption of man. 
 
 3. They were one in devising and in the execution 
 of the great plan of salvation. The Father, recognizing 
 the fact that a full and adequate satisfaction must be 
 made for man's transgression of the divine law, the Son 
 recognized and concedes the same truth and heartily co- 
 operates with the Father to accomplish this important 
 part of man's redemption. Who was delivered for our 
 offenses, and was raised again for our justification. 
 (Rom. 4:25.) Although he prayed that the bitter cup 
 of suffering might pass from him, yet he said, "Not my 
 will but thine be done." (Luke 22:42.) Here we find 
 perfect unity with the Father and Son. 
 
 4. In all the provision for the salvation of man 
 there is perfect unity with the Father and Son. The 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 15 
 
 Father did not promulgate one rule of faith and prac- 
 tice and the Son another and different one, as a criterion 
 for man to guide him to present and eternal salvation, 
 and then give man the choice to choose between the two, 
 but they are one in the same great truths and facts of 
 the gospel to be believed. One in the same require- 
 ments to be obeyed. One in the same promises to be 
 enjoyed by man. The Father did not establish a church 
 different from the church of Christ, and the Son another 
 different from the one established by the Father. There 
 is one body (Eph. 4:4), and Christ is the head of the 
 body, the church. (Col. 1:18.) There is perfect unity 
 with the Father and Son in everything that pertains to 
 the salvation of man. Having seen the unity for which 
 Christ prayed is the same in kind and quality as that 
 which exists with the Father and Son, the question may 
 arise, can this state of unity be attained by those who 
 believe in him by the word preached by the apostles? 
 It seems that most people would answer this question 
 in the negative if we are allowed to judge from their 
 teaching and practice. What say you, courteous reader, 
 to this question? Do you think that the Master would 
 have prayed for something that he knew could not be 
 answered? But, says one, how can this state of unity 
 be attained? We answer, by endeavoring to keep the 
 unity of the spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3), or 
 by cultivation of the spirit of unity. "The spirit of 
 unity is the spirit of Christ, without which we are none 
 of his." (Rom. 8:9.) 
 
 "Let this mind be in you, which w r as also in Christ 
 Jesus." (Phil. 4:5.) If the above injunction was heeded 
 by all who profess to believe in Christ, there would be 
 no division among them, but would be perfectly joined 
 together in the same mind and same judgment, all speak- 
 ing the same thing. For instance, if Mr. A. has the mind 
 of Christ, does this not constitute unity and make him 
 one with Christ, and if Mr. B. is in possession of the 
 same priceless boon, the mind or spirit of Christ, would 
 
16 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 this not bring him in unity with Chrst and Mr. A.? 
 There is not a proposition in mathematics plainer or 
 capable of fuller demonstration than this ; as certain as 
 that two and two are four, so sure would the process and 
 condition which brings Mr. A. and Mr. B. in unity with 
 Christ, and with each other, bring all true and confiding 
 believers in Christ in unity with him and with each other. 
 
 When we take a view of the mind of Christ as seen 
 in his life, of which the first four books of the New Testa- 
 ment is a partial record, we there see the most beautiful 
 traits or characteristics of true righteousness, meekness, 
 humility, entire submission to the will of the Father; 
 my meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to 
 finish his work (John 4:34), said he. 
 
 If a man thinks more highly of himself than he ought 
 to think, and is puffed up with pride and self-sufficiency, 
 he lacks that much of the mind of Christ. For, although 
 he did not think it robbery to be equal with God, but 
 made himself of no reputation and took upon him the 
 form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man. 
 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled him- 
 self and became obedient unto death; even the death of 
 the cross. (Phil. 2:6-8.) The lack of this quality of the 
 mind of Christ, that of humility, and the possession of 
 the opposite quality of too much self-esteem and pride, 
 coupled with the other evil propensities and desires, such 
 as the love of money and self-aggrandizement, it is but 
 natural to cultivate hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, 
 strife, seditions, heresies, and such like. 
 
 A man devoid of the spirit (disposition) of Christ, 
 and being lifted up with pride and an unholy ambition 
 to leadership, combined with a little ability and enthu- 
 siasm, is capable of doing great evil in drawing away 
 disciples after him and causing division among the people 
 of the Lord, and if he has some unscriptural hobby, there 
 are those who are willing dupes and are ever ready to 
 help to keep the hobby in good condition, and well 
 groomed, and, if dismounted at any time, to assist in re- 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 17 
 
 mounting, though this last service is seldom needed in 
 some cases. 
 
 If we who denounce so earnestly sectarian division 
 and plead for the unity of all God's people on the foun- 
 dation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the 
 chief cornerstone, let us lay aside our unscriptural hob- 
 bies and bickerings and curb our unholy ambitions for 
 leadership and inordinate desire for worldly gain and 
 power, and instead cultivate the spirit (disposition) of 
 Christ, by cultivating the traits and characteristics of his 
 mind; humility, meekness, forbearance, love, entire sub- 
 mission to the will of the Lord, taking Christ as our 
 only perfect exemplar and humbly following in his steps, 
 and imbibing his spirit; and then our plea would have 
 weight in the world, and no doubt we would see answered 
 to some degree at least the prayer of the Lord for the 
 unity of all true believers in him. 
 
 To the only wise God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, 
 dominion and power forever. Amen. 
 
THE REDEEMER'S PRAYER FOR HIS PEOPLE. 
 By W. J. Brown. 
 
 "Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also 
 that believe on me through their word; that they may 
 all be one, even as thou, Father, art in me and I in Thee, 
 that they may also be in us, that the world may believe 
 that Thou didst send me." 
 
 It is certainly a great privilege for one engaged in the 
 struggle for existence and the fight for eternal life, to 
 have a dear friend to intercede for his success in thread- 
 ing his way through the labyrinths that shroud the en- 
 trance upon the threshold of eternal life ! When far 
 away from home and loved ones, doing my best to preach 
 the gospel in a way that may win the people to Christ 
 amidst discouragements, my thoughts have turned back 
 to the one place where I have been remembered and found 
 strength and comfort. But how inestimable the privilege 
 of having the Savior of the world interceding for you ! 
 The Son of God praying for me! The purpose of that 
 prayer includes all of every age who believe in the Son 
 of God through the gospel ; it is for the salvation of the 
 people and the glory of the Father. The Savior offered 
 no meaningless petitions to his Father on such occasions 
 in behalf of the lost ; he has no disposition to trifle with the 
 spiritual interest of those for whom he suffered and died. 
 He was not playing the role of an actor ; he was in earnest. 
 
 These petitions set forth a strong desire, a purpose, 
 and a result. God is not willing that any should be lost. 
 Neither is the Savior. He was possessed with a burning 
 desire for the salvation of the lost. God so loved the 
 world that he gave his Son to save it ; but it was doubtless 
 because the Son first determined to give himself that 
 the Father consented to make the surrender of his own 
 Son. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, 
 
THE REDEEMER'S PRAYER FOR HIS PEOPLE 19 
 
 even so must the Son of man be lifted up" to save the 
 world. The necessity was not owing to any command of 
 the Father, but was owing to needs and love. Jesus looks 
 forward to the results to be attained through his sacri- 
 fice. A result so glorious and far-reaching, the result 
 for which the Son of God was praying the Father, was 
 to be brought about by his people on certain conditions. 
 The appeal is to the Father of all our mercies, the all- 
 good and all-powerful God, that certain results may be 
 attained; it comes from the Son of God, the suffering 
 and triumphant Savior, the one who has all authority 
 invested in him. wShall we give heed to that prayer ? The 
 prayer is for all that believe on Him through their word; 
 every creature, everywhere, in all the world, to the end 
 of the world and the dawn of eternity! 
 
 From no source ever came a more important or urgent 
 appeal. Our Savior, the Son of God, desires, prays, la- 
 bors, dies, rises from the grave, ascends, that his people 
 might be one : and that the world may believe and be 
 saved ! 
 
 No result could be greater nor more desirable. It 
 appears to be the end for which the Son of God died and 
 rose again. "That they may believe that Thou didst 
 send me." Since the Son of man died that men might 
 believe in him, and prayed that they might be one that 
 the world might believe the truth that saves from sin, 
 how important that Christians "endeavor to keep the 
 unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace !" Faith in Jesus 
 and his mission to the world certainly depends in great 
 measure upon it. 
 
 If this unity and co-operation of the people of God 
 ever becomes a matter of fact, how glorious the success 
 of the gospel ! But if it should fail, as it appears to have 
 done since the "fathers fell asleep," the church falls 
 short of the highest mission ever committed to mortal 
 man. In the event of success, the most glorious and far- 
 reaching in results ; as a failure, the most direful and dis- 
 astrous ! 
 
20 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 One has said, "God will not convert the world inde- 
 pendent of the means he has appointed and without re- 
 gard to the prayer of his Son." That is the condition, and 
 the world will never believe in the sense intended with- 
 out the answer to his prayer. We should contend as 
 earnestly and strive as faithfully to attain those condi- 
 tions as we strive for the end itself. For the Lord com- 
 mands to "strive to enter by the narrow door" which is 
 the means of entering heaven — the end. 
 
 The prayer implies the practicability and possibility 
 of a union so perfect that the unbelieving will be con- 
 vinced of His mission to the world. If, as many seem to 
 think and some say, such unity is neither possible nor 
 practical, the Savior had never commanded nor prayed 
 for it. There have been many plans suggested and ways 
 tried to bring about the union of the people of God, but 
 all human plans must fail. No human being, however 
 good and wise, shall have the honor of devising the 
 plan. It would be to the advantage of the good cause 
 we serve, and wisdom on our part, to remember this. 
 We have no grounds for believing that God will convert 
 the world without answering the prayer of his Son. And 
 it seems that the prayer will be answered through a be- 
 lieving church. "Nothing is essential," says a writer 
 upon this subject, "to the conversion of the world but 
 the union and co-operation of Christians. Nothing is 
 essential to the union and co-operation of Christians but 
 the teaching of Christ and the aposles. Truth alone will 
 not unite them, nor union alone will not suffice to con- 
 vince the world. Hence, the word of God alone will not 
 effect the union desired if approached in a wrong spirit. 
 Let the Bible be substituted for human creeds, facts for 
 definitions, things for words, faith for speculation, unity 
 of faith for unity of opinion, the positive commands of 
 God for the traditions of men, piety for ceremony, love 
 of man fcjr love of party, practice for profession, and the 
 work is done." 
 
 Some of us have forgotten, perhaps, that this prayer 
 
THE REDEEMER'S PRAYER FOR HIS PEOPLE 21 
 
 was once answered in part. The church of Jerusalem was 
 of "one soul and one heart; not one said the things which 
 he possessed were his own, but they had all things com- 
 mon." How did they attain that? It was by believing 
 the word of God that was preached to them and by obey- 
 ing it. The same word believed, and obeyed, with the 
 same disposition, will produce the same results. Similar 
 causes under similar conditions produce similar results. 
 If that is not true of the gospel, who can tell what will 
 bring about the desired result? Suppose a number of 
 people now, as in the days of tne apostles, believe and 
 obey as the people did on the day of Pentecost. Would 
 they not be just what the gospel made them? If not, the 
 gospel does not make believers and unite them in one body. 
 If it did make them "one" then, will it not do the same 
 now? Assuming that it will, suppose we continue to 
 preach as they did, and the people believe and obey as of 
 old, what will they be and to what church do they belong ? 
 When we preach as they did and call upon the people to 
 "save themselves from this wicked generation," are we 
 asking them to leave their church and "join our church?" 
 Who would think so? If that is not the right thing to do, 
 who will tell us how to preach, and what the people must 
 do? It would be wrong to tell the people to leave their 
 "denomination and join our denomination" unless ours 
 is identical with the church of the New Testament. 
 
 In the light of New Testament denunciation of sects 
 and parties, we are not justified in building up a separate 
 institution unless it teaches truth that can be found no- 
 where else. And these truths must be fundamental and 
 essential to the common end — the oneness of believers 
 and the salvation of the world. Do you know of a re- 
 ligious body that thus measures up to the New Testament 
 requirement of a church? The New Tesament church re- 
 quires the sinner to forsake all wrong ways and accept 
 all that the Lord requires; it demands that religious 
 people give all that is peculiar to themselves that stand 
 in the way of the unity of God's people, and accept all 
 
22 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 that is common to the people of God and essential to 
 the salvation of the world. Does not God demand that 
 his people be one? Is it not such a union of inward 
 principle that convicts unbelievers by visible means? 
 Does not the Lord engage human instrumentality in 
 preaching the gospel and convincing unbelievers? He 
 certainly does all these things. What position should one 
 occupy in preaching the gospel to be clear of the charge 
 that might be brought, "You are asking the people to 
 leave their church and join yours?" Why, he should be- 
 long to the church of the New Testament, of course. 
 Where would you expect one to stand when pleading for 
 the people to answer the Lord's prayer? He would be 
 both inconsistent and insincere if he were to belong to 
 one church and tell the people to go to another. 
 
 But listen to this : "The glory which thou hast given 
 me I have given unto them, that they may be one even as 
 we are one/' That glory seems to be a part of the process. 
 What was it? It must be the glory of saving the lost 
 and restoring the souls of men, marred by sin, to the 
 divine image in which they were created. Christ com- 
 mits this glory to us by putting the means of salvation 
 into our hands. May we preach that oneness, pray for 
 it, and put ourselves in a position consistent with our 
 labors and prayers. 
 
UNITY. 
 By J. E. Cain. 
 
 Jesus' mission to the world was to save the world ; to 
 place the lost in such an attitude toward God that they 
 might hear God's voice, learn his will, and become obe- 
 dient to his divine law ; voluntarily come to God through 
 obedience to Christ, that they might become "heirs to our 
 eternal inheritance." The Savior was with the Father 
 in glory before the creation of the world. His prayer to 
 the Father when he had completed his work upon the 
 earth stands thus recorded : "And now, O Father, glorify 
 thou me with thine ownself, with the glory which I had 
 with thee before the world was." (John 17:5.) 
 
 And Paul, writing to the Colossians, says : "All things 
 have been created through him and unto him: and he 
 is before all things and in him all things consist." (Col. 
 1 :17.) This reveals unity of purpose, though not unity in 
 person. The apostle has placed this upon record concern- 
 ing the Father and the Son : "God, having of old time 
 spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers por- 
 tions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these 
 days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir 
 of all things, through whom also he made the worlds." 
 . . . (Heb. 1:1-2.) 
 
 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the 
 earth." He does this by his Son as the agent. The 
 Savior "proceeded from" the Father. The Father "sent" 
 him. His words were not his, but "the words of Him 
 who sent him." (See John 14:24.) His works were 
 the works of the Father. (John 14:10.) He came not to 
 do his own will, but the will of the Father. (John 5 :30.) 
 From the time his Father sent him, all that Jesus did was 
 in obedience to the Father. Being in the form of God 
 and counting it not robbery — a prize to be grasped — to 
 
24 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 be equal with God, he took upon himself the form of a 
 servant and was made in the likeness of man ... he 
 humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even 
 the death of the cross. (Read Phil. 2:6-8.) 
 
 All this was voluntary upon the part of the Son. 
 His will was lost in the will of the Father (and I may 
 add here that our will must be lost in the will of the 
 Savior if we would meet the divine approbation). It is 
 because of this unity between the Father and the Son 
 that God highly exalted him and gave unto him the name 
 which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus 
 every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things 
 on earth, and things under the earth, and that every 
 tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
 glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:9-11.) 
 
 From all this evidence — though not a tithe of that sub- 
 mitted — it is evident that the oneness of God and Christ 
 is not unity of person, but unity in will and purpose — 
 determination. 
 
 It is into this unity God and Christ would bring us — 
 must bring us — to save us, for neither against God's 
 will nor our own will can we be saved. Hence, the 
 prayer of Jesus. (John 17:21.) "As thou, Father, art 
 in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." 
 This, and nothing less than this, is the "union" — the 
 unity for which Jesus prayed — oneness in Christ: one- 
 ness of the saved, and that in the name of Christ alone 
 is salvation. Peter emphasizes in his defense before the 
 "rulers" in these words : "And in none other is their 
 salvation : for neither is there any other name under 
 heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be 
 saved." (Acts 4:12.) In Christ denotes both state and 
 relationship — not degrees in moral quality. There are de- 
 grees in moral quality — good, better, best, or bad, worse, 
 worst; but not so in relationship. A man is either in 
 Christ or he is out of Christ — either in the family of the 
 redeemed or not in it. In Christ in the body, in the 
 "kingdom," in the "house," in the "temple," in the 
 
UNITY 25 
 
 "church," etc., declare the same state and relationship. 
 In Christ a man is a new creature, the old things have 
 passed away; behold they are become new. (2 Cor. 5: 
 17.) In Christ we have "redemption through his blood, 
 the forgiveness of our sins." (Col. 1:13, 14.) We can 
 not, by our moral goodness, reach heaven, nor can we 
 remit one sin. And it is our sins that separate us from 
 our God. 
 
 The spirit of promise by which we are sealed is in 
 Christ. (Eph. 1 :13, 14.) And "in Christ Jesus we are 
 created for good works which God before prepared that 
 we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10.) And we are 
 blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. (Eph. 1 :3.) 
 
 And above all, especially to the travel-worn pilgrim, 
 this divine assurance comes to the soul laden with ex- 
 ceeding joy: "Blessed are the dead which die in the 
 Lord from henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit, that they 
 may rest from their labors ; for their works follow with 
 them." (Rev. 14:13.) 
 
 These scriptures settle forever in the mind of the 
 informed the certainty that pardon of sins, divine aid in 
 the work of the Lord, every spiritual blessing, the great 
 and precious promises revealed by the Holy Spirit, peace 
 in life and joy in death, are in Christ — in the house of 
 the Lord, the "body of Christ," the "temple of God," 
 the "church of the living God," the "one body" — the 
 ecclesia — the called-out, called from sin into the holy 
 and divine service of God. 
 
 These are the "children," the "sons and daughters of 
 the Lord Almighty," and these, I repeat, and none others, 
 whom as a "royal priesthood," a "holy nature," a "people 
 for God's own possession" (1 Pet. 2:9), of whom heaven 
 makes the demand to "keep the unity of the spirit in 
 the bond of peace." And it is to these, and these alone, 
 that the apostle submits the seven elements of divine 
 unity. "There is one body, and one spirit; even as also 
 ye were called in one hope of your calling: one Lord, 
 one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who 
 
26 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 is over all, and through all, and in all." (Eph. 4:4-6.) 
 
 Jesus, in his memorable prayer, offered these peti- 
 tions : (1) For himself, that God, whom he had glorified 
 on the earth, would now glorify him with God's self, 
 with the glory which he had with the Father before the 
 world was; (2) for the apostles that the Father had 
 given him, he prayed thus : "Holy Father, keep them in 
 thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be 
 one, even as we are." (3) for these, also, "that believe 
 on me through their" — the apostles' — word "that they 
 may all be one, even as thou art, Father, in me and I 
 in thee, that they also may be one in us : that the world 
 may believe that thou didst send me." 
 
 Jesus rejoices in the unity existing between his Father 
 and himself, and prays that his believing children shall 
 enjoy like unity — unity in will and purpose. It is in 
 harmony with this prayer that the Father inspires Paul 
 to thus admonish the saints : "Now I beseech you, breth- 
 ren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye 
 all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions 
 among you: but that ye be perfected together in the 
 same mind and the same judgment." (1 Cor. 1:10.) 
 And this also: "If there is therefore any comfort in 
 Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of 
 the spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, fulfill 
 ye my joy that ye be of the same mind, having the same 
 love, being of one accord, of one mind: doing nothing 
 through faction, or through vain-glory, but in lowliness 
 of mind, each counting the other better than himself : 
 not looking each of you to his own things, but each of 
 you also to the things of others." (Phil. 2:1-5.) 
 
 These two admonitions alone, if heeded, will keep 
 peace within the borders of Zion. But "evil men shall 
 arise." Yes, but none are prepared as are these, thus 
 united, to "reject them." 
 
 In any event, the Lord's will is the Lord's will. This 
 prayer of Jesus is not yet answered, but it will be an- 
 swered. Upon this depends God's victory over Satan 
 
UNITY 27 
 
 and sin. And "He must reign until He hath put all 
 enemies under His feet." (1 Cor. 15:25.) 
 
UNITY. 
 
 By S. R. Cassius. 
 
 "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for 
 them thou hast given me; for they are mine." (John 
 17:9.) 
 
 Unity can not be effected by two or more persons 
 or things unless there is a perfect and complete agree- 
 ment in manners, habits, thoughts, conversation, mind 
 and opinion ; if it is people, all the above principles must 
 form one complete whole ; or if it is anything else, the 
 parts must join so as to make one complete whole, or 
 else the thing, or machine, is not only incomplete, but it 
 will not work. 
 
 "I pray for them/' For who is it Jesus is praying? 
 Not for the world. Why? Because the world was op- 
 posed to him and his teaching, and w T hile he was living 
 in the world, he was not of the world, and the world 
 hated him ; but Jesus loved the world, even as God loved 
 the world. (John 3:16.) 
 
 Jesus also loved God ; therefore, there being a perfect 
 union between Christ and God, we find Jesus ready and 
 willing to do the will of God, regardless of what the con- 
 sequences might be to himself, for, "Lo, saith the scrip- 
 ture, I come in the volume of the book as it is written 
 of me to do thy will, O God." (Heb. 10:7; Psa. 40:7.) 
 Jesus himself said, "I can do nothing myself," and then 
 he, in the fifth chapter of John, shows why the works 
 that he does and the words that he speaks are not his 
 works or words, but that it is God who does the work 
 and that it is the word of God that he speaks. There 
 was a perfect union between Christ and God; so great 
 was that union that one was inseparable from the other, 
 for Christ and God were one; they were complete in 
 each other. 
 
UNITY 29 
 
 i4 I pray not for the world. " God knew that the 
 world could not be saved by prayer, and Christ, being 
 the express image of God, knew that God knew it; and 
 as Jesus was not seeking his own glory, but that God 
 should be glorified in him, he did that which he knew his 
 Father would be well pleased with. Jesus knew that, 
 as far as prayer was concerned, God would hear only 
 the prayer of faith, and that the only way to create faith 
 in the world that would be unto salvation was to con- 
 vince the world that God was not a man, but that God was 
 a spirit, and that because God was not a "man," he must 
 not be approached as a man. God, being a spirit, could 
 only be approached in the spirit; not the kind of spirit 
 that Jesus came into the world to condemn, which was a 
 spirit of falsehood, murder, whoredom, and all manner 
 of filthy communications that are the outgrowth of the 
 spirit of the devil, which had marred the image of God 
 in man's being, thereby bringing in sin and death upon 
 the children of men, thus causing this earth, which God 
 had made a place of life, peace and joy, to be a place of 
 death, confusion and misery. 
 
 They that worship God must worship him in spirit 
 and in truth. Why? Because we know that God heareth 
 not sinners ; but if any man be a worshiper of God and 
 doeth his will, him he heareth. (John 9:31.) Jesus 
 prayed only to his Father for those whom the Father 
 had given him out of the world, and the reason he gave 
 for making this request of the Father was that he had 
 taught them the same things that God had taught him; 
 and so perfectly had he taught his disciples what the per- 
 fect will of God was, and so earnestly did they believe 
 what Christ had taught them, that Jesus was not only 
 ready, but he did pray that God, his Father, would make 
 his disciples one in God, even as Christ and God were 
 one in each other. 
 
 Ought we to pray for the world to be saved? I an- 
 swer, No. Why? Because it is not consistent with the 
 gospel plan of salvation. At no time and in no place in 
 
30 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 God's word has any part of the world ever been granted 
 eternal life because someone prayed for it. God has 
 promised salvation to such only as believed in him, and 
 he made the faith of the individual not dependent on 
 prayer, but upon hearing, believing and obeying what 
 was taught to them by the preacher or teacher. The 
 world in the days of Jesus could not believe in God with- 
 out believing first in Jesus, because it was the works that 
 Jesus was doing that was to convince them that no man 
 could do the miracles that Jesus did, except that God was 
 with him ; in other words, except there was a perfect 
 union between Christ and God, God would not and could 
 not be with him. Because Christ did not pray for the 
 world, neither do we find that the apostles prayed for 
 the world. I am sure it is not right for us, as God's 
 children, to ask our Father to do a thing that Christ, our 
 example, and the apostles, that gave us the doctrine by 
 which we became a complete body in God through Christ 
 Jesus, his only begotten Son, would not ask of him. 
 
 I never hear a man praying to God to save the world 
 but what I think that he is either ignorant of God's way 
 of saving the world, or else he is trying to invent some 
 other way that he thinks is a better way than God's, 
 except the prayer is for something that we need, or to 
 overcome something that is beyond our strength, or is 
 offered in thanksgiving for a blessing that none but God 
 could bestow. Any other kind of prayer is vain and pre- 
 sumptuous and shows that the prayer is out of harmony 
 with God's word, and where there is no unity there can 
 be no fellowship. What right has a Christian to ask 
 God to save the world when God has placed the means 
 of salvation in the hands of his servants? If I ask God 
 to do what he has told me to do, I admit that I am not 
 an obedient servant, and that my confidence in God is 
 not perfect, and that I am not one in God through Christ 
 Jesus, and, like Simon the sorcerer, I am in the gall of 
 bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. It is not that I 
 am an enemy of God, but being ignorant of God's 
 
UNITY 31 
 
 righteousness, I go about to establish my own righteous- 
 ness. In this way we do more harm to the cause of 
 Christ than if we simply did nothing at all. 
 
 Christ wants all of us to be one in him, as he is one 
 in God. He wants us to abide in his word. He did not 
 send us into the world to coax the world to do good ; 
 he has sent us into the world to convince the world of 
 its unrighteousness, and by our righteousness to compel 
 the world to glorify our Father who is in heaven. It 
 should not make any difference to us whether the world 
 believes us or not. Our duty is to go and preach the 
 gospel and baptize those who believe, and in so doing 
 we will condemn the world and become heirs of righteous- 
 ness, which is by faith, and as Enoch walked with God 
 by faith, so shall we not only walk with him, but we 
 shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By J. A. Craighead. 
 
 Only a few hours before Jesus died for the sins of 
 the world, he prayed fervently for the unity, peace and 
 harmony of his people. This prayer is recorded in the 
 seventeenth chapter of St. John. 
 
 I know of no more pathetic pleading in all the sacred 
 writings than this prayer. I know of no theme that could 
 engage the mind of Christian people today that is more 
 important than the unity of God's people. He prayed 
 the Father to keep them through his own name, that they 
 might be one as he and his Father were one. The prayer 
 includes us because he says : "Neither pray I for these 
 alone, but for them also which shall believe on me 
 through their word." 
 
 This prayer is not for those only who were with him 
 then, but for all those who might believe on him and 
 become his people through all coming time. He gives 
 us his reason for asking that his people may be one. 
 He says : "That the world may know that thou hast 
 sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." 
 (Verses 21 to 23.) 
 
 Unity among the children of God is as good preach- 
 ing as can be done to get the world to believe in Christ, 
 and to realize the love of God and Christ for the human 
 family. When people comprehend the love that God has 
 for them, it causes them to love him, and God promises 
 to save people in Christ, by faith which works by love. 
 "We love him because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19.) 
 
 If we are true Christians, and love God, we love the 
 brethren also. (1 John 4:21.) 
 
 When we love the brethren, we will strive to live in 
 union and harmony with them. When we love the chil- 
 dren of God, we are willing to sacrifice our opinions and 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 33 
 
 personal preferences for their happiness and to be in 
 union and peace with them. Christ prays for us to be 
 one as he and his Father are one. 
 
 They were not one in person, but they were one in 
 mind, design and purpose. This prayer is that we may be 
 one in the same way. Indeed, I believe all true Chris- 
 tians are one at heart in desire and purpose. If we are 
 true Christians, we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 
 2:16.) To have the mind of Christ is to have that spirit, 
 purpose and design which was announced by the heavenly 
 host at the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem, singing 
 "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth Peace, 
 Good-will Toward Men." True Christians are always 
 humble; so humble that they always prefer the will of 
 God to be done in preference to their own. 
 
 It is God's will that his people be happy in this life, 
 and there is only one way to be happy here, and that is 
 by living the Christian life, and being in peace, union 
 and harmony with the brethren. David says, "Behold, 
 how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell 
 together in unity." (Ps. 133:1.) True Christians will 
 always dwell together in unity, because James says: 
 "Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and 
 every evil work." (Jas. 3:16.) 
 
 There is no happiness, no pleasure, in strife and con- 
 fusion. Paul says : "I, therefore, the prisoner of the 
 Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation 
 (calling), wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and 
 meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in 
 love ; endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the 
 bond of peace." (Eph. 4:1-3.) When we walk with all 
 lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing 
 one another in love, striving together for the faith of 
 the gospel, contending earnestly for the faith which was 
 once delivered to the saints, we will always be ready to 
 yield when no principle, but only our opinion, or per- 
 sonal preference, is involved. 
 
 Always courteous and kind, but steadfast and inv* 
 
34 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 movable when and where truth, divine or sacred prin- 
 ciples are involved. It is a privilege we have, pure and 
 precious, of waiving and surrendering our fancies, fads, 
 opinions and personal preferences in the interest of peace. 
 True Christians always do that. I believe the simplest 
 principles of true politeness, as well as God's eternal 
 truth, demand that we do this. Jesus says : ''Blessed are 
 the peace-makers : for they shall be called the children of 
 God." 
 
 If we have the spirit of Christ, we are willing even 
 to sacrifice temporal interests for the sake of peace. 
 Abraham, the father of the faithful, gives us a fine 
 example of making a sacrifice for the sake of peace. 
 When he and Lot came up into the land of Canaan, 
 which by divine promise belonged to him, it is said that 
 there was a strife between the herdmen of Abraham's 
 cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle. The land was 
 not able to support the cattle of both of them. "And 
 Abraham said unto Lot, 'Let there be no strife, I pray 
 thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen 
 and thy herdmen, for we be brethren. Is not the whole 
 land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from 
 me. If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the 
 right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will 
 go to the left." (Gen. 13:8-12.) Lot chose the best of 
 the country. Abraham was satisfied with the rough and 
 refuse. So far as earthly possessions and personal 
 preferences were concerned, Abraham's desire was peace 
 at any price, rather than strife among brethren. The 
 same lovely, self-sacrificing spirit is set forth by the peer- 
 less apostle Paul, when he says : "Wherefore if meat 
 make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the 
 world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." 
 (1 Cor. 8:13.) The same self-denying spirit is mani- 
 fested by all true Christians because it is the spirit of 
 Christ, and "if any man have not the spirit of Christ he 
 is none of his." (Rom. 8:9.) 
 
 Paul also teaches us that we should all speak the 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 35 
 
 same thing and that we be perfectly joined together in 
 the same mind and the same judgment. We can all speak 
 the same thing by speaking what is revealed in the Bible 
 and no more. When we teach and practice that which is 
 taught in the Bible, then we are teaching and practicing 
 essentials only, and that will always tend to union and 
 harmony. But when we begin to teach and practice 
 things on which the Bible is silent, we are then teaching 
 and practicing things that are not essential to the welfare 
 of humanity, and it will certainly produce discord, be- 
 cause all will never agree on things for which there is no 
 standard. 
 
 When w r e begin to sow discord among the brethren, 
 we cease to be followers of "the Babe of Bethlehem" 
 and become "an abomination to God." Then let us be 
 careful while passing through this world ; let us do all 
 the eood we can to the suffering, sighing sons and 
 daughters of men while we live. If there be anything 
 we can do or say that will help our fellowman, and 
 promote peace and unity, let us do it .now. Let us not 
 neglect nor defer it, for we shall not pass this way again. 
 Let us strive to live in peace and unity with the brethren 
 that our Savior's prayer may be fully answered. Let us 
 remember that : "As we've sown, so shall we reap, when 
 the harvest time appears, whether it be joy or gladness, 
 weal or woe." 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By J. H. Curry. 
 
 No one can read the New Testament without ad- 
 miring the unselfish life of Christ. He never did his 
 own will, but in humility and love did his Father's will. 
 He even rebuked a young man for calling him good. He 
 knew the proneness of man to exalt himself, and de- 
 clares that, "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased. " 
 Again he says, "Call no man your father upon the earth." 
 And again he says, "Neither be ye called masters : for 
 one is your Master, even Christ . . . and all ye are 
 brethren/' (Matt. 23:9, 10.) The above shows that 
 there was to be no seeking of power and preference 
 among the disciples, but that all were "brethren" and 
 Christ was their only master. The most beautiful prayer 
 in John 17 sets forth this idea of unity in all of its 
 strength. To this I now invite the reader's attention. 
 Having taught his apostles for more than three years, 
 the time was at hand for him to be offered for the sins 
 of the world, and he pours out his soul to God in prayer. 
 He has great anxiety for the apostles, and prays for their 
 unity that "they may be one, as we are." (Verse 11.) 
 
 This unity of the apostles is predicated on the fact 
 that Jesus had given them God's words and they had re- 
 ceived them. (Verse 8.) Jesus received those words 
 from God, the fountain of all truth. He says : "My 
 Father gave me a commandment, what I should say, 
 and what I should speak." (Chapter 12:49.) As Jesus 
 came down from heaven to do God's will, not his own, 
 the unity of purpose between the Father and the Son 
 is manifest. 
 
 The love of God for his creatures was so deep that 
 he gave his Son as a sin-offeirng to show the depth of 
 that love, that all men might be induced to lay down the 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 37 
 
 arm of rebellion against Jehovah. The supreme thought 
 of God was to unify Adam's posterity in one body by 
 the cross. Jesus vied with the Father in this glorious 
 undertaking and prepared the apostles by careful train- 
 ing to go forth to the nations and invite them to come 
 back to the Father and be united to him in the name of 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 The unity of the apostles is laid deep in the fact that 
 they were all taught by the same Teacher. Hence, he 
 could consistently pray for unity among them. Having 
 declared the unity of Father and Son, and having prayed 
 for the unity of the apostles, he then turned his mind 
 to mankind in a most impressive strain. ''Neither pray 
 I for these (apostles) 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 and 21.) 
 
 Now, dear reader, let us think together: Would it 
 not be folly to say that Jesus prayed for an impossi- 
 bility? Surely he did not. Why pray for an impossi- 
 bility ? Granting this prayer to be in harmony with God, 
 we can then appreciate the crowning result of unity, 
 "that the world may believe." One of the chief hin- 
 drances to the success of the gospel is the divided con- 
 dition of the people religiously. Human opinion is so 
 rife today that the gospel has but little effect on many. 
 They are blinded by "smart men." 
 
 The proposition that Jesus Christ is the Son of God 
 is the most vital proposition ever uttered, and its truth- 
 fulness rests upon the most comprehensive and perfect 
 chain of evidence ever adduced since time began. And 
 the men who were to demonstrate this proposition to 
 the nations were the best qualified men the world has 
 ever possessed. They heard and accepted the message 
 Jesus delivered them. They saw the wonderful works 
 wrought by him to prove his divinity. And not only this, 
 but they saw the Spirit descend upon him at his baptism 
 
38 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 and heard the voice of God in heaven proclaim his ton- 
 ship by saying, 'This is my beloved Son in whom I am 
 well pleased." (Matt. 3:17.) They saw his agony in 
 the garden, witnessed the mock trial, and his cruel death 
 on Calvary. They ate w r ith him, drank with him, and 
 handled him after his resurrection. They listened to his 
 forty days' instruction, then saw him go into heaven 
 with angelic assurance that he is the Christ, and that 
 he will one day return in like manner as they saw 7 him 
 go into heaven. (Acts 1:3, 11.) 
 
 The Christ who prayed so earnestly for the unity 
 of the apostles and all who should believe on him through 
 their word, did all he could to produce the desired re- 
 sult. Yet after all they had seen and heard, they were 
 not to be intrusted with the life-giving message unaided. 
 They were men, fallible men, untrained in language and 
 scholastic lore ; and the Lord, knowing what they had to 
 meet, ordered them to go to Jerusalem to wait for a 
 baptism of the Holy Spirit, that he might bring to their 
 remembrance all Jesus had taught them, and guide them 
 unto all truth. Being now filled with the Holy Spirit, 
 they were able to go into all the w r orld and preach the 
 gospel to every creature, in all the languages of earth. 
 
 Words of encouragement are of great value in times 
 of trials and persecutions. Jesus gave the apostles much 
 consolation in the following: "I will give you a mouth 
 and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able 
 to gainsay nor resist"; (2) in the regeneration, when the 
 Son of man shall sit upon the throne of his glory, ye shall 
 also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes 
 of Israel; (3) in my Father's house are many mansions; 
 if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare 
 a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for 
 you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that 
 where I am, there may ye be also (John 14:6, 7) ; (4) 
 "And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the 
 world." (Matt. 28:20.) 
 
 After the fall of Judas, and another had to take his 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 39 
 
 place to make the twelve foundations, Matthias must 
 have the same qualiticaions as the others. Hence, a man 
 who had accompanied Christ all the way from his bap- 
 tism to his ascension must be chosen. Matthias was bap- 
 tized in the Holy Spirit, and had the same sign — the 
 tongue as of fire, as the others. In the selecting of Saul 
 to become the Gentile apostle, w T e would naturally expect 
 a like equipment or unity could not be maintained. Let 
 us hear Paul himself: (1) "Now we (apostles) have 
 received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which 
 is of God, that we might know the things that are freely 
 given to us of God. Which things we also speak, not in 
 the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the 
 Holy Spirit teacheth." (1 Cor. 2:11, 12.) (2) "But 
 though we (apostles), or an angel from heaven, preach 
 any other gospel unto you than that which we have 
 preached unto you, let him be accursed. ... If any 
 man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have 
 received, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1 :8, 9.) Is it not 
 manifest that unity must maintain when no man dare 
 preach any other gospel, no, not even an angel from 
 heaven? (3) For do I now persuade men or God? or 
 do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I 
 should not be the servant of Christ. (Verse 10.) 
 
 Man is not to be favored by preachers in fulfilling the 
 Lord's prayer for unity. (4) "But I certify you, breth- 
 ren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not 
 after man. For I received it not of man, neither was I 
 taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Verses 
 11 and 12.) Many more statements might be given to 
 show the idea of unity among the apostles, and hence 
 their opposition to divisions. A faithful servant will 
 always contend for his master. And the apostles were 
 no exception to the rule. When the church at Corinth 
 became divided over preachers, Paul honors his Master 
 by saying: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same 
 thing, and that there be no divisions among you ; but 
 
40 OUR savior's prayer for unity 
 
 that yc be perfectly joined together in the same mind 
 and in the same judgment." (1:13.) Notice carefully 
 that he makes this demand in the name of Christ, and not 
 of his own will. In Chapter 2:1, 2, he reminds them that 
 when he preached at Corinth he delivered unto them the 
 testimony of God, with a determination not to know 
 anything except "Christ and him crucified. " He closes 
 the chapter by saying, "For we (apostles) have the mind 
 of Christ." What loyalty to Jesus, the King ! They had 
 Christ's message and preached it to the exclusion of 
 human opinions. To the church at Rome, he says : "Now 
 the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like- 
 minded, one toward another, according to Christ Jesus, 
 that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, 
 even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (15:5, 6.) 
 
 We will now listen to Peter's testimony : (1) "Finally 
 be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, 
 love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous." (3:8.) (2) 
 "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." 
 (1 Pet. 4:11.) 
 
 Unity of mind insures unity of teaching, and unity 
 of teaching unites the people, and this fulfills the Lord's 
 prayer for unity. Oh, if all preachers would "speak as 
 the oracles of God," and were satisfied with the Lord's 
 way, what a sweet savor it would add to the Lord's 
 prayer in the eyes of the world. If all would endeavor to 
 keep the unity of the spirit in "the bond of peace" (Eph. 
 4:3), and study to show themselves approved unto God, 
 and not unto men ; if they would "let the word of Christ 
 dwell in them richly in all wisdom 3 ' (Col. 3:16), remem- 
 bering that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with 
 God, what a happy change would come over this sin- 
 cursed world, and many who stand dazed at human 
 wisdom would see the fog lift and the radiant sunlight 
 of the glorious gospel would shine unto them. 
 
 What the world needs to hear is this love message 
 from home, calling the benighted millions out of the 
 bondage of Satan into the liberty of the sons of 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 41 
 
 God. This love message is the one gospel that cre- 
 ates the "one faith." This "one faith/' working by 
 love (Gal. 5:6), brings "peace on earth and good-will 
 among men," and thus the angels sang in the night in 
 which the Christ was born. How significant was this 
 angelic refrain. This glorious gospel message is for all, 
 with no respect of persons. Oh, that all would appreciate 
 the proffered mercy, and, giving up all for Christ, would 
 come unto him and make an unconditional surrender to 
 his requirements ! Thus becoming "united with him in 
 the likeness of his death" (Rom. 6:4), all may, by a 
 loving, faithful service, have a part in the first resurrec- 
 tion and enjoy a glorious immortality in that precious 
 inheritance "reserved in heaven" for the faithful. Let 
 us all take it to heart to do our part in calling the world 
 to unity, and thus honor the prayer of our dear Savior, 
 who so earnestly prayed for our unity here that we might 
 enjoy him forever in heaven's bright home. 
 
OUR SAVIORS PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By W. H. Devore. 
 
 The question has been asked time and time again, 
 "Has the Savior's prayer been answered?" Most as- 
 suredly it has. 
 
 There has not been a year, no, not a day, during all 
 the days and years which have come and gone since the 
 Father glorified his Son by placing him upon the media- 
 torial throne and crowning him Lord of all, but what 
 could be found, here and there, now and then, disciples 
 of the one Lord, whose teaching and life filled the meas- 
 ure of the Savior's prayer. Such lived in the beginning 
 of the reign of Christ ; such live now in union and unity 
 with God. But if all who professed to believe on Christ 
 through the word of his chosen twelve had lived as the 
 Savior prayed that they should live — if all had kept the 
 unity of the spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3) — 
 this would have been heaven's crowning argument, and 
 proof so convincing in its effect that long since the world 
 would have believed that God sent his Son into the world 
 to save the world, seeing that the Savior prayed for his 
 people to be one "as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, 
 that they also may be one in us ; that the world may be- 
 lieve that thou has sent me." (John 17:21.) Right at 
 the point where one or more of his disciples, either in 
 teaching or practice, not in harmony with the teaching of 
 Christ, that the big eye of the world discovered. It was 
 then the world began to doubt that God sent his Son, 
 and his Son was not all he claimed to be, and as divisions 
 multiplied, the world sank lower and lower in the hope- 
 less pit of unbelief, because heaven's best and most con- 
 vincing proof of the divine mission of Christ into the 
 world — the unity of God's people — had been destroyed 
 by ungodly division and strife among God's people, and 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 43 
 
 that, too, over things Christ never prayed for his dis- 
 ciples to believe, or the world either. "Neither pray I 
 for these alone (his apostles), but for them also which 
 shall believe on me through their word ; that they all 
 may be one . . . even as we are one/' (John 17: 
 21, 22.) Therefore, all the Savior prayed for in order 
 that his people may be one, which things were to be be- 
 lieved and obeyed as acts of faith, were to be found, 
 and are found, and found only in the express will of 
 God; all of which has been made known, and are to be 
 found in the teaching of the inspired apostles of Christ. 
 
 Seeing that the Savior prayed for his people to be 
 one. a oneness with both the Father and the Son is im- 
 perative. In what sense did the Savior pray for his people 
 to be one? 
 
 It is unmistakably true that the basis of Christian 
 unity (and this is the oneness Christ prayed for) is the 
 expressed will of God, understood and rightly applied 
 by those whom the Savior prayed for. To be in oneness 
 with God — to be one "as thou, Father, and I are one," 
 is to be one with God in thought, one with Christ in 
 mind ; His people to be one in doctrine and practice; one 
 with the Holy Spirit by keeping the unity of the Spirit 
 in the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:2-8.) 
 
 Therefore, the visible result of the unity the Savior 
 prayed for is that all his people speak the same things ; 
 all walk in the same steps ; all be of the same mind one 
 toward another; all strive together for the faith of the 
 gospel ; all of one heart and one soul ; all continuing 
 steadfastly in the apostles' teaching, in fellowship, in 
 breaking of bread and in prayer; all speak as the oracles 
 of God ; all walk by the same rule ; all of one mind, 
 having compassion one of another; love as brethren, 
 be pitiful, be courteous. The Savior not only prayed 
 for unity, but showed how union with God could be pos- 
 sible, and how it could be fed and fostered and main- 
 tained. "Father, I have given unto them thy word." 
 
 Thus we see the Son of God prayed for his people 
 
44 OUR savior's prayer for unity 
 
 to be one in creed, one in discipline — "1 have given 
 unto them thy word/' One divine system of faith, one 
 government for all, in all and over all. Is it possible that 
 Christ became the author and perfecter of a law that, 
 when obeyed, would introduce souls into a spiritual one- 
 ness with God, and then would give them a discipline 
 each one could interpret to suit himself and thus divide 
 themselves off into separate organizations under different 
 names and creeds, and live in oneness with God? No, a 
 thousand times no ! But God, the Father, did give the units 
 of the faith and revealed the fact that, if believed and 
 obeyed, they would not only bring men and women into 
 spiritual oneness with God, but would make absolutely 
 sure the perpetuity of the oneness the Savior prayed for. 
 God is the author of the marriage tie, and said to 
 the husband and wife, "You are one" ; and then, after 
 making them one in the marriage relationship, did he 
 give them a religious system which, if obeyed, would 
 divide them religiously, and have each one spend time 
 and strength in the church of his or her choice, and while 
 thus divided, each one working to tear down what the 
 other builds up? Are they one? Is this the oneness 
 the Savior prayed for? No, a thousand times, no. Does 
 God add to and build up one church, and the Son of God 
 another church different in name, creed and discipline? 
 Has the divine Father one rule for his people to live 
 and work by, and his Son a different rule of faith and 
 practice? No, a thousand times, no. The Son of God 
 said, "My Father and I are one" — one in material crea- 
 tion, one in spiritual creation, one in upholding the 
 laws looking to the development of both. The Savior 
 said, "I came to do the will of him that sent me." It is 
 thus in works he and his Father are one. No two men 
 or women who differ in thought, word or deed, in things 
 which go to make up New Testament Christianity, one 
 or the other, and probably both, are wrong. Such are 
 not keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; 
 therefore, are not in union with God. 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 45 
 
 The Savior prayed for his people to be one in name: 
 "Father, keep them in thy name" ; so he prayed that his 
 people might be one "as thou, Father, and I are one." 
 He prayed his Father to keep them "one in thy name" ; 
 the name in which there is salvation, and in it and it only, 
 the name of Christ. There can't be oneness with God 
 unless all God's people do, both in word and deed, is 
 done in the name of Christ, and that, too, to the glory 
 of God, the Father. We, as his people, are to "glorify 
 God in this name" — in the name of Christ. This is the 
 seal God places or stamps upon every soul born into the 
 family of God. All those the Savior prayed for have 
 been baptized in and into the name of Christ. In this 
 name every gospel sermon is preached ; every prayer ac- 
 ceptable to God is made or offered in the name of Christ. 
 Those in the divine family walk in the name of Christ, 
 they worship God in this name, they transact all the 
 Father's business in the name of Christ. They give their 
 money to support the claims of the gospel in the name 
 of Christ; they meet around the table of the Lord each 
 first day of the week, in the name of Christ, to eat and 
 drink of the bread and wine in memory of him who 
 "prayed that his people may be one." 
 
 Divisive names were introduced by those who trample 
 under their feet the spirit and sense of the Savior's 
 prayer. To live in unison with God, God's people must 
 be one in name. "Father, keep them in thy name." 
 
 The Savior prayed for his people to be one in rela- 
 tionship. "I pray that they all may be one, as thou, 
 Father, and I are one." This relationship is the relation- 
 ship existing between Father and Son ; a divine, spiritual 
 union. All of those the Savior prayed for were born of 
 God — born of water and the Spirit; all in the kingdom 
 of God's dear Son ; all partakers of the divine nature of 
 God; all having equal access to all the privileges and 
 immunities of the one church — the one body — which is 
 God's habitation through the Spirit, in which and through 
 which the life of God flows through Christ, to and 
 
46 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 through every obedient member. Through the one body, 
 and through God's commandments, ordinances and prom- 
 ises flows the cleansing blood of Christ. "Having fellow- 
 ship one with another the blood of Christ cleanses us 
 from all sin." In the one body we have fellowship with 
 God, with Christ, and the Holy Spirit, all his holy 
 apostles, with all the saints on earth and in heaven. 
 This is the oneness the Savior prayed for. Christ is the 
 life of every member in the one body who keeps his holy 
 commandments and ordinances. "When Christ, who is 
 our life, shall appear, then shall we appear with him in 
 glory." 
 
 Christ prayed for a visible, organic oneness; a one- 
 ness the world could see. Not an invisible oneness only, 
 but a unity in heart and soul with God, which makes 
 itself manifest in word and deed by those who are obe- 
 dient to Christ in all things. This is the oneness the 
 Savior prayed for ; a oneness the world could see and 
 be convinced that God sent his Son into the world that 
 the world, through him, might be saved. The world 
 then could say, "Behold, how these people love one an- 
 other; they have been with Christ and learned of him. ,, 
 To be in union with God we must love the Savior of 
 men, we must walk with him by faith, and, hand in hand, 
 heart to heart, move forward in his footsteps, carrying 
 the message of Christ to a world lost in sin and igno- 
 rance, and keep in one solid compact that unity the world 
 can see ; the oneness the Son of God prayed for when 
 he lifted up his tempest-tossed soul to God. right under 
 the shadow of Calvary's cross. In tears and sweat and 
 blood he prayed that his people might be one, while his 
 head bowed low with the weight of a lost world upon 
 his soul. Lower still he bows his head till it touches the 
 green sod near the side of Kedron's rippling brook; 
 and, while death rippled in the brook, and the wind 
 moaned and sobbed and whispered low among the moun- 
 tain trees, lower and lower still he bows, until his body 
 lies prostrate on the sod, moistened with the bitter tears 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 47 
 
 wrung from the big, loving heart of the world's Re- 
 deemer. 
 
 "Father, I pray that all who believe on me through 
 their word may be one, as thou, Father, and I are one." 
 
 Dear Lord, keep me in thy name. 
 
THE UNION OF GOD'S PEOPLE— JOHN 17. 
 By Tice Elkins. 
 
 I feel honored that I was thought worthy of assisting 
 in the compilation of a book treating upon so all-impor- 
 tant a theme as Christian union. And since Brother 
 Rowe has invited me to submit my views of this subject 
 for the good of the cause of Christ and humanity, I, in 
 humility and reverence, offer the following lines con- 
 cerning the seventeenth chapter of John. 
 
 This is the prayer of the Savior on the night in 
 which he was betrayed into the hands of sinful men. 
 This prayer for the unity of his people in all the history 
 of the world we dare not lightly esteem. That it was his 
 intention that all his followers in all the succeeding ages 
 be perfectly joined together, united, and that the same 
 intention was founded upon a perfectly good and suffi- 
 cient reason, is clearly taught in the words of the Savior 
 himself : "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." 
 That is the reason for his desire. And to anyone today 
 who will open his eyes and honestly view the condition 
 of Christendom, it is plain that the world does not believe, 
 and infidelity laughs at the claims of Christianity be- 
 cause there is no union among those who profess to be- 
 lieve. 
 
 I believe there would be union, more union today, if 
 the people could find a basis for it, but they have been 
 misled and blinded so long they can not sec the founda- 
 tion for unity laid in the blood and tears and groans of 
 the man of Galilee. 
 
 Now, that foundation is what I must speak of, and 
 that, basis I shall show. I will outline a few of the 
 greatest denominations, the product of division, in the 
 
THE UNION OF GOD'S PEOPLE 49 
 
 kindliest manner I can, and show you what is necessary 
 in order for them to unite, assuring you that whatever 
 will unite a few will unite all. 
 
 We will reduce each of these sects to its prime fac- 
 tors and take out from all these factors the things that 
 are not common to them all, and upon which all can not 
 agree, and thus find a basis upon which we all can agree 
 and work together in perfect harmony. 
 
 First, the Episcopal church — they call themselves 
 Episcopalians ; then Christians — they believe in the in- 
 spiration of the Bible; have thirty-nine articles of faith; 
 require faith in the Son of God; require baptism for 
 church membership ; baptize by pouring, sprinkling or 
 immersion ; believe in the holy communion, require their 
 members to iive holy lives. These are the great or prime 
 factors in the Episcopal church. 
 
 Now, we will take the Methodist church. They call 
 themselves Methodists ; second, Christians ; third, they be- 
 lieve in the inspiration of the Bible ; fourth, have twenty- 
 five articles of faith; fifth, require faith in Christ; sixth, 
 require baptism for church membership; seventh, bap- 
 tize by pouring, sprinkling and immersion ; believe in the 
 holy communion ; require their members to live holy 
 lives. These are the prime factors of the great Metho- 
 dist church. Third, take the Presbyterian church. They 
 call themselves Presbyterians, then Christians, believe 
 in the inspiration of the Bible, have the Westminster con- 
 fession of faith, teach faith in Jesus Christ as God's Son, 
 teach baptism for church membership, baptize by pour- 
 ing, sprinkling and immersion, believe in the holy com- 
 munion, require their members to live holy lives. These 
 are the prime factors of the great Presbyterian church. 
 
 We will now call attention to the Baptist church. 
 They call themselves Baptists, also Christians, believe in 
 the inspiration of the Bible ; they accept the Philadelphia 
 confession of faith, or Pendleton's manual, teach faith 
 in Jesus Christ, require baptism for church membership, 
 teach that baptism can only be performed by immersion, 
 
50 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 believe in the holy communion, and require their mem- 
 bers to live holy lives. These are the prime factors of 
 the great Baptist church. 
 
 Now, among all these factors, how many, and which 
 ones are common to all these religious bodies? How 
 many of them can we all agree upon, and how many and 
 which ones will we have to sacrifice in order to unite 
 and worship God together and alike? Let us examine 
 carefully. 
 
 First, we take the name. Is the name Episcopal com- 
 mon to all? No. Is it in the Bible? No. Is the name 
 Presbyterian common to all, or will all agree to wear 
 it? No. Is it in the Bible? No. Is the name Methodist 
 common to all? No. Is it in the Bible? No. Is the 
 name Baptist common to all? No. Is it in the Bible as 
 the name of a church or a religious body? No. Is it 
 necessary to be called any one, or all of these names in 
 order to be saved, to be a Christian? All answer, no. 
 Is it necessary to be known as a Christian? All admit 
 it is. Is that name in the Bible? It is. Then we all 
 can and do accept the name Christian as a common fac- 
 tor, and all can unite upon it. Second, we are all agreed 
 upon the inspiration of the Bible. So we put that down 
 as a common factor, for it is taught in the Bible. Third, 
 we are not agreed upon the thirty-nine articles of faith, 
 the twenty-five articles of faith, the Westminster confes- 
 sion, the Philadelphia confession, the Pendleton manual ; 
 therefore, they are not common factors, and, moreover, 
 they are not to be found in the Bible. Next, faith in 
 Christ. We are all agreed that this is essential and all 
 accept it, and agree upon it; therefore, it is a common 
 factor. Is it set forth in the Bible? All admit it is. 
 Next we come to the question of baptism. All require 
 baptism, upon that all are agreed ; it is a common factor. 
 Is it taught in the Bible? All agree that it is. But what 
 about sprinkling and pouring as modes of baptism? Will 
 all religious bodies accept them? No ; therefore, they are 
 not common factors, for all can not agree upon them. 
 
THE UNION OF GOD'S PEOPLE 51 
 
 But are they set forth in the Bible? They are not. And 
 as they are not taught in the Bible, one can not urge 
 them upon another. Then we must cancel these because 
 they are not common factors. Next we take communion. 
 Is it a common factor? Can all agree upon it? Yes. Is 
 it set forth in the Bible? All admit it is. Therefore, it 
 is a common factor. Next, we notice holiness of the 
 Christian life. Do all require it? Is it a common factor? 
 Can we all agree that it is essential? We can. Is it 
 taught in the Bible? All admit that it is. 
 
 Now, then, let us see what are the common factors 
 to all of us. First, the name Christian ; second, the in- 
 spiration of the scriptures ; third, faith in Jesus Christ 
 as the Son of God ; fourth, obedience to Him in the com- 
 mand of baptism; fifth, the observance of the communion 
 of His body and blood; and sixth, a consecrated Chris- 
 tian, holy life. Now, these are the things upon which 
 all these churches can unite, none of them being peculiar 
 to any one of them. But do you notice that all of those 
 things upon which we disagree are the non-essentials, 
 that they are the things believed and practiced by the 
 churches which are not to be found in the Bible? Take 
 the denominational names. They are not in the Bible. 
 The articles of faith, and so on ; all the things we fail to 
 agree on are things not to be found in the Bible. 
 
 While the things that are really essential, and are set 
 forth in the Bible, all are agreed upon. Now, if each 
 religious body will eliminate everything from their creeds 
 and practice which is not essential, which is not taught 
 in the Bible, we would then be a unit on the things that 
 remain. There are many churches today. There ought 
 to be but one. Paul said there is "one body" and "one 
 spirit," and that is the body of Christ, filled with the 
 Spirit of God, and if all professed followers of the 
 Lamb today would give up everything that is not plainly 
 taught in His glorious gospel, we all would then be 
 one, and the world would then believe that God sent Him 
 into the world, and nations would walk in the light ef 
 
52 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 God, and the claims of the gospel would be accepted 
 by the very ones who now scoff and deride it on account 
 of the strife and division among the ones who claim to be 
 guided by it. 
 
 "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." 
 (John 17:23.) 
 
 Dear Father, speed the day when all may be one: 
 when all party strife may cease. When all will be willing 
 to tumble their old dead mother sect into her grave, 
 and then, while the clods fall upon her coffin, sing : "Let 
 names and creeds and parties fall, and Jesus Christ be 
 all in all/' 
 
 One here, one hereafter, where we "will cast our 
 crowns at Tesus' feet and crown him Lord of all." Amen. 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By Ben J. Elston. 
 
 In the first place, trying to realize my own place as 
 one should, I feel that only the gravest impiety could 
 move one to unfavorable criticism of that prayer. Jesus 
 knew, and loved and cared as only He could. I think 
 we should say that, whatever other objects our Savior 
 hoped to accomplish, his two chief aims were to glorify 
 God and to save man — if possible, all men — this unworthy 
 scribe, thank God, among the rest. And, of course, the 
 more universal the salvation of man, the greater the glory 
 accruing to God. Conceding Christ's infinite wisdom, 
 we must conclude that, in this prayer, will be expressed 
 His own incomparable view as to the most infallibly sure 
 way to attain the first end, upon the realizing of which 
 so clearly depends the other. 
 
 Knowing what we do of our fallen selves, it may ap- 
 pear to be the natural thing to have expected that man 
 w r ould deepen the dye of his own disgrace by also adding 
 this to the long list of things in which men have "re- 
 jected for themselves the counsel of God." For, generally 
 in practice and often in theory, this advice has been so 
 treated. Let the calamitous shadow rest, by man's own 
 choice, on the brow of his compassionate, solicitous Mas- 
 ter, yet must he have his own foolish and wicked will 
 rather than heaven's, and his own fancied glory instead 
 of cheerfully and lovingly giving the glory to God. Are 
 we not yet saying, "We will not that this man reign over 
 us ?" Why do we say, "Lord, Lord, and do not the things 
 which He says?" 
 
 Neither theoretically nor practically, so far as my 
 understanding carries, will I dispute that the prayer dis- 
 played good sense. Can not the world see that its only 
 possible hope is in the unity of "all" believers? Will not 
 
54 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 ihc future redeem a little of its partly ignorant, but 
 always erroneous, past reflection on the Redeemer, by 
 bringing itself promptly to the condition for which we 
 know he poured out his longing soul to the bosom-rent 
 Father in this prayer? 
 
 This is one of the few prayers preserved for us by 
 the Father. The Master did much, not little praying. 
 Out of His all-night pleadings, volumes might have been 
 treasured. They would all have been jewels. There is 
 manifestly, then, on divinity's part, unavoidable necessity 
 for the prominence given to Christ's passionate, pathetic 
 supplication on this theme. Will humanity be admonished 
 and burn the obvious reason into its own soul? 
 
 With what mingled emotions one contemplates what 
 "might have been/' Our stupid and reckless disregard 
 of the wondrous plea breathed into the Father's ear, as 
 earth was about to give the last and most bitter dregs of 
 its cup of indignities to its most distinguished visitor, is 
 the thing fundamental to which must be charged so much 
 of the world's woe. Lust could never have been com- 
 panion to sanctified desire. Ambition could never have 
 crumbled to ruins the hopes and the homes of the weak 
 and the pious and the toiling. Appetite would have been 
 controlled. Uncontrolled, it has dragged down, in divers 
 forms, unimaginable myriads to a degradation, present 
 and eternal, which beggars description. In a word, the 
 refusing to receive God, which is almost precisely equiva- 
 lent to spurning the unity desired by the Savior, has made 
 possible every triumph of evil. For the folly furnished 
 by human wisdom, on this one vital point, has been the 
 food upon which only the vile could flourish. "For where 
 jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile 
 deed." Meditation of this kind dims the eye with a sad- 
 ness inexpressible. 
 
 But afresh the tears come as the enlightened think of 
 thwarted good, so mercifully made possible by the sacri- 
 fice of him who so prayed. You and I are deprived today 
 of an inheritance justly ours. A sinless earth is easily 
 
OUR savior's prayer for unity 55 
 
 conceivable. And how exhilarating such a conception. 
 A dictionary with all terms of criminality expunged ! 
 A world with misery only as a memory. We never can 
 know how we have wronged our Maker till we have all 
 the vision of what "might have been" — of both good and 
 evil. I know the world's cup of iniquity is not yet full, 
 else God would strike an unmistakable blow ; the wicked 
 must yet "flourish as a green bay tree in its native soil," 
 but let us rejoice that some feel and see the Father's hand, 
 and, while they fear and tremble, yet work and watch 
 and wait and pray and trust and expect. 
 
 But tears of joy also come. I'm sure "blessed are they 
 that weep now." The heart leaps ! Well may the bod> 
 also. Deliverance has not come to us all, but it is com- 
 ing. "God is not unrighteous to forget." "He can not 
 deny himself." Let us, as his servants, not grow "weary 
 in well doing." "In due season we shall reap, if we faint 
 not." Jesus prayed not in vain. That prayer will be our 
 withering curse, or our everlasting blessing, just as we 
 choose. He has said and suffered his part. No more can 
 be done by him, or, assuredly it would have been done. 
 Will we do our part? Darkness can not dwell where light 
 is. Only disobedience, willing if not wilful, can keep us 
 from presently enjoying the blessing for which Jesus 
 begged. The piteous appeal should be felt directly and 
 distinctly by us. "Today, if ye shall hear His voice, har- 
 den not your hearts." We do not all see alike, but is it 
 certain "we can not all see alike?" We can "all speak 
 the same thing" if we so determine. We can be more 
 perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the 
 same judgment if we conscientiously try. Herein is the 
 saying true, "Not failure, but low aim, is crime." 
 
 And now, with no descent from the seriousness that 
 should ever characterize the disciple of the Author of 
 such a prayer, what, personally, will I do, or yield, or 
 quit, for my own necessary but joyful contribution to the 
 ends sought ? Will I yield the trifling and insipid in liter- 
 ature, present or past, so that I may really heed when 
 
56 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 God would speak to me in His word? Will I compel 
 myself until my "supplication," like that "of a righteous 
 man, availeth much?" Or, until I can read and speak 
 "to edification," as "the need may be?" Will I put from 
 my life all that I know hinders me or others from the 
 fullest and happiest growth in grace? 
 
 Will I ever neglect either a plain duty, or a plain privi- 
 lege, when that will set me in a false light before others, or 
 tend to weaken even my weakest brother ? May I rightly, 
 needlessly waste one moment or one cent that could pos- 
 sibly be given to good thought or purpose? Will I be- 
 gin or continue any needless habit that permits "my good 
 to be evil spoken of," or that can make me less efficient 
 as a Christian ? Do not I owe every moment of my time, 
 every power of my being, every cent I can rightly com- 
 mand, outside of what is confessedly needful for the 
 proper earthly care of my body, to Him, who in this very 
 prayer would move me to my best? And can there be 
 found, or could there be needed, a better avenue, through 
 which all my various duties may be performed, than the 
 very body — the church — which, by his own blood, he is 
 purchasing almost as he prays? 
 
 My own honest, humble efforts must speak my regard 
 or disregard for the prayer and its Author. Even to hint 
 satisfaction with something less, or other, than the com- 
 plete oneness enjoined in this prayer, is to proclaim our 
 own wisdom, while impeaching His — to say we walk by 
 reason and not by faith. And, as it seems to me, he, 
 who would contend for point or place or thing not neces- 
 sary to the maintenance of unquestioned scriptural unity, 
 and which could possibly hinder even the weakest dis- 
 ciple, needs to study the effect of this prayer on him who 
 said, "Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ." 
 Paul urged and practiced, at the greatest conceivable 
 earthly cost to himself, that for which his Master prayed. 
 In harmony with the life he lived, which renders gain- 
 saying impossible, Paul testifies: "If meat causeth my 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 57 
 
 brother to stumble, 1 will eat no flesh forevermore, that 
 I cause not my brother to stumble." 
 
 Help us, "good Master," one and all, to hear thy 
 pleading as did Paul. 
 
 And may our hearts be moved each day 
 
 To nobly do; not merely say. 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By H. M. Evans. 
 
 It is not within the scope of this article, nor is it the 
 intention of the writer to attempt to exhaust the sub- 
 ject under consideration, and yet if all the writers con- 
 fine themselves strictly to the Bible as the only standard 
 of unity, there will consequently be seen a uniformity 
 of teaching, and perhaps of expression, which will indi- 
 cate, to some extent at least, that the writers are of the 
 "same mind/' "same judgment," and that all are speak- 
 ing the "same thing,'' and thus this book may become a 
 means towards reaching the end for which its writers 
 plead. 
 
 On that memorable night of the betrayal of the Son 
 of God into the hands of bloodthirsty and jealous reli- 
 gionists, His greatest and last concern was not for a 
 grand "confederation of churches" ; it was not for a great 
 "union meeting" of "all denominations" ; it was not for 
 an amalgamation of Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians and 
 Essenes ; it was not for a union and consolidation of 
 Judaism and Christianity, nor for a compromise with 
 heathenism in any form. Neither did He pray for an 
 improvement in the "interdenominational relationship of 
 church membership" (if our reader knows what that is). 
 That spontaneous outburst of His great loving heart 
 contained no sickly, sentimental, denominational loveism 
 for the rebel who trampled beneath his unhallowed feet 
 the conditions and principles of Christian unity. 
 
 In that prayer under consideration we observe three 
 propositions: (1) Father and Son are one; (2) that all 
 believers should be one; (3) that these two units should 
 form one grand unit. The first was the model for the 
 second, and the third would be the result of the second 
 faithfully copying the model. 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 59 
 
 The great arguments set forth by the Savior for the 
 
 complete unity of His followers were: (1) That the 
 world might believe; and (2) that His followers might be 
 where He is and behold His glory. This being true, it 
 needs no further argument to prove that the salvation 
 of the human race and the happiness of His professed 
 followers depends upon Christian unity, a unity as com- 
 plete as that existing between the Father and the Son, 
 and. further, there is no proof that His professed fol- 
 lowers shall ever be where He is, or see His glory with- 
 out that complete oneness in Christ for which He prayed. 
 "I have given them Thy word,'' said Jesus in His 
 prayer, and it is the "Word of God" that decides the 
 conditions which make this unity in Christ possible. 
 Warring sects and parties may go on forever revising 
 and modifying their creeds and confessions of faith, 
 utterly ignoring the Savior's prayer, and be as far away 
 from that unity for which He prayed as they were when 
 they began. Until men are willing to throw down de- 
 nominational altars, cast to the flames all creeds, confes- 
 sions of faith, catechisms and disciplines, and fall at the 
 feet of the Son of God, the Savior of men, and accept 
 the "Word of God" as their sole rule of faith and prac- 
 tice and accept His terms of unity, teeming millions will 
 continue to pass into the unseen world without a gleam 
 of hope, and they, themselves, as advocates of human 
 standards of Christian unity, and who have thereby ig- 
 nored the only conditions which make this unity possible, 
 will learn that they are not in the class for which Christ 
 prayed when He requested that those "whom Thou hast 
 given me may be where I am that they may behold my 
 
 glory." 
 
 It is the jealous ambitions of priestcraft and clergy 
 to build up denominational partyism, both in home and 
 foreign fields, that is hindering the answer to the Sa- 
 vior's prayer more than anything else. The declaration of 
 the apostle that there is "one body and one spirit . . . 
 one hope of your calling: one Lord, one faith, one bap- 
 
60 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 tism, one God and Father of all who is over all, and 
 through all and in all," is in complete harmony with the 
 Savior's prayer and admits of no misunderstanding. 
 That the beseeching cry of Paul, "That ye all speak the 
 same thing, and that there be no divisions among you ; 
 but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and 
 in the same judgment, " is treated with silent contempt, 
 can not be wondered at when denominational selfishness 
 and sectarian partyism is untouched and unmoved by the 
 outpouring of the loving, bleeding heart of the Son of 
 God upon the eve of giving His life to accomplish the 
 object for which He prayed. 
 
 He who divides the "body of Christ" by forcing 
 "creeds," "aids," "auxiliaries," "expediences," etc., upon 
 it must meet the Judge at the last day as an opponent 
 to that unity for which Jesus prayed and stand con- 
 demned as a rebel against heaven's King. 
 
A CALL TO UNITY. 
 By E. N. Glenn. 
 
 Heaven is the abode of unity. When the spirit of 
 unity comes into a soul or into a church, it, therefore, 
 comes from above, being brought on its way by the Com- 
 forter. Discord — the opposite — is of the earth, earthly. 
 The divisions of Christians show that there is still much 
 carnality among them, and the more carnal a Christian 
 is the more sectarian will he be; but the more spiritual 
 he is the more loving, forbearing and self-renouncing 
 you are sure to fi,nd him. As it is with Christians, so 
 it is with the church. 
 
 The fruit of discord is strife, hatred and division. 
 No wonder that, "He that soweth discord among breth- 
 ren/' is an abomination to God. Our Savior left the 
 sweet motto of unity with his disciples that their love, 
 one for another, might be welded, and their work of con- 
 verting the world might be mutual ; but alas ! The walls 
 of separation have been built by the party spirit of dis- 
 cord until the exclamation of old, "Behold, how the 
 Christians love each other," is now resounding, "See how 
 they hate and assail one another. " It is to be noted that 
 Jesus did not warn his followers against unbelief, or the 
 trials and temptations of life, or the power of the evil 
 one, in his last admonition and memorable prayer, but his 
 expressed desire and prayer was that all his disciples 
 might be "one," even as he and his Father were one. 
 Love is the grand underlying principle upon which the 
 unity of his people must rest. During the miraculous age 
 "signs" were a great power to convince unbelievers that 
 Christ was divine, but the power of love is far greater. 
 The age of miracles was to soon cease, but "love" abideth 
 forever. For had he not told them the same night, "By 
 this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if yt 
 
62 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 have love one to another ?" Now, so long as they should 
 have ''love one for another/' peace and unity would pre- 
 vail ; but when the seed of discord is sown in their 
 hearts, love is displaced by malice and contention, which 
 results in alienation and division. The apostle Paul, re- 
 ferring to the carnality among Christians, says: "For if 
 ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye do 
 not consume one another." For wolves to devour sheep 
 is no wonder, but for sheep to devour one another is 
 astonishing! Hence, the sweet singer of old sang, "Be- 
 hold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to 
 dwell together in unity." 
 
 A "union meeting" of the various denominations of 
 the community is a prevalent and popular idea today of 
 the religious world. But mere denominational uniformity 
 is not "Christian unity." It is not the amalgamation of 
 denominations that Christ prayed for, but he prayed for 
 a union of all spiritual men "in the Lord." Any other 
 union is a misnomer. So let us make the distinction be- 
 tween the word union and unity. As one brother illus- 
 trated it : "We can tie the tails of two cats together and 
 string them across the clotheslines and we have union, 
 but have we 'unity* ?" There is no unity in a heap of 
 stones hardened into a mass ; they are yet simply a mass. 
 
 Bible Illustrations. 
 
 The Savior gave us a perfect illustration of unity in 
 the parable of the vine and the branches. (John 15: 
 1-7.) There is a vital connection between each branch 
 and the vine. Christians are to desire the same degree 
 of unity as that found in the vine and the branches. 
 Again, Jesus prays, "That they may be one, as we are." 
 Now, let us notice this unity. We have the Father, the 
 Son and the Holy Spirit — these three — yet these three 
 agree in one. Each of the three is God, yet they are all 
 one God, for they have all one nature, and one God-head, 
 and one substance, and one counsel, and one work, and 
 one majesty, glory and co-eternal rule. The unity mi 
 
A CALL TO UNITY 63 
 
 essence is not taken away by the distinction of persons. 
 Another beautiful Bible example is the unity of the 
 body. Here we have a combination of many parts, viz., 
 body, soul and spirit. Yet this is "one" man. The 
 senses, passions, understanding and will are all in them- 
 selves unities, yet it is the mutual relation and de- 
 pendence of the parts that constitute the body as a whole. 
 The reason, will and memory must work in unison. Just 
 so with "the body of Christ," of which Christ is the 
 head. (Col. 1:18.) 
 
 Great is the force of unity, peace and concord. Uni- 
 son is power. One man, when in unison with others, 
 serves to strengthen and stablish another like sticks or 
 staves bound together. Let them be severed and they 
 are easily broken. This is true in the family, church or 
 nation. A single drop of water is a weak and powerless 
 thing; but an infinite number of drops united will form a 
 stream, and many streams combined will form a river, 
 till rivers pour their waters into the mighty ocean, whose 
 proud waves defy the power of man. Unknown power 
 lies in the concentration of combined unity of God's 
 people. This is the power calculated by the ruler of the 
 universe to bring into subjection the rebellious world to 
 Christ, which, without this unity, defies the solitary 
 efforts of single forces. 
 
 In consideration of the importance of the unity of 
 God's people, its value and power, and the misconcep- 
 tion of the great majority of professed Christians today 
 as compared with illustrations and teaching of God's 
 word on the subject, and realizing that it was intended 
 by our Father for his people to be one, desired and 
 prayed for by the Savior himself, let us in conclusion 
 note how it may be attained. 
 
 How Attained. 
 
 Union with Christ is an absolute qualification to the 
 union with his church. In other words, an individual 
 must be joined to Christ — having been grafted into the 
 
64 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 true vine — before he may expect to bear fruit to Christ, 
 or become a true member of his "body" or church. This 
 union of Christians or churches of Christ must come 
 from the characteristic spirit of love. It certainly is 
 possible, for it was planned and prayed for by our Lord 
 while on earth, and we may as surely expect an answer 
 to this prayer in God's own good time. When the 
 ruling element of all professed followers of Christ is 
 "love" — love for God and his will above all things in this 
 world; above self-will, opinions of men and party creeds 
 — then there can be no separation except bodily separa- 
 tion. 
 
 Churches or Christians brought together on any other 
 ground than this will fail. As well attempt to weld iron 
 that is cold than to unite people by simply making them 
 think and act alike. "If any man have not the spirit of 
 Christ, he is none of His." They must of necessity be 
 made to feel alike in this gospel work before they can 
 be united. James says (3:17): "The wisdom that is 
 from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to 
 be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without par- 
 tiality and without hypocrisy." Paul, speaking by in- 
 spiration, entreats us to be "diligent to keep the unity of 
 the spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. 4:3.) This unity 
 consists in submission to one single influence — the Spirit. 
 Does not the unity of the body consist of the one in- 
 fluence of the mind, uniting all its members ? Take away 
 this life or influence and the members fall to pieces, no 
 longer having any union with the rest. Those individuals 
 closest to Christ are the nearest to one another, and will 
 be the first to blend together in the fulfillment of his 
 prayer: "May they all be one." "Finally, be ye all of 
 one mind, having compassion one of another, love as 
 brethren, be pitiful, be courteous : not rendering evil for 
 evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; 
 knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should in- 
 herit a blessing." (1 Pet. 3:8, 9.) 
 
THE ONENESS OF CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS. 
 By Flavil Hall. 
 
 All believers in Christ are familiar with his prayer 
 that all who believe on him through the apostles' word 
 might be one (to the end that the world might believe on 
 him), that they all might be one as he and his Father 
 were one. (John 17:20-22.) 
 
 This prayer was answered when the glorious light 
 of the message of redemption burst forth in all its bright- 
 ness in the first century of the Christian era. Had Chris- 
 tian believers then gone to pieces, dividing into multi- 
 tudes of denominations with party names and various 
 other distinctions, such as we have now, Christianity 
 could never have commanded the respect of the world, 
 have grown in power over the nations and marched 
 triumphantly through the ages as she has done. 
 
 Isaiah prophesied as follows : "Thy watchman shall 
 lift up the voice ; with the voice together shall they sing ; 
 for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring 
 again Zion." (Tsa. 52:8.) This was the happy state of 
 Zion (the church) until she was corrupted by "the 
 mystery of lawlessness'' and many of the communicants 
 ceased to love the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteous- 
 ness. (2 Thes. 2:5-12, R. V.) By reason of her glory 
 in the age of her oneness, she has shone brightly upon 
 multitudes, even through the chaos of denominational 
 gloominess. All systems of science and philosophy that 
 assail her perish, empires and kingdoms of men crumble, 
 but upon the swelling w r aves of time, with a crucified 
 and risen Redeemer as Captain and Helmsman, the grand 
 old ship of Zion sails, in fearless might and splendor, for 
 the haven of rest on the eternal shore. "Ye are come 
 unto mount Sion, ... to the general assembly and 
 church of the first born, which are written in heaven. . . 
 
66 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which can not be 
 moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God 
 acceptably with reverence and godly fear." (Heb. 12:22, 
 23, 28.) 
 
 The Savior's prayer was that all who believed on him 
 through the apostles' word might be one. Who is willing 
 to take the position that all who have believed only 
 through the pare word of the apostles are not one? Many 
 believe through a corruption of the word of the apostles, 
 and this is what produces and fosters divisions. "Now 
 I beseeach you, brethren, mark them which cause divi- 
 sions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye 
 have learned and avoid them." 
 
 The church is called "the body of Christ." (Eph. 1 : 
 22, 23; Col. 1 :24.) He gave his fleshly body to be tor- 
 tured and crucified that he might establish and save the 
 church — his spiritual body. (Eph. 5:23-26.) It would 
 seem, therefore, that the latter is far more dear to him 
 than the former, and hence he who would willfully teach 
 and practice that which the word of the apostles does 
 not contain, and thus rend and divide the spiritual body 
 of Christ, becomes guilty of a greater sin, if possible, 
 than those were guilty of who wounded his fleshly body. 
 
 The only way for unity to be effected and promoted 
 is for all to believe, love and obey the word of the 
 apostles, not going beyond it or discarding anything 
 therein. "Their word" is the teaching of Christ, and 
 those who go beyond his teaching and abide not therein 
 can not stand in the favor of God. (2 John 9.) "Their 
 word" is also the word of the Holy Spirit. Of his writing, 
 John says seven times in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3, 
 "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith 
 unto the churches." It is only by means of his word that 
 the Spirit leads and influences people. Led thus by the 
 Spirit, believers will just be Christians, not sectarians. 
 The religious world can never be united as long as some 
 claim to be led and influenced by the Spirit separate and 
 apart from his word, and others claim the right to be 
 
THE ONENESS OF CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS 67 
 
 guided by "sanctified common sense. " This is self-evident 
 from reason and past observation, and could they be thus 
 united it would not be pleasing to God. But those who 
 love the Lord and his truth above everything else, who 
 seek to obey and honor him in all things, and who, with 
 hearts beating with anxious solicitude for the salvation of 
 dying men and women, unceasingly work and pray for 
 the conversion of the world, are so "fitly joined together 
 and compacted,'' are so strongly united "by joints and 
 bands," and are so thoroughly "knit together'' by the 
 chords of love, that the powers of darkness and of gos- 
 pel perversion can never sever them in their onward 
 march to victory and to glory. 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By W. H. L. Hamilton. 
 
 Has that prayer been answered ? Is it being answered ? 
 Will it be answered? It seems to me that these ques- 
 tions should strike deep into the minds of all those who 
 claim to be Christians. 
 
 Unity ! What is unity ? Oneness in mind, thought 
 and action ; blended together, cohesion, concord, har- 
 monious working, speaking, thinking and acting. (See 
 1 Cor. 1:10; Phil. 2:2.) 
 
 In John's record of the gospel, Chapter 17, we have 
 our blessed Savior's prayer for the ("unity") oneness 
 of his apostles ; see verse 11 ; and in verses 20 and 21 he 
 included all those that should believe on him through 
 their words. Has that prayer ever been answered? Most 
 assuredly it has. Jesus first prayed for the "unity" (one- 
 ness) of his apostles just before his passion, which 
 prayer was answered at Jerusalem on the day of Pente- 
 cost (see Acts 1:13-14), where we find the eleven by 
 name with certain women, and Mary, the mother of 
 Jesus, and with his brethen (about 120), all assembled 
 with "one accord" No jars, divisions, no strife among 
 them; therefore, "united," of one mind, one spirit, ready 
 to (by concrete action) select Judas' successor; and while 
 tw r o were appointed, a prayer ofifered for divine guidance, 
 and each lot cast (doubtless) for the candidate of their 
 choice, not a dissenting voice, nor a single howl raised, 
 upon the election of Matthias (to the place), from which 
 Judas by transgression fell. "And when the day of 
 Pentecost was fully come, they (the one hundred and 
 twenty) were all with one accord in one place." (Acts 
 2:1.) In unison, in oneness, in answer to Jesus' first 
 prayer. Following this narrative, we have the account 
 of the addition of about three thousand souls, and we 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 69 
 
 team that "they (the three thousand and others) con- 
 tinued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship, 
 breaking of bread and prayer. And they continued daily 
 with one accord in the temple." (Acts 2:44-46.) A 
 united band of at least 3,120. A one body in word, spirit 
 and action. Therefore, I have demonstrated by the fore- 
 going our first position, i. e., that "Jesus' prayer for 
 unity" has been answered. 
 
 Second proposition : Is Christ's prayer being an- 
 swered? I shall be forced (by facts) to say yes. Peter, 
 on the day of Pentecost, used the "keys of the kingdom 
 of heaven, opened the door of admittance, and three 
 thousand entered into a state of oneness, into the one 
 body, into Christ, into his church, into the unity for 
 which he prayed. Now, if these be facts, all who obey 
 the requirements today, just like they did, are by the 
 Lord added to the one body just like they were. So as 
 we are living in the same age (gospel age) and seeing 
 the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1 :16) is God's power to save, 
 and that we are called from darkness into light through 
 the gospel (2 Thess. 2:13-14), I am forced to conclude 
 that all who whole-heartedly obey the gospel today are 
 freed from sin, added to the church, blended together 
 in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace — a cul- 
 mination of the Savior's prayer for those that should 
 believe on him through the apostles' word. From the 
 above I am driven to this, as the only logical conclusion, 
 that Christ's prayer for unity is being answered by all 
 who obey his gospel as taught by his chosen apostles, and 
 that a strict adherence unto the apostolic creed without 
 addition or subtraction, will keep us in unity and grant 
 us an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of 
 our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (see 2 Pet. 1:5-11), 
 and finally result in the final unifying of faithful saints 
 around God's throne. (See Rev. 22 : 14; 3 :4.) 
 
 When Christ shall come to earth again to gather up 
 his jewels, he will send forth his angels and gather out 
 of his kingdom all things that offend, and they that do in- 
 
70 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 iquity (Matt. 13:41-42); and when the final separation 
 shall take place (Matt. 25:13-46), Christ's prayer for 
 unity will be fully answered, and he surrounded by a 
 united host of blood-bought saints, whom he will escort 
 and introduce to his Father as his Bride, for whom he 
 gave his life that he might sanctify and cleanse with the 
 washing of water by the word. 
 
 Yes, Christ's prayer for unity has been, is being, and 
 will be answered — God's people are united ; Christ's 
 church a unit. Who, then, are God's people? All who 
 come under his saving power, divine power (2 Pet. 1-3), 
 the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16), are thereby made 
 Christians, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; 
 and add the seven Christian graces set forth in Eph. 4: 
 3-6. But we, like the infant church at Antioch, are often 
 burdened with Judaizing teachers, who sow seed of dis- 
 cord, which may lie dormant for a while, but in the 
 process of time will germinate and bring forth fruit unto 
 the disruption and disunion of the once unified body of 
 Christ, and these rough places often become so rough 
 that they result in separation of disciples and the estab- 
 lishment of rival institutions. We fail to heed and follow 
 the noble example precedented by Antioch in appealing 
 to the apostles concerning our troubles. Oh, if we could 
 only grasp that noble spirit in our minds, in its Christ- 
 like meekness, when temptations and troubles arise, and 
 only appeal to what is written in God's holy law and let 
 that be final, rough places would be smoothed, disunion 
 averted, division annihilated, and the devil gloriously de- 
 feated, and God's people would be made to rejoice in the 
 unity of the Spirit and in bonds of peace and love. Many 
 times God's children are led out of unity by teachers 
 prompted by mercenary purposes into confusion (Baby- 
 lon), and to all such the call goes forth, "Come out of 
 her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins nor 
 receive of her plagues." (Rev. 18:4.) If Christ's pro- 
 fessed followers would adhere to our motto in word and 
 deed, "speak where the Bible speaks and keep silent 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 71 
 
 where it is silent, " Christian unity would abound, because 
 God's word nowhere endorses division among his fol- 
 lowers, and it can only be the introduction of unwritten 
 things that can produce strife and disunion. Ah, that 
 carnal principle in man ? No wonder Paul said : "The 
 carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to 
 the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Rom. 8:5.) 
 So in our divided state, we, as a whole, can not please 
 God. Then let us appeal unto the apostles, the divinely 
 delegated givers of the new law of the spirit of life in 
 Christ Jesus for all our work and worship, thereby 
 entering into that unity with God's children for which 
 Jesus prayed, that we may be eligible to admission into 
 that united throng of blood-washed saints beyond is my 
 prayer. 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By W. N. Harkins. 
 
 Brother Rowe sends me, as well as many others, a 
 request to write on the above subject. In his request, he 
 asks three questions: First, has that prayer been an- 
 swered? Second, is it being answered. Third, will it be 
 answered 
 
 I can say yes on the first. It was for a time after the 
 church was established on Pentecost, after the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ. The apostles constituted the church in 
 the beginning and were what that special prayer for 
 them requested. And those who believed on the Savior 
 through their word were added to them, and they all 
 continued one until false teachers began to mix Judaism 
 with the gospel of Christ. Very little of this was done 
 (if any) until the Gentiles became obedient to the gospel. 
 And even then their unity was affected but little until 
 after the mystery of iniquity began to work. 
 
 The second question is, is it being fulfilled? I can 
 not say that it is, only in part. At the beginning of the 
 present restoration by the Campbells, Stone, and others, 
 that unity prevailed there is no question. While there 
 was a slight difference in their views on the office and 
 work of the Holy Spirit and the appointment of elders, 
 still they never made it a test of their fellowship, nor 
 called each other unsound, disloyal, nor any ugly names, 
 but they discussed their differences in love, kindness and 
 the spirit of the Master. And in this way they grew in 
 favor with the Lord. They had for their motto, "Where 
 the Bible speaks, we speak ; and where the Bible is silent, 
 we will be silent. " But finally designing men hungered 
 after the flesh pots of denominationalism by wanting to 
 be like the sects, and this caused a rent in the fellowship 
 and a separation followed. And by this it gave strength 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 73 
 
 to the denominations. We could no longer plead tor 
 unity with the telling result that we could before. But 
 the rest of us stood for a return to the good old way ; 
 and for a number of years we were a united people, still 
 standing for the same unity that Jesus prayed for. But 
 the last few years a new set of bosses have shown up, 
 with new ideas advanced on various questions. And if 
 you can not with a clear conscience indorse them, you 
 are branded as being unsound. And even if you say noth- 
 ing about it, if you are not reading the right paper, it 
 becomes a test of loyalty, and you are marked down as 
 disloyal. When we preach we emphasize the fact that 
 this unity is desirable for the advancement of Christianity 
 and that it is possible to accomplish it. If not possible 
 for us to be one as the Savior prayed it to be, then Jesus 
 did very wrong in praying for something that was not 
 possible to be accomplished. But we would not dare 
 charge the Lord with doing one single thing that was 
 wrong. So we will have to look for the failure from 
 some other source. But let me ask, in what does our unity 
 consist? Do any of the speculative themes in regard to 
 the future state — the thousand years' reign of Christ, the 
 removing of Paradise, and many such themes, really be- 
 long to and go to make a part of the unity Christ prayed 
 for? If our unity depends on and includes them, we 
 can say most assuredly that it will never be accomplished. 
 All such themes are based on figures, symbols and pro- 
 phetic statements. And the more they are discussed (in 
 the spirit in which they are) the farther we get apart. 
 It is all right to write what our opinion is on them if 
 we feel like it, but not to try to impose them on anyone 
 else as a test of our fellowship. But I can't believe that 
 the unity that Christ prayed for includes any more than 
 the law that makes a Christian out of the alien sinner, 
 and the law that is to govern them after they become the 
 children of God. This may include the reign of Christ 
 here in this life, his kingdom and church or body. These 
 are all plain, literal statements, and all we have to do is 
 
74 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 to state them just as they are in the new covenant scrip- 
 tures. We all agree that an alien, believing with all his 
 heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, 
 and repenting truly of all his past sins, and being im- 
 mersed into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
 Holy Spirit, that such a person has the promised remis- 
 sion from all past sins ; and we will continue a unit as 
 long as there is no one to raise an objection as to where 
 the water is found that we use. God created all the 
 water but has not told us where we must go to find the 
 water we are to use. We all know that a glassful is not 
 enough till someone makes a glass large enough to hold 
 sufficient water to immerse one in. There is a matter 
 that we are not all agreed on that looks to me like it 
 could be very easily settled. We admit that to have a 
 congregation in good working order, bishops (overseers), 
 are a scriptural necessity. But if there is no ordinance 
 telling how it is to be done, there can be nothing very 
 important about it. But we can't think the Lord has left 
 us in the dark on this. If in apostolic times men were 
 appointed to this position by the laying on of hands with 
 prayer and fasting, why, when and where did the Lord 
 make the change ? Did you say that the cases in apostolic 
 times were to impart spiritual gifts? Will you show one 
 case w T here hands were laid on anyone to ordain them 
 that spiritual gifts were then imparted? A clear state- 
 ment from the new covenant will suffice, or a case where 
 it is implied. When this is done there will be no more 
 contention, so far as I am concerned. 
 
 Brethren, you are all opposed to the fad that was 
 raised a few years ago, "that elders belong to the inspired 
 ministry, and with the inspired ministry ceased." You all 
 with one voice opposed it, and why? If your contention 
 on the appointment of elders is correct, you are respon- 
 sible for the introduction of the new elder position. But 
 now, brethren, rather than to cause any more strife and 
 end in a war of unbecoming words, I would prefer to let 
 it remain as many congregations are now, without any 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 75 
 
 scriptural elders. I can not see why we can not be one 
 on this as e$sily as on baptism for remission of sins. If 
 it was one of the speculative themes, of no real value to 
 the Christian life, I could not think it worth our while 
 to discuss it at all. But if it is a matter of opinion, let 
 us not bring it in as one of the things that is included in 
 the unity. And now, brethren, let us from now on devote 
 our time in preaching and writing on w r hat it takes to 
 make Christians out of men and women that are in s/i. 
 And then after they become Christians, to instruct them 
 how they should live and work in spreading the gospel 
 to the lost of earth. The unity that Christ prayed for is 
 to be in this life, and we need not give ourselves any 
 uneasiness about it in the future. If we live in unity 
 here we will be sure of it in the future. And by our con- 
 tinually living steadfast in the apostles' doctrine with the 
 words of Christ dwelling in us richly, and day by day try 
 to develop our inward beings so we can continually grow 
 in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. 
 
 Third question, "Will it be answered?" It can when 
 the saints can be satisfied with the Lord's will in doing 
 the work as he has directed it, and worshiping as he 
 says in his word. His will in teaching is to be done 
 through the church without any outside organization as 
 a help. The all-important thing is to glorify the Lord 
 through the church. We are united on doing mission 
 work, and not only on doing the work but how the work 
 is to be done. When the church sends its contributions 
 direct to the workers, without any organization, they are 
 doing as directed by the Lord. The money raised is by 
 individual Christians, by their weekly contributions, or 
 as individuals for a present distress. We all oppose 
 Satan's method in having all kinds of worldly amuse- 
 ments and entertainments to raise money for the spread 
 of the gospel. 
 
 If we become one as Christ prayed we should be, 
 we will do as Paul instructed the church at Corinth to 
 "all speak the same things, to be perfectly joined to- 
 
76 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 gether, in the same mind, and in the same judgment." 
 This would be letting the mind of Christ be in us. And 
 Peter says. "If any man speak, let him speak as the 
 oracles of God." In doing this, brethren, we would have 
 fellowship with the Father and with his Son, Jesus 
 Christ. And we can never attain to that unity Christ 
 prayed for till this is accomplished. Let us all, one and 
 all, learn not to be more wise than what is written, nor 
 to think we are so much smarter than our brethren, or 
 that we have discovered an idea that is brand new that 
 others have never thought of. We desire unity. Let us 
 all work for unity. We can if we are in earnest and in 
 love for the cause of right ; and to be right is to be on 
 the side of the Lord. What I have written, I have written 
 with a sincere heart and a strong desire that unity, with 
 all that it means, may be brought about. 
 
CHRIST'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By C. E. Holt. 
 
 The reader's attention is directed first to the Savior's 
 words in John 17:20. 21: "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." 
 
 Is it possible for millions of persons, no two of whom 
 are exactly alike in tastes and talents, in intellect and 
 education, in pursuits and possessions, in feelings and 
 ambitions and aspirations, as being different also in thou- 
 sands of other ways, to attain to, and to maintain such 
 unity as that for which our Savior prayed ? 
 
 Xo one can afford to answer this question negatively, 
 because in so doing the wisdom of jesus would be im- 
 peached. If it were not possible nor practicable nor profit- 
 able for such unity to exist among Christ's followers 
 composed of people of all nations and kindreds and 
 tongues, then strange, indeed, and inexplicable is the 
 language used. We are almost nineteen hundred years 
 this side of the time when that wonderful prayer was 
 uttered in behalf and in the interest of the cause for 
 which Jesus shed his blood, and the divisions which exist 
 among his professed followers are numerous and strong, 
 and the lines of cleavage are deep and well fortified and 
 carefully and loyally and patriotically guarded, and every 
 attempt to break them meets with the most vigorous and 
 most determined opposition. It is even asserted from 
 pulpit and press that divisions are wise and helpful and 
 should be encouraged. Hence this prayer of prayers for 
 unity of feeling, faith, purpose and conduct of God's 
 people is treated lightly by some and entirely disregarded 
 by others who claim to be his friends. 
 
78 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 But it is encouraging to know that among the warring 
 sects which constitute our Christendom there are men and 
 women who would rejoice to see a literal and complete 
 fulfillment of that wonderful prayer which the Savior 
 deemed so essential to the salvation of mankind and the 
 restoration of all things to their paradisical state of purity 
 and perfection. To encourage and to assist these is that 
 which prompts the writing of this article. It is a part of 
 our faith that this prayer will be answered in God's own 
 time and way, and we desire to go on record as a humble 
 contributor thereto. 
 
 First, this unity is to be confined to the great funda- 
 mentals of the Christian religion. The opinions, deduc- 
 tions, inferences and interpretations of men, however 
 learned and however wise, are not included. 
 
 These latter may be accepted and studied with more 
 or less profit, but are not to be regarded as part of the 
 one faith, and no one should be required to accept them 
 as such. Such things should not be made conditions of 
 salvation nor tests of Christian fellowship. The essen- 
 tials and not the incidentals or circumstantials of Chris- 
 tianity constitute the system in reference to which there 
 can and should be perfect unity. But why put the matter 
 in this form? We reply that this distinction is vital and 
 must be made and honestly and religiously adhered to in 
 order to be indeed and in truth what Jesus desires and 
 prayed we should be. To clarify the matter, if need be 
 therefor, we illustrate thus : There is one baptism to 
 which all believers should submit. 
 
 It is impossible to be baptized as Christ directs with- 
 out w r ater. This is the element and nothing else can take 
 its place. But whether the w r ater be found in a river, a 
 creek, a lake, or in a pool, it will be acceptable to Christ. 
 The validity of one's baptism does not depend upon a 
 strict conformity to the incidentals of any one baptism 
 recorded in the New Testament, but upon the act itself 
 and the necessary prerequisites thereto. Again, Chris- 
 tians should observe that divine memorial feast, the 
 
Christ's prayer for unity 79 
 
 Lord's supper, upon the first day of the week. But the 
 exact hour of the day is not mentioned by the Holy Spirit ; 
 therefore, we are not to select one hour to the exclusion 
 of all other hours of that day. 
 
 In the Lord's supper there are two, and only two, 
 elements to be used, viz., the bread and the fruit of the 
 vine. Nothing is said as to how much of each one is to 
 use at each observance, hence this is left for each com- 
 municant to decide for himself or herself. Neither is 
 there an intimation as to how many plates and how many 
 vessels are to be used in conveying these elements to the 
 people who commune. Nothing is said about how many 
 "deacons" are to serve the congregations at each service. 
 
 These and other incidentals are not to be made an 
 essential part of the service. Go teach the nations is as 
 essential and as imperative now as when first uttered by 
 Christ to the apostles. The chief thing in reference to 
 this great command is to go. The selection of the field 
 of operations, the method of travel, and many other mat- 
 ters are the incidentals which may vary as to place and 
 time and surroundings, but the command can not be 
 obeyed by staying at home and refusing to go. 
 
 But in Christianity, as in every system of ethics, re- 
 ligion or politics, there must be a basic principle, a cen- 
 tral idea, an accepted standard of authority. What, then, 
 should constitute the standard in Christianity by which 
 everything connected therewith, or which belongs thereto, 
 should be measured or tested? Almost everything de- 
 pends upon a correct answer to this question. If there 
 should arise any controversy aomng the members of any 
 fraternal or religious body of people in regard to any 
 vital point of teaching or practice, what would be the 
 proper course to pursue in arriving at a proper under- 
 standing and a satisfactory adjustment thereof? The 
 constitution and by-laws and edicts of the organization 
 are the things to which all would appeal. In the settle- 
 ment of any difference among Christians involving mat- 
 ters of doctrine, appeal can not be made to the writings 
 
80 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 of anyone of ancient, medieval or modern times, who did 
 not write under the immediate guidance of the Holy 
 Spirit. Only the apostles of Christ thus wrote, for Chris- 
 tians. In their writings they were guided by the imme- 
 diate power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is not 
 in order here to discuss the nature of their inspiration, 
 as to whether it was verbal or plenary, or both. All 
 Christians, it is presumed, are united as to the fact that 
 the apostles wrote under the immediate power and guid- 
 ance of the Holy Spirit, and that their writings constitute 
 an infallible guide for Christians for all countries and 
 for all ages. The infallibility of the scriptures as to the 
 facts of history, law and prophecy, also as an infallible 
 guide to Christians in all matters of faith and practice, 
 is a doctrine that constitutes the chief bulwark of Pro- 
 testantism, and which differentiates it from Romanism. 
 An infallible church is the central idea of Romanism. 
 
 An infallible Book is the keynote of Protestantism. 
 The great Chillingworth said : "The Bible alone is the 
 religion of Protestants. " This is one of the most vital 
 points to be considered and honored and emphasized in 
 our efforts to bring into actuality the unity for which 
 Jesus prayed and which he deemed so essential to the 
 Christianization of the world. Let us never lose sight 
 of this fact. Upon the one Book all believers can meet, 
 and by it all can and should be guided. Every vital point 
 of difference can be satisfactorily and correctly settled 
 by an appeal to the Book. This is, indeed, the true basis 
 of union and unity and peace among Christians. 
 
 It is also agreed that Christ is the central idea or truth 
 of the Bible, especially of the new covenant scriptures. 
 All professed Christians accept and emphasize this truth. 
 All love to ascend the mountain of transfiguration and 
 linger there while the Father clothes the Son with au- 
 thority supreme and universal. The vision is beautiful. 
 It is of tremendous significance. 
 
 Moses, Israel's great leader and law-giver; Elijah, 
 bold, intrepid, loyal and unshakably true to God's word 
 
Christ's prayer for unity 81 
 
 in the midst of the greatest apostasy that ever cursed 
 Israel — these illustrious men of God in robes immortal, 
 appear upon the scene. Jesus is arrayed in the beauty and 
 glory and majesty of kingly power. Then, as suddenly 
 as they came, Moses and Elijah took their departure. 
 "And when they (James, Peter and John) had lifted up 
 their eyes they saw no man, save Jesus only." (Matt. 
 17:8.) A voice from heaven, unmistakably clear, pro- 
 claimed His supreme authority in all things divine. Let 
 complete silence reign in heaven and on earth while God 
 speaks. Listen, ye men and angels to this voice : "This 
 is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear y<e 
 him!' 
 
 "All hail the power of Jesus' name, 
 
 Let angels prostrate fall ; 
 Bring forth the royal diadem 
 
 And crown Him Lord of all." 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By Isaac C. Hoskins. 
 
 What is implied in and upon what is the unity based 
 for which Christ prayed? Hear him: "Neither for 
 these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on 
 me through their word ; that they may all be one ; even 
 as thou, Father, art in me and I in Thee ; that they may 
 also be one in us ; that the world may believe that thou 
 didst send me. . . . That they may be one, even as 
 we are one; I in them and thou in me that the world 
 may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, 
 even as thou lovedst me." (John 17:20-23.) 
 
 Coming to the study of this prayer as an humble 
 believer seeking to know His will, we must note care- 
 fully what He says : "The word which thou gavest me 
 I have given unto them." (Verse 8.) "I pray for them 
 also that believe on me through their w r ord." (Verse 20.) 
 
 It is as clear a demonstration that the present divided 
 state of the religious world is wholly out of harmony 
 with His will as expressed in this prayer. It is not only 
 realized by the missionaries "on the firing line" in far- 
 away lands that divisions hinder the progress of His 
 church, but in our own land leaders of thought among the 
 denominations more and more are encouraging the idea 
 of union, though groping in the dark, as it were, for a 
 ground of union. 
 
 Attention is called to these words quoted from Newell 
 Dwight Hillis : "Gone forever the day when the church 
 can be split into one hundred and sixty sects. The whole 
 spirit of the age is against this disunion and separation. 
 The time has fully come for the church of Jesus Christ 
 to unite — slowly we are coming toward the church of 
 Jesus Christ, and at last all again will be of one accord 
 at one place — the place will be the cross of Jesus Christ 
 
OUR SAVIOR S PRAYER FOR UNITY 13 
 
 and there we will stand face to face, and all will have 
 come into the unity of the faith." 
 
 Still more clear and ringing are these words quoted 
 from P. S. Henson: "Back to Christ is the ringing 
 watchword of our time. Back to the church of the 
 apostles is as wise a watchword as the church of the 
 twentieth century can inscribe upon its banner. True, 
 there was the ideal church. Alas ! that that unity should 
 ever have been disturbed. For myself I must frankly 
 declare that I am not of the number of those w r ho grow 
 enthusiastic over the imaginary beauties of denomina- 
 tionalism. It is the abomination of desolation, standing 
 where it ought not. God never meant that there should 
 be two sects, much less one hundred and sixty. Back to 
 Christ ! Back to the pattern of the apostolic church ! 
 Back to the simple teaching of the word of God !" 
 
 It is as clear as a sunbeam that the oneness for which 
 Christ prayed w T as to be based upon the word of God. 
 He does not pray for those who believe in any sort of 
 fashion ; who are depending upon their feelings, or the 
 doctrines of men ; but for those whose faith is based 
 simply on the word of God. It should be recognized at 
 once that no "ministerial courtesies/' denominational 
 recognition (nor "conglomeration of sects," I. B. Grubbs) 
 can be a scriptural union. 
 
 Ira Landreth, lauding the Christian Endeavor move- 
 ment, said : "Interdenominational co-operation and de- 
 nomininational loyalty is all we can hope for." It ap- 
 pears to the writer that interdenominational co-operation 
 is not the oneness for which Christ prayed ; and, further, 
 denominational loyalty is disloyalty to Christ. 
 
 Simson Ely, another staunch friend of the same 
 "movement," made the concession : "Loyalty to the de- 
 nominations is expressed in the Christian Endeavor 
 pledge where the endeavorer is required to support 'my 
 church.' Right or wrong, every endeavorer is pledged 
 to the support of the denomination or church to which 
 he belongs." 
 
84 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 It is desired to emphasize the point that human or- 
 ganizations which are supposed to hasten the answer to 
 Christ's prayer serve rather to perpetuate divisions. Any 
 careful student should understand that none of these 
 "movements," with their human foundations and party 
 loyalty, can be the oneness for which Christ prayed. 
 Whatever serves to disparage the word of God by exalt- 
 ing the doctrines of men is to be rejected. Infinitely 
 better to be guided by divine revelation than to allow 
 the teachings of men to come between our conscience and 
 God. Not only must this oneness be on the word, but it 
 must not be a fragmentary gospel. Paul would never 
 be disloyal to Christ by suppressing a part of divine 
 truth. He would not be guilty of that even during a 
 so-called "union meeting/' There is no reason for a 
 refusal to declare "the whole counsel of God." When 
 one insists on preaching the preaching Jesus authorized, 
 "it is not a controversy about mere dogma and non- 
 essentials, but this : "Shall we recognize the exclusive 
 Lordship of Christ, or, shall we erect by the side of His 
 throne another labeled 'The Authority of Man.' 
 
 Paul would not combine anything human with the 
 divine word; neither would he refuse to declare the 
 whole counsel of God. Guesnel, commenting on Gal. 1 : 
 6-9, is quoted by Clark as follows: "If those are justly 
 said to pervert the gospel of Chirst, who were joining 
 with it human ceremonies, which God himself instituted, 
 what do those who would fondly reconcile and blend it 
 with the pomps of the devil? The purity of the gospel 
 can not admit of any mixture." 
 
 "That the world may believe that thou didst send 
 me." If this was to be a mere internal or spiritual union, 
 that would not cause the world to believe, that would not 
 be visible to men, for no confederation of churches em- 
 phasizing denominational teachings can "save the world 
 for Christ." There must be such a unity that the world can 
 see, which manifests itself, whose power is felt because 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 85 
 
 it would demonstrate to the world that His followers 
 were members "one of another." 
 
 Such unity, such an exhibition of brotherly love and 
 loyalty to Christ, would cause the mightiest wave of re- 
 ligious fervor to sweep over the world as has not been 
 witnessed since the church was one, spake the same thing 
 and were perfectly joined together in the same mind. 
 (See Acts 2:42-47; 4:32, 33; 6:1-7; 12:5.) 
 
 There is "one body" — "the church" of which Christ 
 is the head. (1 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:4, 5; Col. 1:18-24.) 
 All those who believe His w r ord can unite in this one 
 body, taking the Bible as the rule of faith and practice, 
 wear the one name which honors the great head of the 
 church, be one in Him without surrendering anything 
 essential to salvation and without wounding the con- 
 science of any brother who believes His word. 
 
 Christ prayed that His followers might be one even 
 as He and the Father were one. There was perfect har- 
 mony in their purpose, teaching and method, so Christ's 
 followers should be one in purpose, teaching and method. 
 
 When Jesus says, "There shall be one flock, one shep- 
 herd ; they shall hear my voice" (John 10:14-16), it is 
 clearly out of harmony with His prayer to erect other 
 folds into which distracted sheep are led by the dis- 
 cordant voices of rival shepherds. The unauthorized de- 
 nominational folds existing in our day have originated 
 because men have given heed to religious shepherds, 
 whose voices are not harmonious with that of the Great 
 Shepherd. "Who believe on me through their word" 
 "One, even as we are one." "That the world may believe." 
 
 These words from His own lips express clearly His 
 will, both as to what is implied in it and upon what the 
 unity is based for which Christ prayed. 
 
 "How blest and how joyous will be the glad day, 
 When heart beats to heart in the work of the Lord ; 
 
 When Christians united shall swell the grand lay, 
 Divisions all ended; triumphant His word." 
 
UNITY. 
 
 By Thaddeus S. Hutson. 
 
 Unity of all believers in Christ is desirable, commend- 
 able, possible and practicable. There must then be some 
 cause or causes why they are not thus united. One of 
 these causes seems to be a failure to find or regard the 
 only proper base of unity, and another is the failure to 
 properly discriminate between human wisdom and divine 
 revelation. Sectarian union, or an agreement to disagree 
 in matters of faith, is not the oneness for which Jesus 
 prayed nor "the unity of the Spirit" commended by 
 Paul. Jesus said, "I pray for them also that believe on 
 me through their word." (John 17:20.) Paul said: 
 "So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word 
 of Christ." (Rom. 10:17.) So it is settled that the 
 basis of "unity" is the word of God. Unity is desirable, 
 because in unity there is strength ; in division there is 
 weakness. Unity of believers promotes faith in others 
 and destroys infidelity. Notice our Savior's prayer on 
 this point: "Sanctify them in the truth: Thy word is 
 truth. As thou didst send me into the world, even so 
 sent I them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify 
 myself that they themselves also may be sanctified in 
 truth. Neither for these only do I pray, but for them 
 also that believe on me through their word ; that they 
 may all be one ; even as thou, Father, art in me and 1 
 in Thee, that they also may be in us that the world may 
 believe that thou didst send me." (John 17:19-21.) 
 
 In the word of the apostles only is that unity possible 
 or practicable. "Now I beseech you, brethren, through 
 the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the 
 same thing and that there be no divisions among you ; 
 but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and 
 in the same judgment." (1 Cor. 1:10.) Must we all 
 
UNITY %7 
 
 have the same mind and be of the same judgment in 
 everything? Must we all build houses exactly alike, 
 wear the same cut of clothing, use the same kind of 
 machinery and follow the same manner of farming, 
 school teaching, merchandizing and banking? No. And 
 there are a thousand and one things about which we 
 may differ in opinions as wide as the poles and still keep 
 "the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace." We may 
 agree in opinions, but it should not destroy our unity if 
 we do not, provided we are united in matters of faith. 
 Men do not make divisions by holding opinions, but by 
 compelling others to help them to hold them. Opinions 
 are what men think. Faith is what the word of God 
 teaches. All creeds and confessions of faith of human 
 origin are founded on human opinion and speculation. 
 We may unite on and be bound by such a creed, but 
 it would not be "the unity of the Spirit" nor "the bond 
 of peace." All such creeds could be sent to the flames 
 and not a righteous principle would be sacrificed. We 
 would still have the word of God, the only basis of 
 Christian unity, left us. An unwritten creed is no less 
 a human creed because it is not in writing. Written 
 creeds are human tests of fellowship. Human tests of 
 fellowship is sectarianism. Unwritten tests of fellow- 
 ship is sectarianism. Paul did not say one paper, one 
 college, one editor, one preacher, one opinion. These do 
 not belong to the New Testament units. They should 
 not all, nor any one of them, be made a basis of unity 
 to the exclusion of all others of their class, nor should 
 they be so exalted as to cause division and alienation. 
 Those who would make them tests of fellowship, either 
 pro or con, is a sectarian. Men and women may live the 
 Christian life, die and go to heaven, and never see inside 
 of a Bible college, read a religious paper, follow any 
 certain preacher or hold as their guliding star any cer- 
 tain editor to the exclusion of all others in their class. 
 "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to 
 walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, 
 
8J< our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, 
 forbearing one another in love : giving diligence to keep 
 the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is 
 one body, and one spirit, even as also ye were called in 
 one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one bap- 
 tism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and 
 through all and in all." (Eph. 4:1-4.) Here are the 
 seven units on which "the unity of the spirit and the 
 bond of peace" can be effected and kept to the exclusion 
 of all else in their class. "One body." "And he is the 
 head of the body, the church." (Col. 1 :18.) "And gave 
 him to be head over all things to the church, which is 
 his body." (Eph. 1:22.) 
 
 1. The church is the body of Christ. 
 
 2. There is one body. 
 
 3. Therefore, only one church. 
 
 The unity of the spirit can be kept only in the one 
 body. It is the only body in which men can be saved. 
 It is the only body in which the commands and ordi- 
 nances of Christ can be kept blamelessly. It is the only 
 body that can be governed in all things by the law of 
 the Lord. "One Spirit." Every separate animated body 
 has a spirit of its own. This is true of physical, political 
 or religious bodies. The spirit of Methodism is to build 
 up Methodism. The Baptist spirit does not work to in- 
 crease the number of Methodists, and this is true of each 
 separate party of the whole Babylon of sectarians. The 
 Holy Spirit, the spirit of the "one body," must be in- 
 terested only in the building up of the "one church." 
 A true member of the body of Christ can not be in- 
 terested in building a rival institution which promises 
 salvation, whether it be a church or secret lodge. 
 
 "One hope." What is the hope of the Christian? Is 
 it confined to any excellency in this life? Do we hope 
 only to outrival some other church in fine buildings, 
 educated preachers, endowed colleges and superior num- 
 bers and wealth? No. But it is the hope of eternal life; 
 
UNITY 89 
 
 of a rest beyond the grave — an anchor sure and stead- 
 fast, reaching beyond the veil. 
 
 "One Lord." One Lord, Jesus Christ, not "Lord God 
 the Pope," not a local Lord over God's heritage, not a 
 popish preacher, who would by his own whims declare a 
 church out of order and proceed to lord it over the elders 
 of the church. One Lord is all we need. More than 
 this causes divisions and separations. 
 
 "One faith." "The faith which was once for all de- 
 livered unto the saints." (Jude 3.) 
 
 "One baptism." The one baptism is one in element, 
 in action, in design or purpose. The baptism of the great 
 commission (Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:18-20) is the one 
 baptism. It was baptism in water. "Except one be born 
 of water and of the Spirit he can not enter into the 
 kingdom of God." (John 3:5.) "And they both went 
 down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch and 
 he baptized him." (Acts 8:38.) 
 
 The action was a burial. "Buried with him through 
 baptism." (Rom. 6:4.) "Buried with him in baptism." 
 (Col. 2:12.) The design of baptism was and is to 
 bring the believing penitent into the remission ot sins, 
 into Christ, into the name of the Father and of the 
 Son and of the Holy Spirit, into the kingdom of God. 
 (See Acts 2:38; Rom. 6; John 3:5; Matt. 28:18-20; 
 Gal. 3:26-27.) 
 
 "One God and Father." The pope is not over God. 
 And God "is not like unto gold, or silver, or stone 
 graven by art and device of man." (Acts 17:29.) 
 
 "One Father." No priest on earth is our spiritual 
 father. God being our Father, we are then his chil- 
 dren, his heirs ; heaven is our home. What a sweet fel- 
 lowship ! What a blessed relationship ! How foolish, 
 then, to divide over Paul, Cephas, Apollos, or any other 
 preacher of the word. They were not crucified for us, 
 nor were we baptized in their name. These are not the 
 units on which we must have the same mind and judg- 
 ment. "Who split the log" is a question much abused 
 
90 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 in our day. An opposition can be waged against most 
 anything and raise this same question. The class ques- 
 tion "who drove the wedge?" Those who advocate 
 them or those who oppose them. "Secret orders" oppo- 
 sition to such extreme as to make them tests of fellow- 
 ship would divide most any church. But could not that 
 extremist cry, "Who split the log?" Midweek prayer 
 meeting is advocated by some and opposed by others. 
 "Who split the log?" is asked by the one who opposes. 
 Religious papers can be opposed the, same way and the 
 same provoking question raised, "Who drove the 
 wedge?" "Who split the log?" and so on with the college 
 question and many other things of like nature. Those 
 who go to an extreme in negative opposition and de- 
 nounce as digressives those who do not go to the same 
 extreme in the matter not affecting the seven units, one 
 or more of them, are driving a wedge of division. Let 
 us all pray and work for "the unity of the spirit in the 
 bond of peace." Behold, how good and how pleasant it 
 is for brethren to dwell together in unity." 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By Lee Jackson. 
 
 Having prayed for his apostles, whom he had chosen 
 to perform the functions of their all-important mission, 
 Jesus continues : "Neither for these only do I pray, but 
 for them also that believe on me through their word ; 
 that they all may be one ; even 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 didst send me." (John 
 17:20,21.) 
 
 There is a necessary oneness of heart and soul on the 
 part of the followers of Christ for which our Savior 
 prayed that has never at any time been fully realized, 
 not even during the apostolic age. Even while the 
 apostles were yet living there were jealousies, ungodly 
 rivalries and contentions prevailing in the congregations 
 which they established. In some instances they had their 
 self-chosen views relative to pre-eminence among the 
 apostles and other inspired teachers. Some claimed to 
 be followers of Paul, some of Apollos, and others of 
 Cephas. The Jewish converts had their disturbing ques- 
 tions relative to the law of Moses, while the Gentile 
 Christians were troubled by those who desired to sub- 
 ject the testimony concerning Christ to the test of philo- 
 sophical speculations. And in the congregation at 
 Corinth, even those endowed with miraculous gifts were 
 disposed to misuse those gifts and to quarrel among 
 themselves about the relative importance of their special 
 endowments. The Lord's supper was abused by being 
 turned into a common feast. Yet, notwithstanding these 
 rivalries, contentions, abuses, factions and other exist- 
 ing evils and disorders, the apostles addressed these err- 
 ing ones as God's people, as brethren, as saints, and as 
 members of the body of Christ. This should impress 
 
92 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 us with the necessity for love and forbearance toward 
 those who are in error. 
 
 When we reflect upon the conditions prevailing when 
 the gospel was first proclaimed in the world, we are not 
 so much surprised at the misunderstandings and mis- 
 apprehensions which led to disorders among primitive 
 Christians. With the exception of the teaching which 
 the people of Israel had received through the Old Testa- 
 ment prophets, all of the most enlightened peoples of 
 the world had long been imbued with the notion that 
 whatever there is of good for man must come through 
 an observance of rules of conduct which were based 
 upon principles of moral philosophy and doctrines con- 
 cerning truth in the abstract. The devout Israelites 
 maintained that especial blessings from the God of Israel 
 could only be secured through a formal observance of 
 the ceremonials of the law, as interpreted by the tradi- 
 tions of their fathers, while the untutored pagans were 
 firm in the belief that the gods would favor those who 
 were faithful in conforming to the requirements of a 
 ritualistic worship. With notions so universally pre- 
 vailing it is not to be wondered at that the perception of 
 gospel teaching on the part of so many of the early con- 
 verts to Christ was a perverted perception. As a leaven 
 in the lump, these perverted notions were freely at work 
 in many quarters while the apostles were yet alive, and 
 it was this that caused them so much painful anxiety 
 and so many gloomy forebodings as to the future of 
 their labors. It was with reference to this condition of 
 affairs that Paul wrote, "The mystery of iniquity doth 
 already work." (2 Thess. 2:7.) And with reference 
 to this same retrogression from the purity and sim- 
 plicity of gospel teaching the apostle Peter wrote, 
 "Among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall 
 privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the 
 Master that bought them." (2 Pet. 2:1.) And fore- 
 seeing the inevitable results of this leaven of false teach- 
 ing, Jude exhorts to "contend earnestly for the faith 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 93 
 
 which was once for all delivered unto the saints." These 
 inspired apostles knew that these prevailing misconcep- 
 tions would eventually bring in divisive and soul-de- 
 stroying heresies, which would lead to a rejection of 
 Christ through a denial of his exclusive claims as man's 
 only Redeemer. This denial of the claims of Christ 
 would mean a denial of his rightful authority to rule 
 in the hearts and lives of his people. After the passing 
 away of these inspired leaders, the decline into a condi- 
 tion of apostasy from the truth of the gospel on the 
 part of vast numbers of the professed followers of 
 Christ was very rapid. 
 
 A study of the literature belonging to the period 
 immediately following the time of the apostles shows 
 that belief in abstract doctrines based upon superficial 
 interpretations of the scriptures was the prime cause of 
 the first schisms among Christians, and the apostasies 
 from the faith of the gospel. Instead of accepting it as 
 a system of divinely inspired testimony concerning the 
 Christ, they perverted the gospel by lowering it to the 
 level of a system of theology. The scriptures were 
 used as a support for orthodox doctrine and not for 
 the purpose of learning of Christ as a Savior, and a 
 man's Christian character was judged by the orthodoxy 
 of his doctrine and not by his faith in Christ and obedi- 
 ence to his will. It is at once seen that this serious 
 prostitution of the gospel from its original purpose as a 
 means for bringing men to Christ could have no other 
 effect than that of causing divisions and bringing in a 
 reign of confusion and religious intolerance. The prayer 
 of our Savior is "for them that believe on me through 
 their word, that they may all be one." It does not in any 
 manner contemplate a belief that looks toward or rests 
 upon any formulated system of doctrinal tenets whether 
 written or unwritten. This belief, which looks exclu- 
 sively toward the Christ as an only and all-sufficient 
 Savior needs to be distinguished from belief in doctrines 
 which men abstract or deduce from the Bible as a book 
 
94 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 of revelation. The faith which rests upon Christ as a 
 personal Savior, having as its support the word of testi- 
 mony proclaimed by the apostles as inspired witnesses, 
 is unifying, while belief in a system of tenets deduced 
 from the scriptures, or from any other source, is neces- 
 sarily divisive. Such systems as can be devised for 
 purposes of fellowship may be either enlarged or di- 
 minished, as the fancies of men may dictate, or accord- 
 ing to the knowledge of what the Bible contains as a 
 storehouse of sacred treasures. The student of the Bible 
 who adds to his creed as he advances in knowledge will 
 have a long list of items in that creed, while the creed 
 of the man limited in information will be correspond- 
 ingly abridged. It is thus readily seen that to make such 
 a system a test of fellowship is to introduce into the 
 congregation a source of endless strife and confusion. 
 The essential unity for which our Savior prayed is 
 already an accomplished reality. The fruit-bearing 
 branches are in vital oneness with the vine, and these 
 branches are in unity with one another because of their 
 joint participation in the life of the vine; and so under 
 the mediatorial reign of the Christ all redeemed be- 
 lievers, as God's people, and as being in living com- 
 munion with Christ, are necessarily in essential unity 
 with one another. This unity of fellowship in Christ is 
 the essential result of the fulfillment of God's purpose 
 in summing up all things in Christ, whom he has given 
 to be the head over all things to the congregation of 
 the redeemed, "which is his bodv, the fullness of him 
 that filleth all in all." (Eph. 1:10-23.) The supreme 
 duty of those who hear the gospel is to believe in Christ 
 with that degree of strength which accepts him in all 
 that he claims to be as man's Savior. Under the guid- 
 ance of the Holy Spirit the apostles and other inspired 
 witnesses all bore the same testimony concerning the 
 Christ, a-nd those who believed exercised a faith that 
 looked toward the same personal Savior, and were in- 
 ducted into his kingdom by submitting to his authority 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 95 
 
 in obeying the same commands. These commands were 
 not presented to them as being parts of a ritualistic 
 faith, or as items in an inspired creed, but they were 
 presented as conditions whereby the obedient ones were 
 brought into fellowship with Christ and thus made par- 
 takers of the benefits of his shed blood. These first 
 Christians were all one in the simple worship, for in 
 its observance they were all guided by the apostles' 
 teaching. In a word, the faith which held them in 
 oneness with Christ, and which bound them together in 
 fellowship with one another, was an active, living faith. 
 It was a faith that was the law of the heart, because it 
 worked through love. When the unity for which our 
 Savior prayed is fully realized, this faith as the law of 
 the heart will be the ruling force in the congregations 
 of Christ, and strifes and divisions will cease because 
 all will be obedient to him who said: 'This is my 
 commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have 
 loved you." 
 
IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS. 
 By D. C. Janes. 
 
 A careful consideration of the circumstances imme- 
 diately preceding our Lord's truly great and vastly im- 
 portant prayer will help much toward putting us in the 
 right attitude, to let these words have their proper 
 weight and solemn significance. The heavenly Visitant 
 had passed the experiences of the stable birth and the 
 manger cradle, the flight to Egypt, the growth to man- 
 hood, the baptism, the public ministry and the last pass- 
 over. The Son of the Highest had washed the feet of 
 his disciples who had been in strife about who of them 
 "was accounted to be greatest." The traitor had been 
 designated ; the new commandment had been given ; 
 Peter's denial and the scattering of the apostolic band 
 had been foretold. At the opening of the fourteenth of 
 John, our Savior began his last discourse, comforting 
 them with words about the many mansions and the 
 Holy Spirit. In the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters, he 
 continues with words on abiding in him, using the illus- 
 tration of the vine and the branches, and also speaking 
 of other matters. And the seventeenth is the great 
 prayer chapter with its four divisions, in which he 
 prays (1) for his own glorification that God may thereby 
 be glorified; (2) for the keeping, the unity and the 
 sanctification of the apostles; (3) for the oneness of 
 those believing on him through their word, and (4) for 
 the apostles again that they might be with him. 
 
 The climax was just at hand. In the presence of the 
 apostles he was praying within the shadow of the cross 
 which they could not see, but which was very real, very 
 certain and very near to him. Within a few hours he 
 was betrayed, deserted and denied. There were the 
 trials and the mockings; then the sorrowful march to 
 
IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS 97 
 
 Calvary; the pierced hands and feet, the uplifted cross, 
 the hours of agony, prayer for the wrongdoers, the 
 weeping mo.ther, the jeering crowd, the broken heart, the 
 bleeding side — the atonement for your sins and mine. 
 Here at the consideration of our blessed Redeemer's 
 prayer is a place to divest ourselves of every divisive 
 and factious thing, thought and inclination. Here is 
 holy ground. Let us take off our sectarian shoes, throw 
 away our robe of self-righteousness, lay aside all shams 
 and pretenses, and get down low enough to appreciate 
 the who, the what, and the wherefore of this petition 
 which comes in such close contact with the crucifixion, 
 that event unparalleled in all the world's history. 
 
 There are many causes of division and disunion, and 
 the removal of the causes at least contributes to the re- 
 moval of the effect. Hatred (Prov. 10:12), pride (13: 
 10), wrath (15:18) and whispering (26:20) are men- 
 tioned. "Foolish and ignorant questionings" (2 Tim. 2: 
 23) tend in the same direction. Prejudice is no peace- 
 maker. Ignorance such as that of the brother who is 
 said to have regarded the American Standard Revised 
 Verson of the Bible as the work of the devil may 
 be destructive of the oneness for which Jesus prayed. 
 And unbelief is a great hindrance. It is bad enough 
 that not all men believe that baptism is unto the remis- 
 sion of alien sins, but that some who see this clearly do 
 not believe in God's special care for his children is also 
 bad. That there is unbelief among "us" is evident from 
 the question, "Must a church, before having elders, wait 
 until a Christian is found that fills the qualifications in 
 every little point?" He who rightly reads the qualifica- 
 tions in both Timothy and Titus will find the word must 
 inserted just before them in each case. Of course, must 
 in "Ye must be born anew" means must, but not all seem 
 to think it really means must when Paul used it in tell- 
 ing the specifications for an overseer of God's flock. That 
 there should be division when such a state exists is not 
 strange. 
 
yo OUR SAVIOR S PRAYER FOR UNITY 
 
 Binding and loosing where God has not results in 
 division. When he has required us to teach without 
 legalistieally specifying the method, trouble results from 
 trying to bind a method which God has not bound. Like- 
 wise, when Jehovah has bound us (Eph. 5 :19; Col. 3 :16) 
 as to the kind of music we offer to him, to break the 
 bond and include what he left out, becomes the occasion 
 of a great schism, loss of property, hard feelings, and a 
 wounded, blighted and blasted cause. Magnifying dif- 
 ferences may also contribute to disunion. Exact agree- 
 ment in minutiae in every matter need not be expected 
 while there are various degrees of knowledge and growth 
 among Christians, nor need these be the occasion of dis- 
 cord. What does it matter if "he that is weak eateth 
 herbs?" (Rom. 14:2.) Not all differences are sinful, 
 and not all differences justify division. All human stand- 
 ards of religion, creeds, and the like, whether written 
 or unwritten, are unwarrantable causes of separation 
 where unity and harmony should be supreme. 
 
 When brethren are persistently out of order and will 
 not be set right, it becomes necessary (according to the 
 word) to discontinue fellowship with them (Rom. 16: 
 17; 2 Thess. 3:6; Tit. 3:10) ; but, unfortunately, not all 
 seem to believe this. Disorderly members are permitted 
 to remain in the fellowship and to damage the body for 
 which Jesus died. When discipline is properly exercised, 
 it is wrong to receive and fellowship the disorderly mem- 
 bers anywhere before they have made amends for their 
 misconduct. Failure to observe the King's directions on 
 this subject will result in evil ; indeed, it is evil within 
 itself. How fine it would be if the main body of mem- 
 bers in each congregation would make all the flock to 
 know that persistent misconduct would not be tolerated. 
 
 Some of our modern journalism is a disgrace to 
 Christianity and a contributing factor to bitterness and 
 dissension where love and harmony should prevail. A 
 brother writes of a fellow preacher and others as, "The 
 'old man' and his little popes' " ; a paragraph telling of 
 
IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS 99 
 
 a "holiness" woman attempting to speak in a tongue is 
 headed, "Sic 'em, Tige." "He is as dishonest as the 
 very devil himself," says one preacher and editor of an- 
 other preacher and editor, and further describes him as 
 "a mischievous servant of the devil." And we have this: 
 "They must be idiots, sure eough," and other matter 
 which I do not feel like putting in here. That brethren 
 should thus write is too bad, and that editors should pub- 
 lish such material seems not to make the matter any 
 better. Would it not be a grand, good thing if readers of 
 religious papers would say in that way which has to be 
 heeded, "We will not have such work as this?" I would 
 not like to pay money to support such journalism. If we 
 must have religious papers, they should be adequately 
 edited, which, I know, has its problems, but I think 
 these bitter and unbecoming things could be dispensed 
 with. And there is other unsuitable matter which takes 
 time and space which could better be used otherwise. 
 For example, a brother who writes more than a column 
 doesn't "see why . . . the scriptures should be in- 
 terpreted," although he can't go ten steps in preaching 
 the word unless he does interpret ("tell the meaning of; 
 explain; expound"). 
 
 Among "the things which make for peace," unity 
 and hearty co-operation, are the removal of the "middle 
 wallfs) o'f partition" (Eph. 2:14); the use of Biblical 
 phraseology (1 Pet. 4:11); forbearance (Eph. 4:2); 
 speaking the same thing and having the same care (1 Cor. 
 12:25). An elaborate treatment of matters of such mag- 
 nitude is impossible in the space at present available, but 
 if a simple cause of divine unity and cure for devilish 
 division is desired, you have it in that one mighty word, 
 love. "Love covereth a multtude of sins." (1 Pet. 4:8.) 
 "Love ... is the bond of perfectness." (Col. 3: 
 14.) Why are not more mothers estranged from their 
 wayward sons and erring daughters? Because they love 
 them. It may be said that they are "blind," and so on, 
 but the fact remains that they hold on to their children 
 
100 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 though the children may not hold on to them. It is done 
 because they love them. When brethren truly love each 
 other there is not apt to be much division. We will not 
 lightly throw overboard our brother whom we love, and 
 ride contentedly on without him. 
 
 "Factions, divisions, parties" are sinful. (Gal. 5:20- 
 21.) They are directly opposed to that fine and close 
 unity for which Christ prayed. We who believe on the 
 Son of Man through apostolic teaching should stand 
 shoulder to shoulder in the every-day conflict against the 
 arch enemy of our souls and of our race. "For brethren 
 to dwell together in unity" (Ps. 133:1) is too good and 
 too pleasant to be sacrificed needlessly. In preaching, I 
 will require of the alien no conditions of pardon which 
 God does not require. And in like manner I will deal 
 with the citizen of the kingdom. To promote good fel- 
 lowship among disciples of Jesus, I will sacrifice my mere 
 preference and co-operate with my brother in his prefer- 
 ence, which he is not willing to give up. 
 
UNITY. 
 By L. E. Johnston. 
 
 On the night before Jesus suffered death on the cross 
 he prayed for his disciples, those who were such then, 
 and for those who should believe on him ''through their 
 word." That includes us of today, for through their 
 testimony we believe. Read the account of that night, 
 including the seventeenth chapter of John. The especial 
 burden of this prayer seemed to be that his followers 
 "might all be one," for four times is this petition made. 
 More than eighteen centuries have passed since then and 
 today one or the other of two things must be true : Either 
 the most of those who profess to be his followers are 
 not so, or the dying prayer of our Savior remains un- 
 answered. Is it the latter? Let us suppose so. 
 
 When our friends leave this world, their parting re- 
 quests take on a special significance and we make, if 
 necessary, great effort to fulfill them. How is it, then, 
 that this best friend that any of us have ever had, has 
 had this special dying request so long unanswered? 
 
 If traced to the final analysis, I believe we may find 
 that the reasons are two, namely, lack of knowledge and 
 lack of willingness, and that the last is greater than the 
 first. Not that all are unwilling to deny themselves, to 
 give up their preferences, and to be where Jesus wishes 
 them to be and where he prayed that they might be. But 
 some are. For this is a careless and selfish age and the 
 people are, many of them, "lovers of pleasures more 
 than lovers of God." Of those to whom this does not 
 apply, there are many who, with all their ability, wish 
 to do what they can to help answer this prayer; but 
 they are held back by the ones to whom they defer on 
 account of their supposed superior knowledge. And there 
 are some of these latter, who, loving to have the pre- 
 
102 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 eminence, manage with whatever of craft they may pos- 
 sess of their own and with whatever has been learned 
 before time, to keep their flocks where they are instead of 
 where Christ prayed for them to be. For if there were 
 no flocks to have authority over they could have no 
 authority or pre-eminence. 
 
 Jesus is the center, and when we are all where he is 
 we will all be together. At present it is not so. Scattered 
 here and there throughout the religious system claiming 
 Jesus as their sun and center are various bodies at vari- 
 ous and varying distances from the center and from 
 each other. Each receives more or less light, but they 
 are separate and can never all be together until they 
 are united in him w T ho is the center of it all. If such a 
 meeting might come there would be light to illumine the 
 universe, and surely all might see and believe. 
 
 In times gone by, it used to be said that oneness was 
 not to be desired, that division was better, but it is hard 
 to understand how anyone could ever have believed that 
 in the light of Christ's life, his teaching and his dying 
 w r ords. It is hard to understand how they read. Most 
 now, even of those on the outskirts of this system of reli- 
 gious bodies, admit its desirability, but they question 
 its possibility. And, here again, are those who, instead of 
 leading their flocks aright, stand in the way and keep 
 them from entering the one fold of the Great Shepherd. 
 Jesus said, speaking of the Gentiles, "Other sheep I have, 
 which are not of this fold : them also I must bring, and 
 they shall hear my voice ; and there shall be one fold and 
 one shepherd." If such were his care for the Gentiles 
 and his desire for them that they might be in the "one 
 fold," what must be his feeling today in view of the 
 great number of folds into which his professed followers 
 are divided? In view of the recurring burden of that 
 dying prayer, what must be his feeling as he sees things 
 as they are ? But he is no longer bidding a few followers 
 an earthly farewell ; he is no longer agonizing in Geth- 
 semane, and about to suffer the most terrible death to 
 
UNITY 103 
 
 which human ingenuity and human cruelty could subject 
 him; he is clothed with glory and immortality and is 
 ''King of kings and Lord of lords." And it is well to 
 work while the day remains, for some time the oppor- 
 tunity will have gone by. 
 
 But these separate religious bodies are made up of 
 individuals and it is the individuals and not the aggregate 
 bodies that are the actual units to be welded into one 
 body. To do the things that should be done there must 
 be knowledge on the part of the rank and file. This 
 knowledge must be obtained by a clear, fair, intelligent 
 study of the Bible, which is our guide book, and is to 
 be followed if we would make the journey safely and 
 gain the heavenly inheritance which is waiting for us. 
 There must be a patient and determined continuance in 
 well-doing, no matter what hindrances and persecutions 
 there may be. There must be warfare against wrong and 
 it is here that the greatest opposition will be aroused, for 
 it is when the adversary's work is attacked and he is in 
 danger of losing ground that his wrath is most fierce 
 and he hurls his most venomous darts. Truly, there is 
 room for more patience and kindness and gentleness than 
 we are likely to possess. But a good deal has been said 
 about these and perhaps not enough about other neces- 
 sary qualities. There must be strength to "stand fast 
 in the faith" whatever comes ; we must "contend earnestly 
 for the faith," we must fight "the good fight," remem- 
 bering that the "weapons of warfare are not carnal," but 
 taking the "whole armor of God that ye may be able to 
 withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." 
 To do all these things will cost something and may cost 
 much. But the reward is sure. 
 
 Some of the things which help to make and keep 
 division are the numerous more or less elaborate systems 
 that have been worked out for the individuals of different 
 churches to conform to. Contrast with these the sim- 
 plicity of organization and of work and worship in 
 Christ's church. When elaborations on this simple sys- 
 
104 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 tern begin then differences come in. Christ's system is 
 perfect. It seems presumptuous to try to form a better. 
 
 But though the system is perfect the individuals in 
 the church are not. Here, perhaps, lies the greatest diffi- 
 culty of all. Just how much allowance is to be made on 
 account of lack of knowledge, or of mental or moral 
 strength, or on account of circumstances, is not ours to 
 say further than is written. But nothing short of the 
 highest effort to learn God's will and to do it should be 
 expected of any, and especially of ourselves. We know 
 our own limitations and hindrances best, and so may be 
 inclined to special leniency in this instance. The highest 
 type of uprightness of life should be the standard striven 
 for; the life that stands against wrong, no matter how 
 popular it may be, and for the right, no matter how 
 unpopular the cause. That is, it is God's approval we 
 should work for rather than that of this world when- 
 ever there is choice between the two, and it is very often 
 that there is. For it is God's approval that will count 
 when the great day of reckoning comes. The world's 
 approval may help for a little time. That of God will 
 be our help and stay through all eternity. 
 
 Just how far God's children may fall short of the re- 
 quirements laid down and yet be saved by God's mercy 
 is not for us to say. But it does not seem wise to pre- 
 sume on this mercy. It behooves each to live to the 
 highest limit of his knowledge and abilities without leav- 
 ing anything to God's mercy until he has done all he 
 possibly can. There will be plenty of room for it then. 
 "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the 
 ungodly and the sinner appear?" 
 
 When all earnestly study the Bible to find what they 
 shall do, and willingly and earnestly use their best efforts 
 to do it, then the unity for which the dying Savior prayed 
 will not be very far off. And as unity is reached it will 
 be necessary to keep doing continually, earnestly. The 
 momentum of continued earnest work will help to keep 
 
UNITY 105 
 
 the body together. It is not the marching, warring, vic- 
 torious army that becomes disaffected and divided. 
 
 May the day speed when all may be one in name, 
 in faith and doctrine and practice ; when there shall be 
 "unity of the Spirit" in the "one body/' of which all who 
 seek the heavenly land may be members in Christ Jesus. 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By E. L. Jorgenson. 
 
 In the seventeenth chapter of John, Jesus prays first 
 for himself, then for his immediate followers, and then 
 for all those who should "believe on him through their 
 word." Four times there he pleads for the unity of his 
 disciples, "That they may all be one," actually one in the 
 same measure that He and the Father are one. That 
 prayer was blessedly fulfilled in the early church where 
 "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart 
 and one sour' ; but it is far from fulfilled today. 
 
 The subject of Christian unity is the most difficult 
 of our times. I used to know all about it! Now I have 
 my doubts and difficulties. It is not these doubts and 
 difficulties, however, that I propose to share with you in 
 this lesson, but some things rather about which I am sure 
 and certain, positive and confident. 
 
 1. I am sure that denominationalism is all wrong 
 and sinful in the sight of God. The Bible settles that. 
 I believe that all sectarianism, disunion, non-union, non- 
 co-operation, non-schism and division is sinful in God's 
 sight. 
 
 2. I believe there is but one true church. "There 
 is one body." That is an age-long fact. It is not only 
 true that there ought to be, but that, in spite of the rent 
 condition of the church, there is but one body. I do not 
 mean that denominations, as such, constitute that one 
 body ; far from it. They only mar its unity. But one 
 church of which I speak consists of all true children of 
 God in every place; all the regenerate, all the redeemed 
 in the aggregate, those "whose names are enrolled in 
 heaven," members of "the church of the first born," and 
 of the "general assembly." No one is a member of that 
 body because he is a member of some denomination, but 
 in spite of it. 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 107 
 
 3. I believe, furthermore, that these children of God. 
 scattered abroad as they are, many of them members of 
 denominations, some in error worse than others, but chil- 
 dren of God, nevertheless, because they have once defi- 
 nitely become so. I believe these could and should be 
 gathered together into an outward and visible unity, an- 
 swering the Savior's prayer, duplicating the New Testa- 
 ment church, restoring and exhibiting original Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 Let us look for a moment into the nature of religious 
 differences. There are first, those differences in belief 
 which directly affect conduct. I mean congregational 
 conduct, not personal. (Personal conduct, important as 
 it is, need not hinder union.) Differences, for example, 
 as to the name, the creed, the method of church control, 
 of administrating charity and missions, baptism, music, 
 the Lord's supper, finances. Second, there are differences 
 -which do not directly affect congregational conduct; dif- 
 ferences on election, the Holy Spirit, the millennium, 
 and the like. 
 
 In regard to the first class of differences, believers 
 need to be united, for these are things which we do, 
 not individually and alone, but congregationally. These 
 stand for action, practice, conduct, in which all believers 
 are involved. And, fortunately, there is a platform upon 
 which, without argument or discussion, all believers are 
 already united as to these things. Examine the following 
 chart : 
 
 Human names — Name — Christ's. 
 Westminster, etc. — Creed — The Bible. 
 Boards, conferences — Control — Christ the Head. 
 Societies — Charity and missions — The church. 
 Infant sprinkling — Baptism — Believer's ; burial. 
 Instrumental — Music — Singing. 
 Monthly, quarterly — Lord's supper — Weekly. 
 Socials, etc. — Finances-— Free will gifts. 
 
 In the middle column are the principal items touch- 
 
108 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 ing congregational conduct. On the left are the things 
 on which believers are disagreed. On the right, things 
 upon which believers are united. Why? Because by a 
 common consent those things on the left are not in the 
 Book, while those listed on the right are in the Book. 
 Fortunately, no one holds the things in the left column 
 essential to salvation or required of God. No one believes 
 that human names and creeds, that sprinkling, that the 
 baptism of infants, that monthly, quarterly or yearly 
 communion, that instrumental music, that socials, fairs, 
 and the like, that central ecclesiastical boards, confer- 
 ences, etc., that missionary societies, are absolutely neces- 
 sary. On the other hand, no one believes the wearing 
 of Christ's name, the Bible alone as the creed believer's 
 baptism, baptism by burial, weekly communion, singing, 
 the church as the society for missions, free will giving, 
 and the independence of each congregation with Christ 
 the head of the church — no one holds these things as 
 sinful. They form, therefore, a true basis of union. 
 It is true that some Christians hold the things on the left 
 as advantageous to the propagation of Christianity, but 
 would not the advantages of a united church, though it 
 were upon a narrower platform, more than offset the 
 advantages of the things on our left, practiced by a 
 divided church? 
 
 In regard to the other class of differences, those that 
 do not directly determine congregational conduct, why 
 should they hinder Christian union and unity? I grant 
 you there are some matters of belief which can not be 
 reduced to practice, such as our Lord's person and nature 
 (John 8:24), His resurrection (Rom. 10:9), that are 
 fundamental. But why should a difference on election, 
 on the Holy Spirit, on the millennium, for instance, 
 affect unity though our differences be freely expressed? 
 For these are not things which we do. My belief and 
 teaching along these lines do not involve you in any 
 wrong act, or act which you believe to be wrong. 
 
 I know there are those who say, "Since these are not 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 109 
 
 things which we do, they can not be essential ; why not 
 be silent upon them for unity's sake, or at least why not 
 confine ourselves to reading and reciting scripture on 
 these controverted themes for unity's sake?" Now. there 
 is a very plausible and subtle fallacy right there. We 
 can not be silent upon such themes because God demands 
 a full testimony on all subjects. (Matt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3: 
 16: 4:1, 2; 2 Pet. 1:19; 3:2; Rev. 2,2:16.) Paul was 
 "pure from the blood of all men." For he "shrank not 
 from declaring . . . the whole counsel of God." 
 Not even when there was dissension on a subject — one, 
 too, which did not directly affect conduct — did Paul cease 
 to teach. (See 1 Cor. 15.) 
 
 "Very well," you say, "God demands a full testimony 
 on all subjects; but on controverted subjects which do 
 not affect practice can we not confine ourselves to the 
 reading and recitation of the word for unity's sake? 
 Would you want to be limited to reading God's word on 
 such subjects as repentance and baptism? You answer, 
 "No, these are essentials." Very well ; but whatever mo- 
 tive-testimony is needed to lead men to take those essen- 
 tial steps is also essential to their salvation, is it not? 
 Last week I baptized a man who had gone through nine- 
 teen protracted meetings. Never until he heard a dis- 
 course on the coming of Christ did he yield. Now, the 
 second coming of Christ is not something that we do, 
 but to him at least that teaching was essential, because by 
 it he was led to take the essential steps. We must dis- 
 tinguish between essential steps and essential scriptures. 
 To preach the essential steps is not preaching what is 
 essential to salvation at all. And if you do not wish to 
 be limited to reading and quoting scripture in presenting 
 the essential steps, for the same reasons I do not wish 
 to be so limited in presenting the essential motives. But 
 you interpose, "I can state, upon occasion, the essential 
 steps in Bible terms." Oh, so can I, thank God, state 
 my belief upon every subject upon occasion in Bible 
 torms; but if on« can do that, then why should he be 
 
110 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 limited to that? If it is important to illustrate, elucidate, 
 impress and apply, in short, to use human words in set- 
 ting the essential steps before men, it is just as necessary 
 to be free in the same way in setting the essential motives 
 before men. 
 
 I propose, therefore, as a basis for Christian unity 
 the following: (1) In regard to all items of congrega- 
 tional conduct and practice — only such as are found in 
 the New Testament. (See the chart.) Upon these, for- 
 tunately, there is already almost universal agreement. 
 
 (2) In regard to matters indifferent (things right, 
 but not required), mutual forbearance, giving in and giv- 
 ing up to each other for unity's sake where necessary. 
 
 (3) In regard to differences in belief that do not 
 directly determine conduct (as already defined). 
 
 (a) Let every believer be able and willing to state, 
 upon occasion or demand, every article of faith for which 
 he would contend in Bible terms, without human addi- 
 tion or subtraction, alteration, explanation or interpreta- 
 tion ; but (b) being thus able and willing to state his 
 faith in Bible terms, let him not be confined to the use 
 of such terms ; but let him be free to impress the truth 
 along any line in human language, because to do so may 
 prove as essential to someone's salvation as the matter of 
 setting the essential steps before him. (c) Above all, 
 "Let love of the brethren continue" ; "love one another 
 from the heart fervently" ; for love is the "bond of per- 
 fectness" and the secret of all true unity. When in doubt 
 as to how hard to press, or just how to speak some truths, 
 remember the rule, speak it in love. (Eph. 4:15.) 
 
UNITY— ONENESS. 
 By T. H. Kirkman. 
 
 Text: John 17:6-11. 
 
 "I have manifested thy name unto the men which 
 thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and 
 thou gavest them me ; and they have kept thy word. 
 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou 
 hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them 
 the words which thou gavest me; and they have received 
 them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, 
 and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray 
 for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which 
 thou hast given me ; for they are thine. And all mine 
 are thine, and thine are mine ; and I am glorified in them. 
 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in 
 the world, and I come to thee, Holy Father, keep through 
 thine own name, those whom thou hast given me, that 
 they may be one, as we are." 
 
 How were they to be one? First, how was Jesus 
 and the Father one? One in purpose, of one mind in 
 respect to man's salvation. In order that the apostles 
 might be one, it was necessary for them to be of the 
 same mind ; to be of the same mind would prompt them 
 to teach the same thing; had the apostles taught dif- 
 ferently they would have ignored the Savior's prayer, 
 thereby becoming unworthy of their position. 
 
 The Savior had already shown his love for fallen 
 man by forsaking his place around the throne and com- 
 ing to earth to bring the message of God to man. 
 
 He was so much concerned about the salvation of 
 poor fallen man that when the time drew near for his 
 crucifixion we find him in the garden of Gethsemane, 
 where he gave utterance bo this wonderful prayer for 
 tarity. 
 
112 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 Second, in order that the disciples or converts all be 
 one, it was absolutely necessary that the apostles all 
 teach the same things. By teaching differently would 
 have been the means of building up rival institutions, 
 thus introducing confusions and division instead of unity, 
 as Christ prayed. The religious division now in exist- 
 ence owes its existence to man's failure in observing the 
 prayer of Jesus the Lord. Could we carry our minds 
 back by an eye of faith to Gethsemane and view the 
 Savior as he pours out his soul to the Father of light 
 in prayer on unity, methinks it would change our in- 
 difference to an earnest desire for unity. 
 
 We now wish to note Christ's prayer as he prays for 
 those that should hear the words of the apostles. (John 
 17:20-21). "Neither pray I for these alone, but for 
 them also which shall believe on me through their w r ord ; 
 that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I 
 in thee, that they also may be one in us." (Why?) "That 
 the world may believe that thou hast sent me." 
 
 We can see the great loving heart of our Master 
 opened up on our behalf in this prayer to his Father 
 just before his crucifixion. In my mind's eye I can see 
 the sweat as it pours from the face of my Lord as great 
 drops of blood; I can see his wonderful concern for me 
 as he pours out his heart's desire to God for the unity 
 of his disciples. If all who claim to love God and be- 
 lieve the Bible to be the Word of God and believe Jesus 
 Christ to be the Son of God were all of the same mind, 
 where would the non-professor be today? Echo, where? 
 
 We are glad to note a tendency among the leading 
 teachers of all religious denominations toward unity. 
 Instead of thanking God for division that all may have 
 their choice, they have begun the search for a common 
 ground upon which all may be united. It is true they 
 are seeking a human standard instead of divine; human 
 philosophy instead of the Word of God. Our prayer to 
 the great Jehovah is that their eyes may be opened to 
 the divine pattern, to the Word of God as a basis of 
 
UNITY ONENESS 113 
 
 unity; in fact, the only basis upon which all people can 
 unite without a sacrifice of truth or conscience. There 
 is not a human system in existence that can bring about 
 a complete state of unity. If there were, it would be too 
 low to please God. We are all agreed that the Bible is 
 the Word of God. We are all agreed that it is the best 
 book on earth ; that it contains a perfect system ; that it 
 sets forth a perfect pattern. Then, why not lay aside 
 all these human devices, human systems or patterns, and 
 accept the divine pattern, God's Word? For all the 
 rest are utter failures and could not please God. 
 
 See Col. 3:17: "And whatsoever you do in word or 
 deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." Again, 
 Eph. 1 :22, 23: "And hath put all things under his feet, 
 and gave him to be the head over all things to the 
 church, which is his body, the fulness of him which 
 filleth all in all." Again, 1 Pet. 4:11: "If any man 
 speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man 
 minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth ; 
 that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus 
 Christ." Thus we see that unity outside of or beyond 
 the authority of Christ can not please God. 
 
 How, then, can we become one and be in harmony 
 with the Lord's prayer? We answer, by having our 
 wills swallowed up in the will of God. I am willing, yea 
 doubly willing, to meet anyone upon the Word of God, 
 and follow the injunction of the apostle Peter as recorded 
 in 1 Pet. 4:11 : "If any man speak, let him speak as the 
 oracles of God" ; or, with Thomas Campbell, "Where 
 the Bible speaks, we speak; and where the Bible is 
 silent, we are silent." We are willing to trample all the 
 doctrines and dogmas of men under our feet and to be 
 governed by the doctrine of Christ, to build according to 
 the divine pattern. Will you meet me on the God-given 
 system? But should you ask me for the sake of unity 
 to ignore one single divine principle, I answer, no ; no, 
 not to please my father, mother, wife or child. I can 
 not afiford it. Heaven, with all its glories, is too sweet to 
 
114 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 me. I value the love of my Savior above all human love. 
 Then, friends, in conclusion, let's keep the unity of 
 the Spirit in the bond of peace and thus be in harmony 
 with the Savior's prayer for unity. 
 
CHRIST'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 
 (John 17.) 
 
 By George A. Klingman. 
 
 The shadows of Gethsemane and Calvary fell athwart 
 the little company of perplexed disciples who had gath- 
 ered "in the large upper room" for "The Last Supper/' 
 The Lord and Teacher had washed the disciples' feet, 
 giving us an example of humble service and loving min- 
 istry ; but there was one of the number who would be- 
 tray him, another who would thrice deny him, and all 
 would forsake him and leave him; and as the shadows 
 deepened they were filled with sorrow, and questionings 
 arose in their hearts concerning that which they could 
 not comprehend; there was only one in that company 
 who knew and understood — he was treading the wine- 
 press alone ; the world's sin and sorrow was crushing the 
 "tender plant," the burden of our woes was breaking the 
 heart that was sinless — and behold, He prays: 
 
 First, for himself : "Father, the hour is come ; glorify 
 thy Son, that the Son may glorify thee: even as thou 
 gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou 
 hast given him, he should give eternal life. And this is 
 life eternal, that they should know thee, the only true 
 God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ. 
 I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the 
 work which thou hast given me to do. And now, Father, 
 glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which 
 I had with thee before the world was. I manifested thy 
 name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the 
 world : thine they were, and thou gavest them to me ; and 
 they have kept thy word. Now they know that all things 
 whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee; for the 
 words v/hich thou gavest me I have given unto them ; and 
 they received them, and knew of a truth that I came 
 
116 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send 
 me. 
 
 Observe the three essential elements in this petition: 
 (1) The unity of the Father and the Son (verses 4 and 
 5) ; (2) this unity manifested to the disciples by the work 
 and teaching of the Son (verses 6 to 8) ; (3) the disciples 
 believed that the Father sent the Son into the world 
 (verse 8). 
 
 The Son could pray that the Father might glorify him, 
 because he had glorified the Father by accomplishing the 
 work which the Father had given him to do ; they worked 
 in perfect accord with each other. "My Father worketh 
 hitherto, and I work." (John 5:17.) "I and the Father 
 are one." (John 10:30.) "The word that ye hear is not 
 mine, but the Father's who sent me." (John 14:24.) 
 
 vSecondly, for the apostles : "I pray for them : I pray 
 not for the world, but. for those whom thou hast given 
 me, for they are thine : and all things that are mine are 
 thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. 
 And I am no more in the world, and these are in the 
 world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in 
 thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be 
 one, even as we are. While I was with them, I kept them 
 in thy name which thou hast given unto me: and I 
 guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son 
 of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. But 
 now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the 
 world, that they may have my joy made full in them- 
 selves. I have given them thy word ; and the world hated 
 them, because they are not of the world, even as I am 
 not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take 
 them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them 
 from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as 
 I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth ; thy 
 word is truth. As thou didst send me into the world, 
 even so sent I them into the world. And for their sakes 
 I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanc- 
 tified in truth." 
 
Christ's prayer for unity 117 
 
 The burden of this petition is that the apostles may 
 be kept in the name which the Father hath given unto 
 the Son, that they may be kept from the evil one, and 
 that they may be sanctified in the truth which is the 
 word of God : "thai they may be one, even as zve are!* 
 Just as Jesus took the things of God and give them 
 unto the apostles, so they were to take that which he gave 
 unto them and give his teaching unto the world. For this 
 reason Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto 
 you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me ; 
 and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me." 
 (John 13 :20.) In the light of such a statement from the 
 Lord himself, how false is the doctrine which represents 
 the apostles as preaching different "gospels." The learned 
 talk about the Petrine, Pauline and Johannine gospels is 
 just so much learned infidelity against which we should 
 set our faces as flint. When Paul withstood Peter to the 
 face at Antioch, they were in no disagreement as to doc- 
 trine ; Peter's mistake was one of conduct. (Gal. 2 :11-21, 
 especially verse 14.) When Paul separated from Bar- 
 nabas, they did not go out preaching different doctrines, 
 but the same message was proclaimed by both of those 
 earnest missionaries and their co-laborers. The Lord's 
 prayer for the apostles was answered and they have left 
 us the teaching of God in its purity and blessed unity. 
 
 Thirdly, the Lord prays for all his disciples: "Neither 
 for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe 
 on me through their word ; that they may all be one ; even 
 as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also 
 may be in us ; that the world may believe that thou didst 
 send me. And the glory which thou hast given me I 
 have given unto them ; that they may be one even as we 
 are one ; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be per- 
 fected into one; that the world may know that thou 
 didst send me and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst 
 me." The Lord looked down through the trials, tempta- 
 tions and triumphs of the centuries and prayed that all 
 those who believe on him may be one, even as he and the 
 
118 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 Father arc one. What a blessed unity ! Not a federation 
 
 of different churches with clashing and conflicting creeds, 
 but a spiritual unity — a oneness with the Father and the 
 Son. The beloved disciple, who leaned on the Savior's 
 breast at the supper, and who recorded this wonderful 
 prayer, no doubt has it in mind, when he writes in his 
 first epistle: 'That which we have seen and heard de- 
 clare we unto you also, that ye may have fellowship with 
 us : yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with 
 his Son Jesus Christ ; and these things we write, that our 
 joy may be made full." (1 John 1 :3-4.) 
 
 Neither did Jesus have in mind a gigantic "religious 
 trust," with politico-ecclesiastical assumption such as the 
 papal hierarchy claims. His one petition is that they may 
 be one even as he and the Father are one — "I in them 
 . . . Thou in Me . . . they in us." This is more 
 than union. We may have union without unity ; but 
 where there is this spiritual unity there will be union of 
 effort for all the practical work of the church; there 
 will be "no schisms in the body" — no factious spirit; 
 nothing will be done through strife or vainglory ; there 
 will be no sects or denominations. In matters of faith 
 all will "speak the same things" and will be "perfectly 
 joined together with the same mind and judgment." 
 Each disciple who enjoys this spiritual unity with the 
 Father and the Son will "endeavor to keep the unity of 
 the Spirit in the bond of peace" and will "follow the 
 things that make for peace, and the things whereby we 
 may edify one another." (Rom. 14:19.) No matter how 
 many congregations there may be in the world, they will 
 all be "of the same faith and order" — the faith which 
 was "once for all delivered unto the saints," and the 
 order which is given in the New Testament scriptures. 
 They will wear the same names, preach the same gospel, 
 have the same ordinances and the same worship — wor- 
 shiping the Father "in spirit and truth," through our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. In matters of opinion each will grant 
 to the other the liberty he claims for himself. In matters 
 
Christ's prayer for unity 119 
 
 of indifference, the law of brotherly love will prevail, 
 and what one may deem a mere privilege he will gladly 
 waive whenever the best interests of his brethren may so 
 demand. In matters of expediency all will seek to be 
 governed by the "wisdom that cometh from above," the 
 younger will submit themselves to the elder, the inex- 
 perienced to the experiencd. 
 
 There will be no chronic fault-finding, no hyper- 
 criticism, no backbiting nor tale-bearing. If there is need 
 of opposing certain measures or methods that may be 
 proposed, the opposition will be based on scripture teach- 
 ing and that alone. The unity of a congregation may be 
 destroyed as effectively by our opposing that which does 
 not violate the teaching of the scriptures, as by advo- 
 cating something which is contrary to scripture teaching. 
 
 In conclusion, we may ask, Has this prayer been 
 answered? To this we reply in the affirmative. It was 
 answered in the lifetime of the apostles, who promptly 
 rebuked and checked the divisive spirit whenever and 
 wherever it was manifest. It has been answered all 
 along in the lives of those who are "at one" with the 
 Father and the Son, wherever they may be found, and 
 so it is answered today in the blessed experience of all 
 those who are walking "in the light, even as He is in 
 the light," and who, therefore, have "fellowship one 
 with another." It is not answered, however, in the 
 present state of the religious world, which presents a 
 lamentable spectacle. For, "There are large sects and 
 small sects, and smaller sects to fight 'em; and these 
 again have other sects, and so ad infinitum." But let us 
 not become discouraged. We have been warned "that in 
 the last days grevious times shall come" and that "evil 
 men shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being de- 
 ceived." And, while there are more sects today than there 
 were five years ago, let us continue to contend "for the 
 faith once for all delivered to the saints" and be sure 
 that in our own lives Christ's prayer will find an answer, 
 and let us wait patiently for the hope of His blessed 
 
120 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 appearance when the Christ himself shall "look upon the 
 travail of his soul and be satisfied "when our redeemed 
 souls and glorified bodies shall rejoice in the full realiza- 
 tion of the closing words of the Savior's prayer : "Father, 
 I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with 
 me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which 
 thou hast given me : for thou lovedst me before the 
 foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world 
 knew thee not, but I knew thee ; and these knew that 
 thou didst send me : and I made known unto them thy 
 name, and will make it known ; that the love wherewith 
 thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them/' 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 
 (John 17.) 
 
 By John A. Klingman. 
 
 The scene in the "upper room," when Jesus met with 
 his disciples for the last time before being delivered into 
 the hands of sinful men, is most solemn and impressive. 
 The Savior's language appeared more wonderful and 
 strange than it had ever before to these bewildered and 
 troubled men. He spoke of leaving them, sending a 
 Comforter, going to prepare a place for them, one of 
 them betraying him and all deserting him. Their hearts 
 were filled with amazement and fear. And now, just 
 before going out into the night of sorrow and suffering, 
 the Son of God lifts up his eyes to heaven and pours 
 out his soul in earnest petition. He prays that the Father 
 may glorify him; that the apostles may be faithful in 
 the hour of trial and remain united with him and the 
 Father, and that all who believe in their inspired writings 
 may, by its influence, become and remain a united people. 
 
 The prayer has three logical divisions : The Lord 
 prays for himself, for his apostles and for all disciples. 
 
 1. The Savior's petition for himself (1-5). 
 
 "The hour is come!' That hour at last arrived for 
 which the Savior came into the world. That hour which 
 meant more to man than any hour since creation. We 
 speak of marked periods in man's history. We refer to 
 great battles which resulted in the revolution of state 
 and society not only of a single nation, but of the world. 
 Yet never was there a time in which a fiercer battle was 
 fought and a more decisive victory won than in that 
 hour which began with the struggle in Gethsemane and 
 ended in triumph over the demons in hell when the 
 angels rolled away the stone from the tomb of Joseph of 
 Arimathaea. 
 
122 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 "Glorify thy Son." Jesus was glorified by the Father 
 in his sufferings in Gethsemane, before the high priest 
 and before the Roman governor, upon the cruel cross, 
 when he shed his precious blood for the redemption of 
 mankind; but, especially was he glorified when he was 
 raised from the dead and afterwards ascended to the 
 Father, being highly exalted and given a name which is 
 above every name. Here he received the glory which 
 he had with the Father before the world was. 
 
 2. The Savior's petition for His Apostles (6-19). 
 
 We can not call attention to every item, but this part 
 of the prayer is filled with rich and practical lessons. 
 
 "They have kept thy word" (6). Judas was the one 
 exception (12). How comforting was the thought to 
 Jesus that these apostles were faithful ! Can as much 
 be said of us? Have we left our nets of worldly care and 
 followed the Master on his mission of love? 
 
 "I am glorified in them" (10). The eleven apostles 
 glorified Christ by obedience and fidelity. They wavered, 
 it is true, that dreadful night of heart-searching and test- 
 ing. They all fled. Peter fell into the hands of Satan 
 and was sifted as wheat. Let us not judge them too 
 harshly. The test was more severe than any we have 
 had. They again acknowledged their Lord after the 
 resurrection, and even doubting Thomas exclaimed, "My 
 Lord and my God." 
 
 "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the 
 world" (See 11 to 16.) Jesus earnestly prayed that 
 they might be kept in the name of the Father and free 
 from the power of the evil one. He knew that the world 
 hated them and that they would be greatly persecuted. 
 The book of Acts shows how nobly the apostles stood 
 the test while the fires of persecution were kindled about 
 them. This prayer was answered, as is also shown in the 
 epistles and Revelation. 
 
 "That they may be one, even as we are" (11). Sup- 
 pose these apostles had organized separate and distinct 
 bodies, giving them names that would indicate various 
 
©vr savior's prayer for unity 123 
 
 and conflicting doctrines? If this could be read in the 
 New Testament, the universal decision would be that 
 they were not inspired since God is not the author of con- 
 fusion. Thank God, their teaching is not contradictory. 
 They had one message, one gospel, one faith. The church 
 became divided, but it was not the fruit of their work. 
 
 "Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth" (17 
 to 19). The Greek word "sanctify" here denotes a dedi- 
 cation or consecration. Thayer says : "So Christ is said 
 by undergoing death to consecrate himself to God, whose 
 will he in that way fulfills." Bible sanctification, there- 
 fore, means a Christ-like consecrated life which has for 
 its guidance the revealed will (truth) of God, and in the 
 consecration offers up the body as a living sacrifice. The 
 apostles were thus sanctified. Not only for his sake were 
 they "killed all the day long" in a life of self-denial, but 
 most of them gave their blood on the altar of service. 
 
 "For their sakes I sanctify myself that they them- 
 selves may also be sanctified in the truth/' Not only 
 w r ould the trials and persecutions of the apostles have 
 been in vain and the blood of martyrs shed for a meaning- 
 less cause but the Christian of today would find no com- 
 fort in bearing his cross had not Christ first sanctified 
 himself. He would be, indeed, of all men most pitiable, 
 burdened with a cross without the hope of wearing a 
 crown. 
 
 And now we come to the last division of the prayer: 
 
 3. The Savior's petition for all Christians (20-26). 
 
 Neither for these only do I pray, bat for them also 
 that believe on me through their word; that they may all 
 be one/' etc. When we consider that this is the dying 
 request of our Lord, can we possibly be indifferent toward 
 it? When we read the reasons the Savior gives for the 
 unity of his followers, do the excuses for divisions given 
 by man not seem blasphemous ? Do we dare to say that 
 Christ prayed for that which is not feasible, practicable 
 or possible? His reasons for unity are: "That the world 
 may believe that thou didst send me"; "that they may 
 
124 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 be perfected into one" ; "that the world may know that 
 thou didst send me, and lovest them, even as thou lovest 
 me. 
 
 Every attempt to unite Christians upon articles of 
 faith formulated by uninspired men has not only miser- 
 ably failed, but has caused greater divisions. The only 
 way is the Savior's way — "not only for these do I pray, 
 but for them also that believe on me through their word." 
 
 When the church "continued steadfastly in the 
 apostles' teaching," we find that the disciples "day by 
 day continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple." 
 
 Our limited space does not allow us to quote the 
 many passages in the epistles, given in warning and 
 pleading, that call upon Christ's followers to speak the 
 same thing and that there be no divisions among them. 
 
 In the spirit of Christ-like love, let us ever labor and 
 pray for the unity of the household of faith. 
 
 "Let party names no more 
 
 The Christian world o'erspread ; 
 
 Gentile and Jew, and bond and free, 
 
 Are one in Christ, their Head. 
 
 Among the saints on earth 
 
 Let mutual love be found ; 
 Heirs of the same inheritance 
 
 With mutual blessings crowned. 
 
 Thus will the church below 
 
 Resemble that above, 
 Where streams of pleasure ever flow, 
 
 And every heart is love." 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By J. M. McCaleb. 
 
 It was a solemn hour, the last quiet hour of sacred 
 fellowship our Lord ever had with his disciples. They 
 had just finished the passover and had closed it by the 
 observance of the first Lord's supper, an ordinance hence- 
 forth to be observed weekly till he should come again. 
 They were still seated around the table, it seems ; all 
 save one. A conversation had been going on, from which 
 they began to understand that they were approaching a 
 crisis; but just what it would prove to be they did not 
 yet comprehend. They were bewildered and sad. "Let 
 not your hearts be troubled/' said the Teacher; "let not 
 your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in 
 me." This was the beginning of a long conversation, 
 covering three chapters, and closing with the words, "In 
 the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good 
 cheer; I have overcome the world." 
 
 Then, lifting up his eyes to heaven (perhaps now 
 standing according to Jewish custom), he begins a talk 
 with God with these significant words : "Father, the hour 
 is come." He talks on in much the same strain as he had 
 been talking with the disciples. It was not merely a silent 
 musing, but he speaks just as he had been doing, in an 
 audible voice, as actually seeing "Him who is invisible" 
 and conscious of being in his presence. As really in 
 God's presence as in the presence of those about him. It 
 must have been even more so since there was nothing 
 that stood between himself and the Father, while between 
 him and them a veil intervened. 
 
 He first recounts his own earthly ministry in which 
 he says in triumph. "I glorified thee on the earth, having 
 accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do." 
 His words about himself are remarkably brief, however, 
 
126 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 and his thoughts soon turn again to his disciples. "I 
 manifested thy name," he says, "unto the men whom 
 thou gavest me out of the world. " Then he makes re- 
 quest that those which had been given him should be 
 kept in that name. What name? Was it a name they 
 themselves must wear, and by a unity of name applied to 
 themselves, w r ere they to be one? Or rather was it God's 
 name as Father? Manifestly the latter. Unity of name 
 is taught elsewhere and is not to be overlooked, but the 
 thought of our Lord here is that all be kept in the 
 Father's name. He had just exhorted them a little while 
 ago to trust in God ( 14 :1 ) . Now he says : "Holy Father, 
 keep them in thy name which thou hast given me that 
 they may be one, even as we are." The English, as it 
 stands here, is liable to mislead. The thought is, Keep 
 those whom thou has given me in thy name. It was the 
 disciples, "the men" whom the Father had given him, 
 not a name ; and that name in which they were to be 
 kept was the name Father. Till now they had known 
 him as El, the Mighty One ; Elohim, the Almighty Crea- 
 tor ; Jehovah, the Self-existent and Ever-living One ; 
 Ely on, the Most High; Shadai, the Almighty; Adonai, 
 Lord, a substitute for Jehovah, which the Jews thought 
 too holy to pronounce ; but as yet they had scarcely ever 
 heard of him as Abba, Father. "Show us the Father," 
 requested Philip, "and we shall be satisfied." "I have 
 shown him to you already, Philip, in my own life, teach- 
 ings and person." Philip expressed a common longing in 
 the human heart, a longing to see the Father. Jesus now 
 commends them to him. 
 
 Keep them in thy name that they may be one, even 
 as we are. Their unity, as a body, depended on their 
 being kept in the name — in thi spirit, protection and guid- 
 ance — of the Father. Thus, kept they would be — kept 
 from the world and in the Father's love. Kept in the 
 love of the Father, they would be kept in unity with one 
 another as his children. The apostle John never forgot 
 this dedication to the Father. Long years afterward he 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 127 
 
 exultingly exclaimed, "Behold, what manner of love the 
 Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called 
 children of God ; and such we are." This keeping was, 
 in the deepest affection and the utmost confidence, en- 
 trusted to the Father. He had already said as a chal- 
 lenge to his enemies (John 10:29), My Father, who hath 
 given them unto me, is greater than all, and no one is 
 able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. He knew 
 that within a few hours the Shepherd would be smitten 
 and the sheep would be scattered, but, with a supreme 
 trust in the Father as to the ultimate results, they are 
 offered in sacred trust. In like manner let us walk in 
 his steps, nor lose hope when passing under the clouds. 
 
 Were they worth it? These faltering, stumbling, err- 
 ing peasants of Galilee? What was in them that they 
 should be so precious to Jesus? Whatever estimate we 
 may put upon them, they were of no little value in his 
 sight. In this Jesus was unique. He placed a much 
 higher value on man, the individual man, too, than had 
 ever been done before, or is customary now. This value 
 inhered in himself : "Without me ye can do nothing." 
 "Because I live ye shall live also." We are the ciphers, 
 any number of which when alone, stand for nothing. 
 He is the figure on the left that gives them value. 
 
 About ten years ago, the mother and three children of 
 a missionary family were packing up to return to the 
 home land. The father was to remain in Japan. A num- 
 ber of things, though precious to children, were not con- 
 sidered sufficiently important to carry on the long jour- 
 ney. Picture books, school books, drawings, charts, and 
 what not. And among other things, the little seven-year- 
 old came up with a box packed full of paper dolls. 
 Many a pleasant hour had she spent in cutting them out 
 of the old magazines and placing them all around against 
 chairs, table legs and the wall, till in her little mind they 
 stood out in all their glory as true as life. They were a 
 precious treasure. "Here, papa, keep these for me, 
 pleas*, till I come back to Japan." Although papa felt 
 
128 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 that most likely his little girl would care but little for 
 paper dolls by the time she should return to this land, 
 the box of paper dolls was carefully stowed away on 
 the shelf, there to remain as a sacred charge till — well, 
 till eternity dawns, if need be. Not for their own sake, 
 but for the sake of the one who entrusted them. In 
 like manner the disciples may not have been of much 
 intrinsic value, but as a trust committed to the Father 
 by his beloved Son, they are precious, and for his sake, 
 if not for their own, they will certainly be kept in se- 
 curity. 
 
 Neither must we think that this keeping applies only 
 to the eleven ; it is "for them also who believe on me 
 through their word : that they may all be one, even as 
 thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also may 
 be in us" This includes you and me. It may be true 
 enough that as to our own merit we are as worthless as a 
 box of paper dolls, but this matters not; we are precious 
 in the Father's care for the sake of his Son. Beloved, 
 "if God so loved us," loved us though often we stumble 
 and fall, "we also ought to love one another." 
 
 When considering the question of unity, it has been 
 customary for most writers only to emphasize the forces 
 that bind us together. There is, however, another equally 
 important factor that must not be overlooked, or well- 
 meant effort is liable to defeat its own end. Scientists 
 tell us that what we are accustomed to consider solid is 
 not absolutely so ; that even the substance of lead or 
 granite is not actually touching, but that the smallest 
 particles, known as electrons, contain an "electric charge" 
 that gives them a repellant force which keeps them for- 
 ever apart. As in nature, so in grace. Absolute unity is 
 neither enjoined nor to be expected. Machinery must 
 have some play to operate, or there will be a break. The 
 little company of eleven were not absolutely one. Thomas 
 was inclined to doubt ; Peter thought more highly of him- 
 self than he ought. The whole company were indignant 
 against James and John for seeking the pre-eminence. 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 129 
 
 They were not all on absolute equality with their Mas- 
 ter. Only three were taken into his confidence, and of 
 these only one could actually lean on his bosom. All 
 were largely tinctured with materialism and still ex- 
 pected the restoration of an earthly kingdom. And the 
 Master knew, to his own sorrow, that only a few hours 
 hence the chief among them would deny him and all the 
 rest would scatter and flee. Yet he says in his memorable 
 prayer, "They have kept thy word." How complimentary ! 
 Neither let us be afraid to speak well of one another, 
 and, passing over his errors, to tell of the good the other 
 does. Their ultimate victory may depend in a large 
 measure on the encouragement we give them. 
 
 "I sent them forth into the world." Kept busy at 
 a great and worthy task and thus kept in unity. Co- 
 operative work tends to bring us closer together, while 
 argument is almost certain to alienate and divide. No 
 amount of argument can overcome discordant feelings. 
 Without love all else is vain. 
 
 From unity to glory. "And the glory which thou 
 hast given me I have given unto them." Here he soars 
 beyond us and we must wait to know what this means, 
 for it is not yet made manifest what we shall be, but we 
 shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is when we 
 shall be "raised in glory." 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 
 (John 17.) 
 
 By N. C. McDougle. 
 
 The opening scene of this chapter portrays a most 
 beautiful picture, and that upward look was so indelibly 
 impressed upon that faithful reporter, John, that he 
 could not pass over it. What zealous Christian would 
 not exclaim, "Oh, to have been within hearing of such 
 a prayer as that must have been, which wound up the 
 whole of our Savior's past ministry and formed the point 
 of transition to the dark scenes which immediately fol- 
 lowed r 
 
 Christ knew that at the passing of this scene his 
 struggles in the world would be over, but those of his 
 disciples would not, and his earnest appeal was to the 
 Holy Father to preserve them from being tainted by the 
 unholy atmosphere of the world they were still in that 
 they might be one. "That they all may be one, as thou, 
 Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one 
 in us." The indwelling spirit of the Father and the Son 
 is the one perfect bond of union, knitting up into a living 
 unity ; first, all believers among themselves ; next, this 
 unity into one still higher, with the Father and the Son. 
 Not merely a formal, mechanical unity of ecclesiastical 
 machinery, for such may, and does exist, to a greater or 
 less degree, in both the western and eastern churches, with 
 little of the spirit of Christ; yea, and much with which 
 the spirit of Christ can not dwell; so, instead of con- 
 vincing the world of the divinity of the gospel, it gen- 
 erates infidelity to a large extent within its own bosom. 
 But the spirit of Christ, illuminating, transforming and 
 reigning within the hearts of the genuine disciples of 
 Christ, drawing them to each other as members of one 
 family, and prompting to loving co-operation for the 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 131 
 
 good of the world — this is what, when sufficiently glow- 
 ing and extended, shall force conviction upon the world 
 that Christianity is divine. Doubtless the more that dif- 
 ferences among Christians disappear — the more they can 
 agree even in minor matters — the impression upon the 
 world may be expected to be greater. But it is not de- 
 pendent upon this ; for living and loving oneness in 
 Christ is sometimes more touchingly seen even amidst 
 and in spite of minor differences than where no such 
 differences exist to try the strength of their deeper 
 unity. Yet till this living brotherhood of Christ shall 
 show itself strong enough to destroy the sectarianism, 
 selfishness, carnality and apathy that eat out the heart of 
 Christianity in all the visible sections if it, in vain shall 
 we expect the world to be overawed by it. It is when 
 "the Sprit shall be poured upon us from on high," as a 
 spirit of truth and love, and upon all parts of the Chris- 
 tian territory alike, melting down differences and heart 
 burnings, kindling astonishment and shame at past un- 
 fruitfulness, drawing forth longings of holy affection 
 and yearnings over a world lying in wickedness, embody- 
 ing themselves in palpable forms and active measures — 
 it is then we may expect the effect here announced to be 
 produced, and then it will be irresistible. Oh, that Chris- 
 tians everywhere would ponder these things ! 
 
 The lack of unity among Christian people today is the 
 one great cause of the indifference shown by humanity 
 generally as regards Christianity. Christ realized the 
 importance of unity and preached it continually through- 
 out his ministry, and on this great occasion at the wind- 
 ing up of his earthly career, made the most earnest and 
 eloquent appeal to the Father ever recorded for the 
 unity of His people. This prayer as yet remains un- 
 answered in so far as Christianity generally is con- 
 cerned, but no doubt in the fulness of time God will bring 
 about his unity among all Christian people, which is so 
 essential to the saving of the world — to the glorification 
 of the Father and of the Son. There are at present in- 
 
132 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 dications that the way is opening for the bringing about 
 of this unity among God's people. Christian people every- 
 where are becoming more tolerant of each other. There 
 is less fighting and backbiting, and an inclination to join 
 hands in furtherance of the great work dependent upon 
 Christianity. There lies a great work to be accomplished 
 along this line, and there is a call for strong leaders to 
 take up this work of unity that the great desire of our 
 Savior in this respect may the sooner be accomplished. 
 Christian ministers everywhere should take up this theme 
 of unity and labor incessantly with this great end in view 
 that the world may be convinced that Christianity is di- 
 vine. With the accomplishment of this one great pur- 
 pose surely will come the dawn of the millennium. Let 
 each individual Christian turn the searchlight upon him- 
 self, and wherein is found the slightest hindrance to the 
 accomplishment of this unity so desirable, let him forth- 
 with start the fight to rid himself of it. Nor let him stop 
 until he has rid himself entirely of all hindering causes. 
 Look not for the mote in thy brother's eye, but attend 
 thyself to the removing of the beam from thine own. 
 Brethren, the hour has come ! Put your shoulder to 
 the wheel. "I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, be- 
 seech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye 
 were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long- 
 suffering, forbearing one another in love ; giving diligence 
 to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. 
 There is one body and one spirit, even as also ye were 
 called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, 
 one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, 
 and through all and in all." (Eph. 4:1-6.) 
 
THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH YET FUTURE 
 AND GLORIOUS. 
 
 By Walter McMurry. 
 
 Inasmuch as the world has never accepted Jesus Christ 
 as the apostle of God, it would seem that the unity for 
 which Christ so earnestly prayed, as recorded in the 
 seventeenth chapter of John, has never been realized 
 among those who believe in him. 
 
 The blessings which will come to the world through 
 its complete surrender to the authority of God as re- 
 vealed in Christ are so many and wonderful that every- 
 one should engage with all their power in bringing it to 
 the feet of Christ. 
 
 Man is largely a creature of circumstances, and in his 
 fallen and ignorant state he is so much so that it is im- 
 possible for him to do his best under adverse conditions. 
 As the conditions surrounding man improve, he will be 
 elevated in his thoughts and conduct, and will have a 
 clearer conception of his place in the universe, laboring 
 to make it easier for those following after to surpass him 
 in perfection. So far as man is concerned, perfection 
 is a growth, and has been dishearteningly slow. The 
 Godhead has ever existed in perfection and unity, which 
 has been maintained by the loyalty of Christ to his 
 Father's will in submitting even to the death of the cross. 
 We may fail to grasp the idea of unity through a mis- 
 apprehension of the import of the word "unity" or "one- 
 ness/' The idea set forth in the scriptures is harmony. 
 In order to get this clearly fixed in the mind, let us 
 see in what the unity of the Father and Son consists. 
 Christ said: "My Father is greater than I." (John 14: 
 28.) "He gave me a commandmant, what I should say, 
 and what I°should speak." (John 12:49.) Clearly, then, 
 they could not be one in person or original glory, but are 
 in will and works. "Not what I will, but what thou 
 
134 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 wilt." (Mark 14:36.) "I have kept my Fathers com- 
 mandments and abide in his love." (John 15:10.) So, 
 then, the unity between them was maintained by the Son's 
 actions always being in harmony with the Father's will. 
 
 Before anyone can be one either with the Father or 
 Son, he must be absolutely reconciled to the will of God 
 as expressed through Christ. Thus, he sinks out of self 
 in his thoughts and plans of life and away from the world 
 in conduct into complete harmony with God's will, min- 
 istering with Christ to the world's needs. To accept 
 Christ as God's Son is not alone sufficient to bring one 
 into unity with the Godhead. Even those who have 
 obeyed the first principles of the gospel of the Son of 
 God need to go on to perfection (Heb. 6:1; Phil. 3:12- 
 14), which they can only do by faithfully striving to 
 keep the commands contained in the gospel. As the 
 gospel is preached more and in greater fulness, men will 
 gradually be brought under its power into fuller harmony 
 with the divine will. Man has the inherent ability to ac- 
 cept whatever course in life promises the greater good. 
 The fact that Satan has so long held men in bondage by 
 his promises of present tranquillity proves that man is 
 capable of deciding his course in life. While we have 
 everything pertaining to life and Godliness in the Bible, 
 yet it seems that its principles can only be indelibly 
 stamped in the thought and life of the masses by revo- 
 lutions, which come as an outgrowth of a persistent vio- 
 lation of God's precepts, covering the matter over which 
 the strife exists. Example : God said to the Jews : "Thou 
 shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3), but their 
 persistent worship of idols led them into a strange land, 
 where they were compelled, by military force, to worship 
 strange gods. They thus saw the folly of their course in 
 departing from God, and when they were permitted to 
 return to their own land, they were so thoroughly cured 
 that they would not permit Christ to set up the claim that 
 he was the Son of God. In our day the civil war settled 
 perhaps forever the question of chattel slavery. While 
 
UNITY OF CHURCH YET FUTURE AND GLORIOUS 135 
 
 personal, religious and political freedom are so entrenched 
 in the human heart that it is seemingly secure, there are 
 many other things which must be settled before man will 
 be thoroughly emancipated from the dominion of sin. 
 All progress of the past has been attained by man's men- 
 tal enlightenment coupled with his experimental knowl- 
 edge of good. And as soon as it is scientifically demon- 
 strated that the precepts of God always lead to peace and 
 greatest happiness, every barrier will be removed from 
 the path of advancement in righteousness. As man ad- 
 vances, every plant not planted by the Father will be 
 rooted up. (Matt. 15:13.) Thus, enlightenment will 
 overthrow every form of sectarianism so that the com- 
 mandments of God will have no opposition through divi- 
 sions, for the "Watchmen shall lift up the voice . . . 
 together . . . for they shall see eye to eye." (Isa. 
 52:8.) "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of 
 the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." (Isa. 11:9.) 
 The word of God is now being given to every race of 
 man in his native language, and as soon as they can learn 
 to use the masterkey of interpretation — "comparing spir- 
 itual things with spiritual" (1 Cor. 2:13) — the strong 
 power of Satan will be broken, and the race, so long 
 led captive by his will, will be liberated. Here is work in 
 which every follower of Christ can be engaged, reaping a 
 bountiful harvest. But they must mind the same thing 
 and w T alk by the same rule by which the apostles and 
 early Christians were governed. 
 
 God's way in the Biblical past was to array one evil 
 against another that they might consume each other 
 until they were so weakened that they largely lost their 
 power for evil. Just so he is dealing with man at the 
 present, and out of all the conflict and strife between 
 human institutions will be revealed the omnipotent hand 
 of God as he makes the wrath of man to praise him. 
 (Ps. 76:10.) On the ruins of each conflict will be erected 
 a monument proclaiming to all generations the folly of 
 sin and forgetfulness of God. Doubtless, as the ages 
 
136 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 roll on, they will become so numerous and large that 
 none will care to experiment on his own account, but will 
 take it for granted that doing right always brings good 
 accompanied by happiness, while wrong-doing brings only 
 evil and leaves misery and woe in its wake. 
 
 As I see it, and as the word of God seems to indicate, 
 nothing but the realization of the superior nature and 
 outworking of God's guidance through the divine scrip- 
 tures of eternal truth will be able to wean men from 
 worldly systems which can never be perfected, but are 
 manipulated after the slight and cunning of men. As 
 God has said his word shall not return unto him void, 
 but it shall accomplish that which he pleases, and it shall 
 prosper in the thing whereto he sent it. (Isa. 55:11.) 
 Our Lord said at the tomb of Lazarus, addressing the 
 Father, "I know that thou always heareth me." (John 
 11:42; New Testament in modern speech.) 
 
 Then, let us take courage and press on in the fight 
 for the unity of God's people (first making sure that we 
 ourselves are in harmony with him), knowing of a truth 
 that "God is not unrighteous to forget our work and 
 labor of love, which we show toward his name, in that 
 we have ministered to the saints and do minister. (Heb. 
 6 :10.) "For we are laborers together with God." (1 Cor. 
 3:9.) And, as such, we will receive a reward according 
 to our works. Also let us be sure if we do not raise up 
 in the power of God's might and carry on this work that 
 he will find others who will. Besides, as we labor for 
 the advancement of the kingdom of heaven, we are has- 
 tening the return of our Blessed Lord and Master, who 
 will permit us to ever be with him beholding his glory. 
 Having promise of the life that now is, and that which 
 is to come" (1 Tim. 4:8), "let us go on to perfection" 
 (Heb. 6:1) ; "then shall we be one in Christ, as he is in 
 the Father" (John 17:21), "and all things both in heaven 
 and earth will be in one, and all will know and obey 
 Christ Jesus as the glorious Son of God and Savior of 
 the world." 
 
UNITY OF CHURCH YET FUTURE AND GLORIOUS 137 
 
 May the Lord grant unto us that ye may ever keep in 
 mind that the greatest contribution we can make for the 
 salvation of the world and the speedy return of Christ 
 to claim his own is a pure, consecrated life, whose every 
 work shall be wrought in God. 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By C. C. Merritt. 
 
 John, in the seventeenth chapter of his gospel, gives 
 us a record of what is properly called the Lord's prayer. 
 Many times did He pray, but few of His prayers have 
 been recorded. This prayer is unique. On the day of 
 His betrayal, knowing what Judas had promised to do 
 for thirty pieces of silver, His first concern was for those 
 with whom He had labored and whom He had chosen 
 "out of" the world unto a work which was the burden 
 of His life; just before entering into the garden of 
 sorrows, where He poured out His soul unto God on 
 His own behalf, He prayed for the protection and the 
 glorification of His disciples. 
 
 A prayer for unity, indeed ; but of what does unity 
 consist? Not so much as harmony among themselves — 
 agreeableness — as it is of a true character and unity of 
 purpose — the Godgiven purpose — "as Thou hast sent me, 
 even so send I them/' 
 
 The Allies, in the great European war, gave much 
 attention unto the unity of their armies, not so much for 
 unity's sake, nor for the armies' sake, as for the result 
 of what otherwise might have meant the downfall or sub- 
 ordination of their country for generations. So it was 
 not for the mere sake of unity that Christ prayed, but, 
 looking forward to the accomplishment of the very pur- 
 pose for which He came into this world, "He is not 
 willing that any should perish but that all should come to 
 repentance." So He says, "As Thou hath sent me, even 
 so send I them into the world." "Go ye into all the 
 world and preach the gospel to every creature ; he that 
 believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that be- 
 lieveth not shall be condemned." "Every kingdom . . , 
 city . . . house divided against itself can not stand." 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 139 
 
 So neither can it accomplish the purpose for which it 
 was established. 
 
 The Prayer. — Taking it up from the standpoint of our 
 subject, we will consider first the request for oneness: 
 "That they may be one" — "those whom thou hast given 
 me" and " all that shall believe on me through their 
 word." We, the professed followers of Jesus Christ, are 
 the ones for whom this request was made. What does 
 this "one" mean? Jesus says, "As thou, Father, art in 
 me and I in thee, that they may be one in us." To His 
 disciples, Christ said : "As the branch can not bear fruit 
 of itself except it abide in the vine, so neither can ye, 
 except ye abide in me." Christ is at "one" with God, and 
 we can not "bear fruit" except we are at "one" with 
 Christ, nor will the world believe that we are sent of 
 Christ and Christ of God except we are also at "one" 
 with each other. "Oneness" among ourselves is this : 
 "That ye be of the same mind, having the same love, be- 
 ing of one accord, of one mind; doing nothing through 
 faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, 
 each counting the other better than himself." (Phil. 2: 
 2-3.) 
 
 As we have it in John 17, oneness consists of : 
 (1) Our being Christ's and God's: "I manifested thy 
 name unto the men whom thou hast given me out of 
 the world: thine they were and thou hast given them 
 to me" "Ye were bought with a price." (1 Cor. 6:20.) 
 Nothing short of our accepting Christ as our Savior and 
 God as our Father (Rom. 8:15) will suffice unto the pos- 
 sibility of our becoming at one with Him. We must con- 
 sider ourselves as sinners condemned and rush to Him 
 for a refuge to our souls. "Him who knew no sin he 
 made to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the 
 righteousness of God in him." (2 Cor. 5:21.) 
 
 (2) Kept in the Name of Christ: "Holy Father, 
 keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that 
 they may be one, even as we are." Peter gave the signifi- 
 cance of this when he said, "Lord, to whom shall we go ? 
 
140 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 seeing thou hast the words of eternal life." (Acts 4:12.) 
 "And in none other is there salvation : for neither is there 
 any other name under heaven that is given among men, 
 whereby we must be saved." Neither are we to work 
 under any other name than the name of Christ. (Mark 9 : 
 41.) "For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to 
 drink, because ye are Christ's, verily I say unto you, he 
 shall in no wise lose his reward." How awful would it 
 be, then, for us, who are Christ's, to give even a cup 
 of water to drink in the name of any other person or 
 thing than Christ's ! To this request we can add the 
 assurance Paul has given us in the latter part of the 
 eighth chapter of Romans that God does keep us so long 
 as we are "in Christ." Its meaning is this : "While I 
 was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou 
 hast given me ; and I guarded them, and not one of them 
 perished, but the son of perdition, that the scriptures 
 might be fulfilled." "I pray not that thou shouldest 
 take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep 
 them from the evil one." 
 
 (3) Our not Being "of the World: "They are not 
 of the world, even as I am not of the world." We are 
 "in" the world, but we are not "of" it. And for this 
 reason the world hates us. The writer of the Hebrew 
 letter said (Heb. 11:13-14): "These all died in faith, 
 not having received the promises, but having seen them 
 and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that 
 they w T ere strangers and pilgrims on the earth ; for they 
 that say such things make it manifest that they are seek- 
 ing after a country of their own." How different is this 
 from those who have become settlers on the earth, who 
 have set their minds upon things on the 'earth! These 
 "settlers" turn a deaf ear to: "I go to prepare a place 
 for you, that where I am there ye may be also." Jesus 
 does not want us taken from the world now, for He 
 wants many more to be added unto us ; but the time is 
 coming when He will take us unto himself, as He 
 prayed : "Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 141 
 
 given me be with me where I am" ("and I am no more in 
 the world," verse 11), "that they may behold my glory, 
 which thou hast given me: for thou lovest me before the 
 foundation of the world." 
 
 (4) Consecration: "Sanctify them in the truth: thy 
 word is truth." "Sanctify" is to be separated from com- 
 mon use and dedicated unto the uncommon, which in 
 this case is the "word of truth." Now, we are to "study 
 . . . rightly dividing the word of truth," while for- 
 merly we were interested only in fiction, society, business, 
 and what not ! Do we want to become righteous and be 
 more worthy the name of Christ? Then study His word, 
 for it is "quick and powerful (living and active), and 
 sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing even to 
 the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and mar- 
 row, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the 
 heart." (Heb. 4:12.) Many, many Christians will "have 
 whereof to be ashamed in the last day" because they have 
 refused to be consecrated in the word of truth. Jesus 
 says of those whom God had given him, "and they have 
 kept thy word." This same thing he wishes to be said of 
 those "who shall believe on me through their word." 
 Can this be said of us? 
 
 (5) Faith: "For the words which thou hast given 
 me, I have given unto them : and they have received them, 
 and know of a truth that I came forth from thee, and 
 they believe that thou didst send me." Not only are 
 we to receive Christ as a "leader," but we are to believe 
 that He came from God and that God sent Him. This 
 is accepting everything concerning His "conception," 
 "born of a virgin," "death and resurrection" and glorifica- 
 tion. He is our "sin-bearer," and that "He knew no sin 
 but was made to be sin on our behalf." Faithful obedi- 
 ence unto all He has said is required of faith. If the 
 "word of faith" is in our hearts, it will find expression 
 in our obedience to that word. "Faith comes by hearing 
 the word of God." "But thanks be unto God, that, 
 whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from 
 
142 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 the heart unto that form of teaching vvhereunto we were 
 delivered, and being made free from sin ye became serv- 
 ants of righteousness." (Rom. 6:17-18.) 
 
 (6) Love: "I made known unto them thy name, 
 and will make it known ; that the love wherewith thou 
 lovedst me may be in them, and I in them." Indeed, 
 there can be no unity with God without "the love where- 
 with thou lovedst me." "God so loved the world" that 
 "He was not willing that any should perish." But how 
 say some of us? For we are not willing to be sent in the 
 world by Christ, for some have refused to go. And 
 what about the love we have show r n unto those who are 
 "called to be saints?" Yea, there can not be that "biting 
 and devouring" among us except in the absence of that 
 love. "He that saith, I love God, and hateth his brother, 
 is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother, whom he 
 hath seen, can not love God, whom he hath not seen." 
 (1 John 4:20.) Someone has truly said, "Love is the 
 key to heaven." 
 
 But has this prayer for unity been answered, is it 
 being answered, or will it ever be answered? Only in a 
 limited sense can it be said that this prayer was answered. 
 In the absolute sense, the prayer has not been answered, 
 and, to judge the future by the past and present, we 
 may say that in this sense it will not be answered. 
 
 Paul's letter to the Corinthians shows that as early as 
 the days in which the apostles taught, dissensions and 
 divisions occurred. History reveals to us the fact that 
 up to the present time divisions have been on the in- 
 crease, and the present shows no mark of a decline in the 
 true sense of the word. 
 
 What may be said of the future can only be the re- 
 statement of some predictions we find in the New Testa- 
 ment. I shall give below a few such passages in full, 
 and the reader may see for himself what the future has 
 for a favorable answer to this prayer for unity. "For 
 the Spirit saith expressly, that in the later times some 
 shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY 143 
 
 spirits and doctrines of demons/' (1 Tim. 4:1.) "But 
 know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. 
 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, 
 haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, un- 
 holy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, 
 without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, 
 headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than 
 lovers of God; holding the form of Godliness but deny- 
 ing the power thereof : from these also turn away/' 
 (2 Tim. 3 :l-5.) "In the last time there shall be mockers, 
 walking after their own ungodly lusts." (Jude 18.) 
 2 Pet. 3 :3-4, says : "Knowing this first, that in the last 
 days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after 
 their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his 
 coming? for, from the day our fathers fell asleep, all 
 things continue as they were from the beginning of the 
 creation. " Jesus says, "When the Son of Man cometh, 
 shall he find (the) faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8.) 
 Many other passages could be cited to show the gen- 
 eral condition at the time which is designated as "the 
 last days," which does not give much encouragement to 
 the idea that "some sweet day we shall all be united on 
 this earth in one common faith and practice." May God 
 help us all to be one, even as Christ and God are one. 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By C. D. Moore. 
 
 It is generally known that this memorable prayer is 
 found in the seventeenth chapter of John. Jesus first 
 prayed that his apostles might be kept in perfect agree- 
 ment, or oneness, so that the world, which was to hear 
 their testimony, might be convinced that Jesus Christ is 
 the Son of the living God, because it is well known that 
 if the witnesses in support of that which is alleged are 
 not one, or agreed in their testimony, the court or jury 
 can not believe the allegation. God alleged that this 
 Jesus is "My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." 
 
 Therefore, as the world can not be saved without be- 
 lieving that this Jesus is the Son of God, and as it can 
 not believe that, except the witnesses are agreed in their 
 testimony, it is very apparent that the prayer of Jesus 
 (verses, 11, 22 and 23) for the oneness or agreement of 
 the apostles (the witnesses) is of utmost importance and 
 of unlimited value to the world. 
 
 As the testimony of the apostles constitutes the New 
 Testament, and it is in perfect harmony, agreement and 
 oneness in all its declarations, we conclude that the Sa- 
 vior's prayer for the oneness of the apostles was fully 
 answered by the Father. Therefore, so far as the one- 
 ness of the apostles' testimony is concerned, the world 
 has no excuse for not believing the allegation or claim 
 that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And it is so im- 
 portant that the world believe this that Jesus said "He 
 that believeth not, shall be damned ; but he that believeth 
 and is baptized shall be saved. " 
 
 But the unity of the apostles is not all that is necessary 
 in order to convince the world in general that Jesus 
 was sent of God. The ones who hear and believe the 
 testimony of the apostles must also be a unit and agreed, 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 145 
 
 "that the world may believe [hat thou hast sent me." 
 Therefore, Jesus prayed "for them also which shall be- 
 lieve on me through their word (the word of the 
 apostles), that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art 
 in me, and I in ihee, that they also may be one in us; 
 that the -acrid may believe lhat'lhou hast sent me" (verses 
 20 and 21). 
 
 At Jerusalem, on the first Pentecost after the death 
 of Christ, the apostles began to "bear witness" that the 
 one whom the world had just recently crucified was the 
 Christ, the Son of the living God. Their testimony was 
 as the voice of one strong and truthful witness. They 
 were a unit in their testimony concerning all the points 
 at issue. They spake as the one spirit gave them the 
 worch to utter. And through the remainder of their 
 lives they continued to thus speak and to write their testi- 
 mony in perfect unity. There were no discrepancies in 
 what they preached and wrote, as witnesseth the oneness 
 of the New Testimony, which is their testimony. 
 
 When they preached and proved at Jerusalem that 
 Jesus was raised from the dead by the Father, and that 
 "God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, 
 both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36), many of them 
 who heard the testimony believed and were baptized, and 
 their sins were pardoned. "And all that believed were 
 together." They were a unit. This body of baptized and 
 saved people was the church — the one church which 
 Christ had before said He would build. Th^ people was 
 a unit, just as Christ had prayed that His followers might 
 be. And for quite awhile they remained in the oneness 
 for which Jesus had no earnestly prayed; and as a result, 
 "fear came upon every soul," and there was but little 
 to hinder the Lord from adding "to the church daily such 
 as should be saved." As long as the church was a unit, 
 or was in that oneness for which Jesus praved. there 
 was but little to hinder "the world" from believing that 
 Jesus was sent of God, and that He was the Son of the 
 living God. 
 
146 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 We have seen that the apostles were kept in such 
 perfect unity of mind and mouth that they gave to the 
 world but one gospel, but one plan of salvation, and but 
 one church by that one gospel. And we may see by the 
 New Testament that the one church was established in 
 many localities by this one gospel, and that the church in 
 one locality was like the church in another locality in 
 doctrine, faith, practice, organization, name and spirit. 
 Therefore, we conclude that the Savior's prayer for the 
 oneness of the apostles, and of the church, was answered, 
 and that the oneness of both apostles and church was 
 established. 
 
 But we may see by reading the fifteenth chapter of 
 Acts that certain brethren from Judea went to Antioch 
 and taught some erroneous doctrine. And that they drew 
 Paul into the case, and afterward the other apostles and 
 elders at Jerusalem. It seemed to be their purpose to 
 destroy the oneness of the church, and hence they tried 
 to array Paul and the other apostles against each other. 
 But when these preachers and elders got together at 
 Jerusalem they settled the matter very peaceably and saved 
 the church from dividing, thus preserving the oneness 
 for which the Savior prayed so very earnestly. And 
 how the church at Antioch did rejoice over this restora- 
 tion of peace and unity ! 
 
 We may also learn from Paul's letters to the church 
 at Corinth (about twenty-six years after the beginning 
 of the church at Jerusalem) that the brethren there at 
 Corinth became divided in sentiment about some 
 preachers who came there claiming to be apostles of 
 Christ. What all they preached that was wrong, I do 
 not know ; but one can form a right good idea of it by 
 reading Paul's corrections of error in his letters to the 
 church at Corinth. 
 
 It is strongly intimated in Paul's corrective replies 
 that those church disturbers, or unity destroyers, were 
 "ministers of Satan transformed into angels of light." 
 However, Paul's letters to the church restored the one- 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 147 
 
 ness, and the brethren were so disgusted with themselves 
 for being led into the errors that they felt like taking 
 vengeance on themselves. (2 Cor. 7:11.) 
 
 It is also intimated that those " false apostles" were 
 trying to build themselves up by tearing Paul down, so 
 that he had to defend his apostleship against their at- 
 tacks. But he saved the church from dividing. He 
 besought them by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 
 that they all be of the same mind, and of the same 
 judgment, and all speak the same thing, that there be 
 no divisions among them : but that they be perfectly 
 joined together. That is the kind of oneness for which 
 Jesus prayed. 
 
 Since the death of the apostles, many divisions have 
 come, and the one church has been almost murdered by 
 designing men. Instead of there being but the one 
 church (the kind that Paul and the other apostles were 
 members of), there are hundreds of different kinds be- 
 sides it. Contrary to the prayer of Jesus, His professed 
 followers are most awfully divided, and do not seem to 
 care for the oneness for which He so earnestly prayed. 
 Had all believers been satisfied to abide in the teaching 
 of the apostles, there would have been but one church 
 or body of believers today. But it appears that some 
 were not satisfied with what was written, and so they 
 began to introduce additional doctrines, of men, and the 
 "one body" has divided again and again over the opin- 
 ions of men. And all this in spite of our Savior's prayer 
 for unity. 
 
OUR LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By Ira C. Moore. 
 
 Unity among the believers in Christ is the one clear, 
 pathetic note in the prayer of our Lord, as recorded in 
 the seventeenth chapter of John. The burden upon His 
 soul was great, for He knew the purpose of His mis- 
 sion to earth and His message to men. He knew that 
 the history of man demonstrated that "it is not in man 
 that walketh to direct his own steps" (Jer. 10:23), and 
 that "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." 
 (Ps. 37:23.) He knew that man, when left to himself, 
 had gone farther and farther into sin, and that in con- 
 sequence of man's inability to direct his own steps, or 
 "by searching to find out God," that a divine standard 
 must be lifted up for all nations, peoples and tongues, 
 for all time, to follow, and that He was sent "for a 
 light to the Gentiles, that He might be my salvation to 
 the ends of the earth." (Isa. 49:6.) The angel had 
 declared that, "Thou shalt call his name Jesus ; for it is 
 he that shall save his people from their sins." (Matt. 
 1:21.) And he well knew that if man was not saved 
 from his sins here in this life he could not be saved 
 eternally in the heavens. His burden was great because 
 his responsibilities were great. His prayer, therefore, 
 was a fervent one. Lie did not wish His mission to man 
 to be a failure, and so His invitation is, "Come unto 
 me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
 give you rest" (Matt. 11:28) ; and He declares, "I am 
 the way, and the truth, and the life : no one cometh 
 unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6.) 
 
 There is no dispute or contention over whether Jesus 
 our Lord prayed earnestly for unity among His fol- 
 lowers, but differences arise over the nature of that 
 unity. It was more than union for which He prayed, 
 
our lord's prayer for unity 149 
 
 for there can be a union without unity. A wicked boy 
 might tie the tails of two cats together and hang the cats 
 over a clothesline, and they would fight to the death. 
 There would be union but not unity. The numerous 
 divorces granted to men and women show that there 
 can be and are many unions without unity. It was such 
 a union as would produce unity, a oneness; or, using 
 His own description, "that they may all be one, even as 
 thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee," that He desired 
 among them that profess to believe on Him. Not to see 
 the necessity for Christian unity is blindness, and to 
 persist in keeping up divisions and what prevents unity 
 is gross perversity or blindness. 
 
 Absolute unity is in Christ's teaching and life, and 
 nothing but unity in his body or among those profess- 
 ing to be his followers can be the answer to his prayer; 
 and that means unity in teaching and practice among 
 them, and that unity will result in the one body, the 
 church. The plea is made in behalf of the present divi- 
 sion of the religious forces into denominations that, 
 though thus divided, they "are all one, as the Savior 
 prayed ; for all are worshiping the same God and all 
 are trying to get to the same heaven." The unity for 
 which Jesus prayed has more elements in it than these. 
 If these two points of agreement make all the warring 
 and rivaling parties one, then the term Protestant has 
 no significance or meaning, for all parties among the 
 Catholics are "worshiping the same God and trying to 
 get to the same heaven," and so are all the Mormon 
 factions. Then, Catholicism and Mormonism are, after 
 all, one with all the denominations! The war that 
 Protestants make upon Catholicism, and that the denomi- 
 nations make upon Mormonism, disproves the veneered 
 allegation that all the denominations constitute but one 
 church and is the fulfillment of the Savior's prayer. 
 His prayer was for such a unity among His followers 
 or friends as exists between him and his Father. If there 
 is not now division existing among religious people, it 
 
150 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 would be impossible to conceive of division. That the 
 professed disciples of Christ should divide into almost 
 innumerable parties or denominations is not the condi- 
 tion for which our Lord prayed. Denominationalism is 
 the defeat of His prayer. 
 
 In view of this, there is no denominational basis for 
 Christian unity for which He prayed. The conditions 
 that came into existence under the direct teaching of 
 the apostles whom Jesus sent out to bring about the 
 answer to His prayer, furnish us with a concrete ex- 
 ample of the kind of unity for which He prayed. The 
 faith that His disciples then had is the faith to have 
 now. The church they became members of and lived 
 and labored in is the one people should become mem- 
 bers of now and live and labor in. The conditions they 
 complied with then to be saved and to become members 
 of His body, are the conditions of salvation that should 
 be complied with now\ These are necessary to bring 
 about the unity for which Jesus prayed. And just as 
 far as these conditions obtain, either collectively or in- 
 dividually, His prayer is being answered. 
 
 By the authority of heaven there is but "one faith" 
 (Eph. 4:5), and that is the one that is made "by hearing 
 the zvord of Christ" (Rom. 10:17.) This excludes the 
 doctrines and commandments, decrees and dogmas of 
 men as elements of the faith necessary to the desired 
 unity. 
 
 By the authority of the Head of the church there 
 can be but one repentance, and that is a repentance into 
 or according to the divine system that makes the "one 
 faith." It is not a "sorrow for sin," but is that turning 
 away from sin unto righteousness that such a sorrow 
 causes. (2 Cor. 7:10.) 
 
 The great Head of the church, Christ Jesus, has au- 
 thorized but <( one baptism" (Eph. 4:5.) And it is one 
 that requires: (1) Water (Acts 10:47; John 3:5); 
 (2) much water (John 3:23) ; (3) going down into the 
 water (Acts 8:38) ; (4) handling the candidate (Acts 8: 
 
our lord's prayer for unity 151 
 
 38; Matt. 28:19); (5) a birth of water (John 3:5); 
 (6) a burial (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12); (7) form of 
 planting (Rom. 6:5); (8) washing the body (Heb. 10: 
 22; Titus 3:5); (9) form of resurrection (Rom. 6: 
 5; Col. 2:12-13) ; (10) coming up out of the water (Mark 
 1:10; Acts 8:38). 
 
 The place and purpose of this one baptism is indi- 
 cated by the commission, "Go ye into all the world and 
 preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that be- 
 lieveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that dis- 
 believeth shall be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16.) When 
 the inquiry was first made about what to do to be saved, 
 the inspired answer was, "Repent ye, and be baptized 
 every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the 
 remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of 
 the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38.) 
 
 Christ Jesus, the great Head and Lawgiver of the 
 church, authorized and established but one church or 
 body. "On this rock," said he, "I will build my church, 
 and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." 
 (Matt. 16:18.) "There is one body/' (Eph, 4:5.) 
 "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and 
 all the members of the body, being many, are one body." 
 (1 Cor. 12:12.) "For in one Spirit were we all bap- 
 tized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether 
 bond or free." (1 Cor. 12:13.) "But now they are 
 many members, but one body!' (Verse 20.) "Now ye 
 are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof." 
 (Verse 27.) "And He put all things in subjection under 
 his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the 
 church, which is his body, the fulness of him that 
 filleth all in all." (Eph. 1:22-23.) "For the husband 
 is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of 
 the church, being himself the Savior of the body. 33 (Eph. 
 5:23.) And he is the head of the body, the church. 33 
 (Col. 1 :18.) ". . . for his body's sake, which is the 
 church. 33 (Col. 1:24.) "And let the peace of Christ 
 rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in 
 
152 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 one body; and be ye thankful." (Col. 3:15.) This one 
 bodv is called in scripture "the church" (Acts 8:1), the 
 "church of God" (1 Cor. 1 :2) ; "the church of the First- 
 born" (Heb. 12:23). 
 
 Accepting Christ as sole authority in religion, the 
 church of Christ will be restored zvith all its functions 
 and glory as in the beginning. Of the first Christians it 
 is written : "And the multitude of them that believed 
 were of one heart and soul." (Acts 4:32.) This is the 
 kind of unity for which Jesus prayed. It was realized 
 then only to the extent that people yielded to the gospel 
 and became of "one heart and soul" in the "one body, 
 which is the church," and it is being realized now only 
 to the same extent. 
 
 Submitting to the authority of Jesus, and ignoring 
 all other, will bring about the keeping of the ordinances 
 of the church as they were delivered by Christ and His 
 apostles. On the first day of the week, the early dis- 
 ciples assembled together and observed the Lord's sup- 
 per in memory of their Lord's death and resurrection. 
 To prepare themselves for this, they engaged in teaching 
 and admonishing one another and then giving of their 
 means as they had been prospered for the work of the 
 Lord. They had no "church socials," "bazaars," or 
 entertainments of any kind for raising funds for church 
 work. Their music was made in the church assembly 
 by the human voice and not upon instruments of music. 
 They recognized Jesus as their Head, Lawgiver, Prophet, 
 Priest and King, and without His authority they ven- 
 tured not, and in order to preserve unity we are ad- 
 monished that, "Whosoever goeth onward and abideth 
 not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that 
 abideth in the teaching of Christ, the same hath both 
 the Father and the Son." (2 John, ninth verse). And as 
 there is perfect unity between the Father and the Son, 
 there will be that unity among all those who have the 
 Father and the Son. Just to the extent that people 
 recognize the one God and Father of the one Lord Jesus 
 
our lord's prayer for unity 153 
 
 Christ and His universal authority and kingship, have 
 the "one faith," submit to the "one baptism," live and 
 labor in the "one body or church," they are exhibiting 
 the "one spirit" and are "one, even as the Father and the 
 Son are one." May the Lord speed the day when: 
 
 "Our Savior's holy prayer, 
 
 His tenderest and His last, 
 The utterance of His latest care 
 
 Ere to the cross He passed ; 
 No longer unfulfilled remain, 
 The world's offense, the people's stain." 
 
HOW SHOULD WE PRAY? 
 By J. C. Mosely. 
 
 Christ prayed first that they all be one, as He and 
 His father were one. (John 17:21.) Christ has plainly 
 taught us that we must be one in the plan God gave us, 
 and to be one and have God for our Father we must 
 be in His family ; then we can say, "Our Father, who art 
 in heaven" ; but until we are adopted into His family 
 we can not call Him our father. To be His we must 
 be brothers and sisters to Christ by hearing His word 
 and obeying it. (Luke 8:21.) When this is done it 
 puts us all in Christ. We must all be born into the 
 kingdom — born of water and of the Spirit ; whence we 
 are born of water because God's word tells us to. We 
 are born of water and of the Spirit, for Christ says, 
 "My words they are spirit and they are life/' (John 6: 
 63.) And a man never is in His kingdom, in His body, 
 in His church, in His family, till he is translated out of 
 Satan's kingdom, or kingdom of darkness, into Christ. 
 
 Now we take a child in Satan's kingdom. God sent 
 His word, which is His grace or favor, to the sinner ; 
 it must be taught to him, he must hear, believe, repent, 
 confess and be baptized into Christ. This puts him into 
 Christ. (Rom. 6.4.) Now he has put on Christ. (Gal. 
 3:27.) Now that he is planted into Christ's death, he 
 is in Christ's body, where the blood can cleanse him from 
 sin; now that he has obeyed the will of God that saves 
 from past sins he can pray God's will to be done ; now 
 that we are new-born babes in Christ, we must feed 
 on the word that we may grow. (1 Pet. 2:2.) Now 
 we must be one in everything that God commands us, 
 so we must wear the one name. If we wear any other, 
 we are not one in the will of God. If we are in Christ 
 we are Christians (Acts 11:26 and 26:28, and 1 Pet. 4: 
 
HOW SHOULD WE PRAY ? 155 
 
 16), and there is none other name under heaven whereby 
 we must be saved. (Acts 4:12.) Now that we are mar- 
 ried to Christ (Rom. 7:4), let's honor him by wearing 
 his name; if you are going to wear John the Baptist's 
 name, you will have to be saved in his name, and he 
 will sure have to be your savior at the judgment. Well, 
 says someone, wasn't the thief saved without wearing 
 Christ's name, or being baptized, either? The thief 
 could not be baptized into Christ's death till Christ died, 
 and a man had to be in Christ to be a Christian. Christ 
 arose from the grave and left the thieves in the grave, 
 and forty days later Christ said, "he that believeth and 
 is baptized shall be saved." The thieves never did hear 
 Christ give this commission. Now, the command is to 
 be baptized into Christ, and until this is done you are 
 not in Christ, and out of Christ you are lost, without 
 hope of a Savior. Now, to be one you must have one 
 guide, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God the 
 father of us all, and one way (Eph. 4:5), one body or 
 church, one spirit, one hope, one calling. (Eph. 4:4.) 
 We must be buried by baptism into his death. (Rom. 
 6:4.) We must be married to Christ. (Rom. 7:4.) 
 Now, if we can be one in this we are now ready to 
 pray God's will be done. It is God's will for us to meet 
 and break bread and He commands us to not forsake 
 this as the manner of some is. (Heb. 10:25.) Now, 
 the one time to do this is on the first day of the week. 
 (Acts 20:7.) Not some week, but the week. Nov/, how 
 often to do this is steadfastly. (Acts 2:42.) What it is 
 for — to remember Christ (1 Cor. 11:24), and to show 
 his death till he comes again. (1 Cor. 11:26.) Unless 
 you do this you have no life in you. (John 6:53.) Now, 
 if you don't do these things, your prayer is not accept- 
 able in the sight of God. You must not pray for God to 
 send you power in secret to do these things, for the 
 gospel is the power of God to save. (Rom. 1:16.) 
 All these commands are from God, for Christ spake as 
 God told him. (John 12:49.) You must not pray for 
 
156 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 the Comforter to come, for Christ prayed for the 
 Comforter and he came on the day of Pentecost, com- 
 forted the apostles and brought to their remembrance 
 what Christ had said. (John 14:20.) It guided them. 
 (John 16:13.) It came to bear them witness. (John 15: 
 27.) It came to teach them all things. (John 14:26.) 
 This baptism of the Holy Ghost was Christ's prayer an- 
 swered. Now, Christ prays for all that are given him 
 through their (the apostles') word. (John 17:20-21.) 
 Now, these apostles have the Spirit to guide them for 
 the first time since Christ prayed for it ; now they stand 
 up and tell the people to repent and be baptized for the 
 remission of their sins and they shall receive the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38), or a gift of this comfort- 
 ing power. The man guided by the Spirit told Saul to 
 arise and be baptized and wash his sins away, calling on 
 the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16.) Now Paul can 
 pray according to God's will ; he has obeyed it thus far. 
 These apostles all were baptized with the Holy Ghost, 
 all taught one way to be saved from past sins, and Christ 
 himself said before the Holy Ghost came, "He that be- 
 lieveth and is baptized shall be saved." (Mark 16:16.) 
 
 Christ never prayed for the Holy Ghost to come 
 and save us ; he said it would show the apostles what to 
 tell us to do to be saved, and they told it the same day it 
 fell on them. (Acts 2:37-38.) Now, a sinner must not 
 pray for grace, for it has come to all men teaching them. 
 The sinner must not pray for sanctification, for we are 
 sanctified through the truth ; thy word is truth. A sinner 
 must do what God tells him to do to be saved; then he 
 knows God will not lie to him ; he will be saved from 
 past sin, and then if he holds out faithful to the end he 
 will be saved eternally. 
 
 Now, you see the prayer of our Savior is for all to 
 be one, and I pray that all children obey him, and if 
 they love him they will keep his commandments. (John 
 14:15.) All God's blessings are given in Christ jesus. 
 (Eph. 1 :3.) We must get into Christ and then we are 
 
HOW SHOULD WE PRAY? 157 
 
 ready to pray God's will to be done, and not before. 
 Man must pray lifting up holy hands. This makes him 
 obey the whole law of pardon to the sinner before he 
 can pray lifting up holy hands. Cornelius prayed to 
 God always, and the angel told him to send for Peter. 
 (Acts 10:32.) "He will tell the word what thou and all 
 thy house can do to be saved." (Acts 11 :14.) Now we 
 see Cornelius prayed always and had to hear words of 
 Peter to be saved. These words were these : "Can any 
 man forbid water that these should not be baptized?" 
 These were the words Peter spoke to him that were to 
 save him ; he commanded them to be baptized in the 
 name of Jesus. (Acts 10:47-48.) Cornelius was a good 
 man, an alms-giving man, and prayed to God always; 
 and a devout man, and had seen and talked with an 
 angel, but had to be baptized in the water in the name 
 of the Lord Jesus to be saved, for these were the words 
 Peter commanded him. (Acts 10:47-48.) There is no 
 place in the Bible where a sinner is commanded to 
 pray his sins away ; he must be baptized and wash them 
 away. (Acts 22:16.) He must not pray alone to be 
 saved, for Christ said we must be baptized to be saved. 
 (Mark 16:16.) Let us all do what Christ says; he is our 
 Savior; if you do what any man says that is not in 
 God's word, you must look to that man to save you at 
 the judgment. 
 
 Dear sinner, obey God's word, wear his one name 
 and partake of the one spiritual food and cling to one 
 Lord, one faith, one baptism, and we will all be one and 
 all be saved in answer to Christ's prayer. Do this. 
 His word teaches us how to pray, what to pray for and 
 when to pray ; and when this is done like Christ taught 
 us, we can rest assured we will meet in that sweet home 
 of rest to dwell forever with our God. May God bless 
 every man that obeys His will. Pray continually. 
 
UNITY. 
 By J. A. Perry. 
 
 One of the most remarkable sermons ever preached 
 by our Savior we find recorded in John 13. This dis- 
 course had an audience at the beginning of twelve, but 
 at the close it had only eleven listeners. In this sermon 
 He had promised His apostles the Holy Spirit, telling 
 them what he would do when he came and how they 
 should be witnesses of Him, because they had been with 
 Him from the beginning. In this sermon he had said, 
 "I am the vine, and ye (the apostles) are the branches." 
 Jesus followed this with an equally remarkable prayer. 
 In this prayer He made strong petitions. First for the 
 apostles He prayed, saying, "I pray for them: I pray 
 not for the world, but for them which thou hast given 
 me; for they are thine." . . . "Holy Father, keep 
 through thine own name those whom thou hast given 
 me, that they may be one, as we are/ 5 
 
 "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also 
 which 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." (John 17:9, 11, 
 20, 21.) This, then, is the will of God, and with the 
 apostles it was answered — there was this unity. This 
 was also accomplished with the early church by the 
 watchfulness of the apostles, and their earnest instruc- 
 tion and warnings in the first Corinthian and Galatian 
 letters, warning against Judaizing teachers who would 
 blend the law of Moses with the gospel of Christ; 
 warning against divisions over preachers, immoralities 
 and works of carnality, or the following after fleshly 
 desires. This prayer obtained for some three hundred 
 years, and not until we reach the first Council of Nice, 
 
UNITY 159 
 
 325, do we find formal division. But today wc do not 
 find the prayer answered. 
 
 During the time when the people who claimed to be 
 followers of Christ were united, the church was over- 
 coming all opposition ; and even if persecution was ob- 
 taining, the blood of martyrs was a power in the growth 
 of the church, and Rome trembled. 
 
 Had this prayer still continued to be answered be- 
 fore the end of the fourth century the kingdom would 
 have filled the w r hole earth. But the devil's work is 
 to divide, and as fast as he could he accomplished this ; 
 and by this he has kept up his kingdom. But now he 
 has more division on his hands than he can manage, 
 and his minions are crushing each other. The result of 
 this division is that infidelity has become a great power 
 in the land. 
 
 Now, in regard to what this union would accomplish. 
 Mr. H. L. Hastings, a man who did more to meet in- 
 fidelity in the last century than any other person in my 
 knowledge, presented a question in one of his tracts 
 against infidelity as follows : What would the result 
 be if we could get all the men, women and children old 
 enough to know right from wrong, in a single township 
 or county, to bring every creed, confession and book of 
 discipline (and I will add, as well, every law book), 
 together, pile them up in a pile, cover them with coal- 
 oil and burn them to ashes and all whole-heartedly take 
 the word of God, rightly divided, as their only rule of 
 faith and practice ? What would be the results ? Answer : 
 Every husband would be a good, true, noble and just 
 husband, and every wife would be gentle, loving and 
 obedient. Every father would be firm and yet kind to 
 his children, and every child would be obedient. Every 
 neighbor would be kind and gentle, and careful of the 
 welfare of every other neighbor. There would be no 
 need of sheriff or judge or constable in the county ; and 
 as far as that county is concerned, the millennium would 
 be here. Such a condition as this could obtain not only 
 
160 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 in a county but in a state ; and not only in a state, but 
 in the nation and in the world. 
 
 This prayer of our Savior is not being answered to- 
 day. But people, many of them, are seeing that some- 
 thing is decidedly wrong in the present order of things. 
 Beyond the shadow of a doubt the governments of 
 today are the toes of the image King Nebuchadnezzar 
 saw in his dream. (Daniel 2.) The mixed and mongrel 
 condition of the people in every county and province of 
 the world, and their lack of union show this; and, more 
 than that, every student of history can see the direct 
 connection with the last one of the four world mon- 
 archies — old Rome. The present world-wide war be- 
 gins to look, indeed, like the grinding to chaff or powder 
 of these toes, so that the wind can blow them away. 
 Now, the church ought to see the signs of the times and 
 be led to simply do our whole duty, which Solomon said 
 was "to fear God anl keep his commandments"; or. as 
 the poet says, "Trust and obey, for there's no ocher 
 way/' 
 
 Will this prayer of our Savior be answered? Yes. 
 God has spoken and has said that the kingdom of heaven, 
 so long a small stone cut out of the mountain without 
 hands, shall become a great mountain and fill the whole 
 earth. Jesus has said that every plant that our heavenly 
 Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. The Holy 
 Spirit has said that the devil shall be bound for one 
 thousand years; Jesus shall rule until all His enemies 
 shall be put under His feet. 
 
 Now, the citizens of the kingdom can hasten this 
 day by obeying the positive command, ''Whatsoever ye 
 do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord 
 Jesus''; by our speaking as the oracles of God sneak; 
 by coming out of all plants which our heavenly Father 
 has not planted, and we can learn that he has planted 
 only three plants, viz., first, the family ; second, the 
 Hebrew or Israelite nation, and third, the church or 
 kingdom of His Son. Every other organization of men 
 
UNITY 161 
 
 in this world separate from these three is a plan of man's 
 planting and must be rooted up. Then, by our speaking 
 plainly but kindly to the world in regard to Christ as a 
 King having all authority in heaven and on earth in His 
 hands, and showing them that all other authority, gov- 
 ernments and armies are in rebellion against Jesus, and 
 showing that in entrance into His kingdom a person must 
 have humble, trusting faith, repentance, confession and 
 baptism (immersion), into His name, and that when we 
 have taken these steps old things have passed away and 
 all things have become new. That now, while we are 
 in the world we are no longer of the world, but now 
 we are no longer strangers and foreigners, but are fellow- 
 citizens in the kingdom of Christ, and that now the 
 armor we are to wear is the girdle of truth, the breast- 
 plate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sandals 
 of peace, and the helmet the hope of salvation, and the 
 sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. When 
 this period comes, and it will come, we will hear no 
 complaint of rich growing richer and poor growing 
 poorer. But we will take God at His word when He 
 commands "avenge not yourselves ; vengeance belongeth 
 unto me; I will repay. If thine enemy hunger, feed him; 
 if he thirst, give him drink : for in so doing thou shalt 
 heap coals of fire on his head." 
 
 "Oh, hasten the day when all of God's people are 
 one." 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNION. 
 
 (John 17:20, 21.) 
 
 By C. Petty. 
 
 Here is the Savior's prayer for union, and the 
 greatest prayer that was ever uttered is this one; and 
 yet it has never been answered. Why has not this prayer 
 been answeerd, and can it be answered? Would the 
 Savior pray for something to be that he knew, at the 
 time he prayed, could not take place? He certainly 
 would not. Therefore, while it has not been answered, 
 it can be answered. 
 
 Then, what are the steps to be taken by his followers 
 to bring about the answer to this prayer? There must 
 be some steps that can be taken for this purpose, for 
 the Savior would not pray for an impossibility. The 
 first thing we need is the Spirit of Christ ; that is, the 
 spirit of submission to all the Savior said, just as he 
 was submissive to all his Father said, and he had no 
 will of his own; but whatever the Father's was, was his 
 will. He says : "For I have not spoken of myself ; but 
 the Father which sent me ; he gave me a commandment, 
 what I should say, and what I should speak. And I 
 know that his commandment is life everlasting: what- 
 soever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto 
 me, so I speak." (John 12:49, 50.) Here it is plainly 
 stated that he said nothing of himself; just what was 
 the Father's will, was his. 
 
 Now, if the disciples would be as submissive to the 
 Savior's will in everything as he was to his will, would 
 not this great prayer be answered? If not, why not? 
 For we would have the spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9), and 
 that would be the spirit of submission, and there is no 
 ene today that can pray that prayer with any will of 
 
THE SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNION 163 
 
 his own and expect his prayer to be answered. Now, 
 if all of God's people will come to this prayer for 
 union, without any hatred towards anyone, whether saint 
 or sinner, but in its stead have love for everyone in his 
 heart, even love for his enemies like the Savior had for 
 his enemies, and not only pray for union, but bring 
 his life into harmony with the Savior's teaching, with 
 no will of his own just as the Savior's, would not the 
 Savior's prayer be answered soon? If not, why not? 
 The Savior has not required his followers to do things 
 impossible ; therefore, it can be answered if we will fol- 
 low the directions laid down in the Bible for this great 
 purpose, and strife and dissension among us would cease, 
 and all would be working and praying for all of God's 
 people to be one, even as the Savior and his Father were 
 one. 
 
 Now, if there is a single disciple that has any will or 
 wisdom of his own that he is trying to persuade men to 
 follow, that disciple is working against that prayer being 
 answered. So, let's surrender our wills entirely for the 
 will of the Master and say, "Thy will, not mine, be done 
 on earth, as it is in heaven," and all work, preach and 
 pray for all of God's people to be one, as the Father and 
 Son are one. Then the world will be made to believe 
 that the Father sent the Son. 
 
UNITY IN CHRIST. 
 By John T. Poe. 
 
 "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also 
 which 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." (John 17:20, 21.) 
 Thus prayed Jesus on the list night before his crucifixion. 
 He had just eaten the last Passover supper with his dis- 
 ciples, and had instituted what we now call the Lord's 
 supper, and had gone with them to the park or garden 
 of Gethsemane, about three-quarters of a mile from the 
 walls of Jerusalem. His hour had come — that hour for 
 which he was born ; the hour when a guilty world was 
 about to lay its hand upon his head as its substitute vic- 
 tim — a sacrifice for our sins. He had preached to his 
 apostles his last sermon, and now he prays his last fare- 
 well prayer with those he loved. His prevailing desire 
 was that they all might be one. Not only his immediate 
 disciples then with him, but all who should "believe on 
 him through their word." That includes every true dis- 
 ciple of his to the end of time. 
 
 Looking down the stream of time he includes all true 
 disciples in that prayer. "That all may be one," "that the 
 world may know thou hast sent me." But, alas ! for the 
 folly of men who have sought to have their own way 
 and have caused schism, strife, separation among those 
 who are striving for a better life. Division has weakened 
 the efforts of those who labor and pray for the conver- 
 sion of the world to Christ, and we are sure the world 
 can never be converted without an answer to the prayer 
 of Jesus. We all pray for it, but it can never come till 
 God's people become one. 
 
UNITY IN CHRIST 165 
 
 Now, however improbable this may be, it is possible. 
 But where can common ground of union be found? All 
 can not be Baptists, nor can all be Methodists, nor Pres- 
 byterians, nor Mormons, etc. But we can all be Chris- 
 tians — brethren in Christ — without the sacrifice of any 
 true principle whatever. That this is true is proven by 
 the first two hundred years of the church's history. 
 They obeyed the law as laid down in the New Testa- 
 ment, became Christians, were one family in the Lord, 
 and were all brethren. No handle to the name Christian 
 to designate them from other Christians. They were all 
 one. And, as a consequence, hundreds obeyed the gospel 
 in a day. They all had one common interest, one Mas- 
 ter — Jesus Christ — one faith in him. (See John 20:30, 
 31.) They preached the same gospel. Those who heard 
 believed the same things. One spirit animated all. The 
 church, in answer to Christ's prayer, was "the church of 
 God at Corinth," the "Church of God at Thessalonica," 
 at Rome, in Samaria, at Jerusalem. Always the church 
 of God. No Baptist church of God, no Methodist church 
 of Christ, no Presbyterian or Roman Catholic church of 
 God; just the church of God. "Father, keep through 
 thine own name them thou has given me," said Jesus, 
 and so far as the inspired record goes the Father was 
 keeping them in his own name. It was many years be- 
 fore men rebelled against this order of things and began 
 to set up churches to suit their own ideas of things. 
 Overlooking the fact that God had made Jesus the Head 
 of the church, men actually assumed the headship and 
 began to legislate where angels would not have dared 
 step in. The teaching of Jesus, "If any man will come 
 after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, 
 and follow me," was entirely forgotten, and men as- 
 sumed to be leaders instead of followers. But Jesus said 
 "follow — follow me." 
 
 Now, it is clearly evident that God would not build 
 one church and then set up another — or a dozen — tc 
 pull down the one he first established. It is unreasonable 
 
146 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 also to think God would confuse his own teaching by 
 setting up «i hundred others and have one crying, lo! 
 hsre, and another lo ! there. We know an all-wise and 
 loving God would do nothing of the kind. Then we are 
 safe in saying that somebody is wrong and Jesus says, 
 "Every tree which my heavenly Father hath not planted 
 shall be rooted up or destroyed." Every church God 
 did not set up will be destroyed. How vastly important, 
 then, that we be in the true church the Bible speaks of. 
 Of what avail is our faith and our zeal if we will not 
 do what Jesus commands? "Blessed are they who do his 
 commandments, that they may enter in through the gates, 
 into the city, and have a right to the tree of life." (Rev. 
 22:14.) But, says one, "We can't all see alike." Well, 
 now, that is strange ! Why can we not see the printed 
 word just alike? Turn to Matthew 3 and read the first 
 two verses. Now, what do you see in that. "Well, I see 
 that in those days John the Baptist came into the wilder- 
 ness of Judea preaching." Ah, ha ! so do I, but what 
 more do you see? "I see what he preached: that the 
 kingdom of heaven was at hand and he told them to re- 
 pent." Ah, precisely, that's what I see. Now turn to 
 Acts 2:38. Peter is preaching. The Jews cry out and 
 say, "What must we do?" Read the answer (verse 38) : 
 "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name 
 of the Lord Jesus, for the remission of sins, and you 
 shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Does it say 
 that ? And how do you know it says that ? "Why, can't I 
 see?" Yes, so can I. I see it exactly as you do. Now, 
 what is to hinder all who love the Lord from just taking 
 the New Testament and going by it — doing what it says — 
 no more, no less. Don't you think God will save all who 
 do that? "Of course, he will." Very well, then, we have 
 found a place now where all Christians can see alike 
 and where they can not help seeing alike. What it says 
 to one, it says to all. Then, why not all agree to come 
 together on the New Testament — be Christians — belong 
 to the church God established — be guided alone by what 
 
UNITY IN CHRIST 167 
 
 the Lord says — follow him and not man? Why not? 
 This is infallibly safe, and nothing else is. 
 
 But, now, if a man has a different religion or doctrine 
 from mine, and I am following the word of the Lord, but 
 he is not, of course, for otherwise there could be no 
 difference and we would be brethren in the Lord, would 
 we not? Sure! Then, if I am with the New Testament 
 and he differs with me, is he not wrong? Why is it, 
 then, that men will not see these things and unite to do 
 the will of God? There is no higher ground to stand on 
 in this world. He that takes the Bible alone as his creed 
 — his guide from earth to heaven — has chosen the only 
 infallible, safe course known to man. No one can get 
 above him ; he occupies the highest ground attainable, 
 and he is safe beyond question in any event. And in 
 doing this we help to answer the Lord's prayer, while we 
 place ourselves on ground infalliby safe. 
 
 Then, let us throw away creeds and traditions of men 
 and unite upon the word of the Lord — be Christians only 
 — be. followers of Jesus and not of men. Human creeds 
 are keeping the lovers of God separated in their teach- 
 ing and in their practice. Human creeds ought to go 
 to the moles and the bats. They were formed in the 
 days of emergence from heathen darkness, when men 
 knew no better than to make them. But in this en- 
 lightened age, in a land of Bibles and gospel preaching, 
 we ought to search and see that God built but one church 
 in the world and that all others are wrong and will be 
 rooted up and destroyed ; that only that church that 
 takes the Bible as its guide through the world, and up 
 to glory, can be right and is the only one which can be 
 well-pleasing to God. Even if human creeds could save 
 a sinner, there is perhaps not one in fifty who believe 
 all of their own creed. But they can believe all of the 
 divine creed — the Bible. 
 
 Again, if a man is a Christian and follows the teach- 
 ing of Christ and the apostles, what does he lack yet? 
 Nothing. He is infallibly safe. Then, shall we not take 
 
168 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 that course which no one can doubt, and, by God's grace, 
 be sure of heaven — make no mistake and feel and know 
 we are doing what we can to answer the prayer of him 
 who loved us and died for us? 
 
 Let us hear the wise man in conclusion : "Fear God, 
 and keep his commandments ; for God will bring every 
 work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it 
 be good or evil. — (Solomon.) 
 
OUR LORD'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 
 (John 17:21.) 
 
 By Geo. M. Rance. 
 
 The Prayer. — This seventeenth chapter of John con- 
 tains what is very appropriately called the Lord's prayer. 
 Our Lord pours out His soul to the heavenly Father in 
 behalf of Himself, His disciples and His followers of all 
 time to come. Thus, the prayer is a fitting and sublime 
 climax to a wonderful discourse and the most wonderful 
 life the world has ever known. The prayer falls naturally 
 into three divisions: (1) He prays for Himself (verses 
 1 to 5) ; (2) He prays for His disciples (verses 6 to 19) ; 
 (3) He prays for His followers who should believe in 
 time to come (verses 20 to 26). In this present time we 
 are concerned with the final part of our Lord's request. 
 We of today are the subjects of this prayer. It must 
 mean something to us that the Son of God in the very 
 shadow of the cross makes such a petition to His Father. 
 Of what interest to us is this final request of our Savior? 
 The most prominent feature is unity. 
 
 1. Unity is a fundamental principle in the kingdom 
 of heaven just as it is in nature and the sciences. Our 
 Lord could certainly foresee the necessity of His fol- 
 lowers being of "one heart and one soul," and He evi- 
 dently knew that it was on this vital point that Satan 
 would make his attack and endeavor to scatter the flock. 
 The very nature of the church as the body of Christ, or 
 as the vine and its branches, requires that it must be 
 united to fulfill the will of God. A passing glance at the 
 religious sects of today is sufficient to convince a candid 
 mind that we are not one as God and Christ are one. 
 
 2. The Nature of this Union. — It must be evident 
 to all who have given consideration to the subject that 
 
170 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 we can never be one on the basis of a human creed, or 
 a so-called synopsis of the teachings of the scriptures. 
 Man is fallible and "to err is human/* Hence, every at- 
 tempt on the part of man to establish a creed to suit all 
 has failed, and such attempts will continue to fail be- 
 cause they are not on the solid rock. Jesus requests 
 "that they all may be one ; as Thou, Father, art in me 
 and I in Thee." 
 
 (1) This union is vital. It is likened to various 
 unions in nature, such as, "I am the vine, ye are the 
 branches." (John 15 :5.) "We, being many, are one body 
 in Christ." (Rom. 12:5.) "Ye are God's husbandry, 
 ve are God's building." (1 Cor. 3 :9.) "Ye are the temple 
 of God." (1 Cor. 3:16.) 
 
 (2) This union is real. It is none the less real be- 
 cause it is represented in figurative language. It must 
 be such that God will recognize and the world may see. 
 
 (3) This union is visible. The trouble w T ith most so- 
 called Christian unions of today is that the world can 
 not see them. Our Savior prays for a union that the 
 world may see. 
 
 (4) This union is eternal. We form associations, 
 orders and unions of various kinds, but they are of an 
 earthly nature, and must eventually perish with the 
 earth. But the union of Christians is as much above 
 all these as heaven is higher than the earth. 
 
 It must be closer than a mere compromise of sects 
 and denominations. It is true that "blood is thicker 
 than water," but our Lord here enjoins a union even 
 closer than blood ties. Blood relations and earthly ties 
 are known only in this life, but those accounted worthy 
 to attain the next world neither marry nor are given in 
 marriage. (Luke 20 :35.) Hence, they do not know these 
 earthly relations, but "they are equal unto the angels." 
 We can see from the foregoing that our Savior is con- 
 templating a union for eternity; or, in other words, the 
 marriage of the Lamb and His bride, the church. Such 
 a union is not only possible, but it is certain to be fulfilled 
 
our lord's prayer for unity 171 
 
 in the particular class for which Jesus prayed. This cksg 
 U made up of the faithful followers of the Lamb. "These 
 are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." 
 (Rev. 14:4.) They have been called unto the marriage 
 of the Lamb. (Rev. 19 :7-9.) They also have been chosen 
 and they have made themselves ready. (Rev. 19:7; 
 21:2.) 
 
 3. Purpose of this Union. — The great purpose of our 
 Lord in thus having His people united is "that the world 
 may believe/' There is no greater hindrance today to 
 the cause of Christianity than divisions among the pro- 
 fessors of Christianity. Many men, otherwise intelligent 
 and successful, meet us with the objection: "How am I 
 to know the true church, seeing they all profess to be 
 right ? But we see they have very little respect for each 
 other and can not agree among themselves, and we know 
 the Bible says, 'Love one another' ; 'Love your enemies,' 
 and 'Do good to them that hate you/ Now, they all pro- 
 fess to be following Christ, so what are we to do about 
 it?" I think this is the best excuse men have to offer 
 for not becoming Christians. But what is God going to 
 do about it ? Will He answer the prayer of His beloved 
 Son? I believe He will. Not that all the world will 
 eventually believe unto the salvation of the soul, because 
 some believe and arc yet condemned. "The devils be- 
 lieve and tremble." (Jas. 2:19.) However, when the 
 followers of the meek Man of Galilee are united in one 
 bodv, as the scriptures clearly teach they should be 
 (1 Cor. 12:12-13) ; Eph. 4:4; 2:22-23; Col. 1:24; Rom. 
 12:4-5), the world will evidently be brought to a realiza- 
 tion of the claims of Jesus, viz.: (1) That he is the Son 
 of God; (2) that God sent Him; (3) and that He is the 
 world's onlv and true Savior. 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By W. L. Reeves. 
 
 Our Savior's prayer for unity is, I am persuaded, the 
 greatest prayer ever prayed in behalf of the human fam- 
 ily. In praying for those who believe on Christ, He 
 said this : "Neither for these only do I pray, but for them 
 that believe on me through their word ; that they may 
 all be one, even as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, 
 that they also may be in us : that the world may believe 
 that thou didst send me. And the glory which thou hast 
 given me, I have given unto them ; that they may be one, 
 even as we are one/' (John 17:20-22.) 
 
 In the beginning of this lesson on Christian unity, I 
 wish to lay down a proposition for the careful consider- 
 tion of all who read this : 
 
 Proposition: (1) The testimony and specific acts 
 contained in the New Testament scriptures is the only 
 means necessary to unite all people in their religious faith 
 and practice. 
 
 (2) The unity of all religious people upon the testi- 
 mony and specific acts contained in the New Testament is 
 required as a very necessary means to the conversion of 
 the world. 
 
 From this proposition it is evident that the salvation 
 of the world depends largely upon Christian unity, and 
 that this unity is to be found only in the New Testament 
 scriptures. 
 
 No matter what we may think about the subject, no 
 matter if we can not see the possibility of Christian unity 
 resulting in the conversion of the world, Christ desired 
 and prayed for unity and stated that He thus prayed in 
 order that this unity or oneness might result in the 
 world believing that God did send Him, and it certainly 
 is invincible evidence to the heart of faith that such 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 173 
 
 would be the case if all who claim to be believers in 
 Christ were one as God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are 
 one. 
 
 Our inability to comprehend beforehand how it is 
 possible for such unity to bring about the conversion of 
 the world does not signify in the least that it is unreason- 
 able : therefore, impossible. 
 
 We, from a human viewpoint, can not see how wash- 
 ing blind eyes in the pool of Siloam at one time could be 
 a means of opening them, and the same thing done now 
 will not do so. Again, we can not see how being baptized 
 in water can do any good in any way as a religious act to 
 bring us to the promise of salvation in Christ, w 7 hich says : 
 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." (Mark 
 16 :16.) To my mind, it is more reasonable to see how the 
 unity of all who profess to believe in Christ can be the 
 means of converting the world than to see, in my own 
 way of thinking, how that being buried in baptism can be 
 a means unto the salvation of man's soul from alien sins ; 
 but I see this just as I see the other. I see each by faith. 
 Christ said both, and that is sufficient ground for me to 
 believe one as strongly as I do the other. 
 
 There are different members of the human body, and 
 unity must obtain in it in order that it, as a whole, fill 
 the mission marked out for it by the wise Creator. All 
 of the members of the body must be in harmony with 
 and act according to the instructions given by the head 
 if the desired results are reached. When the head does 
 its part — commands — and the other members do their 
 part — obey — the work will most certainly be done, and 
 the end purposed by the head will be reached provided 
 the commandments given are all that is necessary to reach 
 this end. 
 
 If my head desires that a certain piece of timber be 
 cut from the land on which it is standing, and my feet 
 and le^s are willing to do their part — take me to the 
 wood — but my hands refuse to do their part — seize and 
 wield the axe — when my head tells them to do so, the 
 
174 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 timber remains standing on the land, and the end de- 
 sired is not reached simply because unity does not exist 
 in the members of my body. 
 
 Such is the case in the church of Christ. The great 
 work which God ordained for it to do can not be done 
 until that unity which is necessary prevails among all 
 professed believers in Christ. 
 
 "Christ is the head of the body, the church/' (Col. 
 1 :18.) The members of the church are subject to the 
 head, Christ (Eph. 5:25), and He gives us command- 
 ments, every one of which is in absolute harmony with 
 all other commandments required of these members, 
 which shows clearly what the basis for Christian unity is. 
 "There is one lawgiver" (Jas. 4:12) ; hence, we can ex- 
 pect harmony in the things which He requires. "God is 
 no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that 
 feareth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted of 
 Him." (Acts 10:34, 35.) Righteousness is of faith. By 
 obedience Noah became the heir of the righteousness 
 which is of faith. (Heb. 11 :7.) Unity of faith is neces- 
 sary, so it is required. "Till we all come in the unity of 
 the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God." 
 (Eph. 4:13.) Notice that this requires unity of knowl- 
 edge, too. And Paul says : "Now I beseech you, brethren, 
 that ye all speak the same thing . . . and that ye all 
 be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the 
 same judgment." (1 Cor. 1:10.) Peter forever settles 
 the question as to what we are to speak in this language : 
 "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." 
 (1 Pet. 4:11.) James tells us why we should speak the 
 same things : "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall 
 be judged by the law of liberty." (Jas. 2 :12.) Paul says : 
 "Wherefore we labor, that whether present or absent, we 
 may be accepted of Him, for we must all appear before 
 the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive 
 the things done in his body according to that he hath 
 done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor. 5 :9-10.) 
 
 From the foregoing we have seen that Christ requires 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 175 
 
 unity of faith, unity of knowledge, unity of speech or 
 teaching and unity in what we do, and the only way -it is 
 possible to have Christian unity is to believe and do no 
 more nor less than what we find written in the New 
 Testament — just that and no more. 
 
 Take your pencil and draw a circle, which let repre- 
 sent all that is contained and required of us in the 
 New Testament scriptures — the scriptures, of course, con- 
 tain the word of God. Now, let this circle represent in- 
 side its bounds all the acts of faith. I here and now 
 conceive that all men who believe and practice any num- 
 ber of the statements in this circle are in unity on each 
 and every such statement. From this circle is also shown 
 where divisions and departures from God's will begin. 
 They begin just outside the circle, at the very moment 
 men cross the line and enter into the realm of human 
 thought and human opinions, which they lug into the 
 worship, thus entering into the condemnation of Christ, 
 as per such statements as this : "But in vain they do 
 worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments 
 of men." (Matt. 15 :9.) By crossing the line they launch 
 out at sea without chart or compass ; with no limitations 
 as to what they shall teach, and having no bounds rela- 
 tive to their practices, it is entirely out of the question 
 for any set of men to be united according to Christ's 
 prayer and upon the basis for this unity which He gave 
 in the New Testament scriptures. By so doing they set 
 aside the only fixed law for unity, for there is nothing 
 fixed in the opinions of men. 
 
 But Paul teaches us that there is one who endureth. 
 "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for- 
 ever." (Heb. 13:8.) James says: "There is one law- 
 giver." (Jas. 4:12.) He has given to us "the law of the 
 spirit of fife." (Rom. 8:2.) "Christ is the head of the 
 body, the church." (Col. 1:18.) 
 
 Christ's teachings believed and obeyed is the only way 
 to be saved, and since He is no respecter of persons (Acts 
 10:34-35), it follows that the same things are required of 
 
176 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 all men to be saved from alien sins, and the same acts 
 of worship, and the same Godly, daily walk in the Chris- 
 tian life is required in order to eternal life hereafter. 
 All these requirements are taught in the New Testament 
 and not in the Old. (Rom. 6:14.) 
 
 With these facts before us we can all see that in the 
 New Testament alone can be found the bonds of Chris- 
 tian unity, for in it alone we find the things we must 
 teach and practice as religious work and worship. 
 
 There are a number of reasons which necessitate unity 
 in religious matters. First, there is strength in the com- 
 bination of forces. If a congregation would be strong in 
 knowledge, the members should have a thorough knowl- 
 edge of the holy scriptures. Unity in singing makes it 
 better, makes it more impressive, consequently more in- 
 structive. If some in the assembly sing one song and 
 others sing another at the same time, there is confusion 
 instead of instructions. Second, Christian unity saves 
 money, material, time and labor, which division necessi- 
 tates being spent in building church edifices in which to 
 worship and in maintaining more preachers than are 
 needed in any given locality. Third, unity among reli- 
 gious people awakens the admiration of others, because 
 the human heart is so constructed that it admires peace 
 and unity in the family, among neighbors, and, above all, 
 among those who claim to be followers of the things 
 which make for peace. Christ realized this, hence His 
 prayer that all believers may be one in order that the 
 world might believe that God truly sent Him. Since it is 
 a fact that those who claim to be followers of Christ are 
 divided up into factions, it has brought about a state of 
 affairs which militates against faith in Christ's claims to 
 be the Prince of Peace. Fourth, one other reason unity 
 should prevail is because Christ requires it. Besides pray- 
 ing for it, He commands us to : "Endeavor to keep the 
 unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace." (Eph. 4:1-3.) 
 Again, Paul says : "That ye be perfectly joined together 
 in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Cor. 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 177 
 
 1 :10.) He forbids divisions. "That there shall be no 
 divisions in the body.' , (1 Cor. 12:25.) The body is the 
 church. (Col. 1:18.) 
 
 We are commanded to teach the same things. This is 
 required because it is absolutely necessary to unity in 
 faith and practice. If all teach just what Christ taught, 
 we will teach the same; and if we believe and do just 
 what He taught we will certainly believe and do the same 
 things, for it is impossible for it to be otherwise ; so away 
 goes the old idea that people are divided on what Christ 
 teaches. The divisions are not on what He teaches, but 
 on opinions about what He teaches. In actual faith all 
 are alike, for if we believe Christ's teachings at all, we 
 believe alike. To illustrate : His teachings say that He is 
 the Son of God. All who believe this are one on this 
 point ; so it is with every other point, on every other 
 sentence in the New Testament, for they all say the same 
 to all men everywhere. 
 
 The real faith of all men is the same on the subject of 
 baptism. All that men think or teach on baptism that is 
 not plainly taught in the scriptures is not what they be- 
 lieve ; it is not of faith, but it is just their opinions. Faith 
 on the subject of baptism, as on any other subject of 
 Christianity, comes from God's word. (Rom. 10:17.) 
 Now, let us see if this is not correct. God's word says 
 we are buried in baptism and raised up to walk in new- 
 ness of life. (Rom. 6:3-4.) All who believe this at all, 
 believe that baptism is a burial. We see unity here again. 
 Let us see another one : "And they went down into the 
 water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him." 
 (Acts 8:38.) Any man who believes what Paul says 
 when he says we are buried by baptism, also believes that 
 in this case Philip buried or immersed the eunuch in 
 water, for they were both in water when the baptizing 
 or burying was done. Compare Col. 2:12 and Acts 8:38. 
 That man does not live who can see sprinkling or pour- 
 ing in these passages. How is it possible for two men to 
 be in water and one bury the other and raise him up and 
 
178 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 not immerse him? Is it not sensible for any man to say 
 he can not see immersion in such a course? All men see 
 immersion in the case of the eunuch ; therefore, unity pre- 
 vails here. 
 
 Christ said : "He that believeth and is baptized shall 
 be saved." (Mark 16:16.) Peter said: "Repent and 
 be baptized for the remission of sins." (Acts 2:38.) 
 Paul was given this commandment : "Arise and be bap- 
 tized and wash away thy sins." (Acts 22:16.) "The 
 Lord adds the saved to the church."' (Acts 2:47.) Of 
 the church, Paul said : "Christ gave Himself for it that 
 He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of 
 water by the word." (Eph. 5 :26.) Salvation is in Christ, 
 and Paul says we are "baptized into Christ." (Rom. 6: 
 3-4.) 
 
 Kind reader, do you believe these passages of scrip- 
 ture? If you do, we are in perfect unity on what baptism 
 is, and what it is for. Such is the case relative to all 
 else written in the Bible. We all do see alike if we see 
 just what the Bible says. Our opinions is where we are 
 divided. 
 
 Christ is the Great Physician, and His prescription 
 for divisions will banish them and maintain unity. The 
 remedy is this : Teach and do just what Christ and the 
 apostles taught people to do and the victory is won. 
 Divisions will certainly die, and peace, harmony and unity 
 will prevail among all, everywhere. 
 
CHRISTIAN UNITY— ITS IMPORTANCE, 
 NATURE AND BASIS. 
 
 By C. R. Rice. 
 
 "That They May All Be One/' — Jesus. 
 
 1. Its Importance. — Jesus has "set his face stead- 
 fastly toward Jerusalem," but before entering the city 
 of life-taking and tragedy, he pours forth in prayer what 
 is dear to his heart — the unity of his followers. His 
 loving heart throbs with burning desire and master pas- 
 sion for the unity of his disciples after the suffering and 
 death-cry of the cross ; after light and warmth are left 
 in the grave of the sympathetic Joseph; after his ascen- 
 sion and coronation and the inauguration of his reign on 
 Pentecost; after the first, fifteenth and twentieth cen- 
 turies — until the close of time and the dawn of the per- 
 fect day. The Christians of the first and second centuries 
 gave answer to this prayer, but his followers in later 
 centuries became "traitor to his purpose and a pain in his 
 heart forever." Read the seventeenth chapter of John 
 and let its beauty and pathos grip your heart-strings. Let 
 it arouse in you the "spirit of Christ," without which you 
 are "none of His." Let it be to you an argument, a pas- 
 sion, a life. 
 
 The time at which a thing is said or done adds empha- 
 sis and lends significance to the thing said or done. 
 Here it is the nearness of Gethsemane with its anguish 
 and angel, and Calvary with its pierced hands and drooped 
 head. It was late Thursday evening when this prayer 
 was offered. The next morning is His crucifixion. In a 
 few hours suffering will force the words, "It is finished," 
 from between His lips. Yes, the end is near, and His life 
 in the world is practically over. The light of the torches 
 is in his face, the betrayal kiss is upon his cheek, th« 
 
180 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 scourge, thorn and nail wounds are upon His body. He 
 reveals His bursting heart with this tender prayer, and 
 steps across the threshold of Gethsemane, on whose 
 floor no light lay, and in whose roof no star shines. This 
 prayer was uttered just before the sentence supplication 
 of the garden, "Father, if it be possible let this cup pass 
 from me; nevertheless not my will but thine be done." 
 Once, twice, He prays, but the heavens seem brass and 
 the disciples sleep. He suffers alone. The third time 
 he pleads and the heavens open and the angel comes and 
 strengthens Him. "That they all may be one," he rev- 
 erently requests just before His outstretched arms are 
 nailed to the cross, His heart breaks, and His red, warm 
 blood drips from his veins and pours from his arteries. 
 Four times in the three hundred tragic words, "that they 
 all may be one,'' trembles upon his lips ; four times they 
 go quivering to the depths of our hearts. 
 
 2. Its Nature. 
 
 (T) Negatively. 
 
 (a) Not federation. Federation is to unity what 
 mix is to combination. Segregation into groups or de- 
 nominations due to distinctive differentiation in doctrine 
 was unknown to the first Christian century. The fol- 
 lowers of Christ constituted one great Christian unit. 
 
 (b) Not union. There can be union without unity. 
 Illustrations: (1) A number of nuggets of gold brought 
 from a number of states and countries and placed to- 
 gether — this represents union. Place these in a fire and 
 the several nuggets are made one. This represents unity. 
 (2) Marriage is a union. It is the being together of two 
 persons ; all married persons, however, though united, do 
 not live together in unity. If unity were a fact in every 
 home, there never would be an application for divorce. 
 Union is the state of being one; unity is the state of 
 having but one feeling or sentiment. 
 
 f c) Not co-operation. Mere co-operation is unity in 
 weak dilution. 
 
 (2) Affirmatively. 
 
CHRISTIAN UNITY 181 
 
 (a) Such as exists between God, the Father, and 
 Jesus Christ, the Son. (John 17:21.) 
 
 (b) Such as is found in the illustrations of Christ 
 and apostles. Paul compares the unity of Christians to 
 the unity of the human body. (Rom. 12:4-5.) Christ 
 illustrates the unity of the church by a sheepfold. (John 
 10:16.) 
 
 (c) Such as is described by David: "Behold, how 
 good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell to- 
 gether in unity." (Ps. 133 :1.) 
 
 (d) Such as existed among the primitive Christians 
 w T hen heathen lips were constrained to utter truth : "Be- 
 hold how these Christians love one another/' 
 
 (e) Such as existed among the apostles and seventy 
 who became charter members of the church of Christ: 
 "They were all with one accord in one place." (Acts 
 2:!.)" 
 
 (f) Such as existed in the apostolic church: "The 
 multitude of them that believed were of one heart and 
 of one soul." (Acts 4:32.) 
 
 (g) Such as was reported by Luke of the church in 
 Palestine : "The church throughout all Judea and Galilee 
 and Samaria had peace, being edified." (Acts 9:31, Re- 
 vised Version.) 
 
 (h) Such as is indicated by the following words: 
 "Likeminded" ; "one mind" ; "same mind" ; "same love" ; 
 "same rule" and "same thing." 
 
 God has erected a number of sign boards along the 
 road of the righteous with their pronouncements of con- 
 demnation of division and exhortations to unity. (Rom. 
 12:10, 16: 15:5-6; 14:9: 1 Cor. 1:10:2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 
 1:27: 2:2; 3:16; 1 Pet. 3:8; 1 Cor. 3:1-23.) 
 
 To listen to these inspired sentences is never to travel 
 in the way of denominationalists and sectarians. To heed 
 the message of Christ and His apostles is never to be 
 found on the side of division and disunion. The man 
 w T hose party cry is, "I am of Luther," "I am of Wesley," 
 "I am of Calvin," which are modern names placed in the 
 
1*2 OUR SAVIOR^ PRAY£R for unity 
 
 Corinthian party cries, "I am of Paul/' "1 am of Apollos" 
 or "I am of Cephas," is possessed of that spirit which 
 is diametrically opposed to the spirit of Christ in which 
 he prayed : "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." 
 (John 17:21.) The condition that obtained at Corinth 
 permeates Christendom. It was the crowning evil of the 
 church at Corinth. Now it is the scandal of Christianity 
 and the blackest sin of Christendom. 
 
 3. Its Basis. 
 
 There are many human bases upon which, if the 
 Christian world were to unite, they would disregard the 
 divine basis. Eph. 4:4-6 presents a sevenfold basis. So 
 long as these seven unities were maintained there were 
 no divisions. If unity is to ever sway the hearts of Chris- 
 tians, it will be through the recognition and acceptance 
 of the unities enumerated by Paul. 
 
 1. "One God."' There is one God from whom all 
 things emanate. "One God" is opposed to idolatry. 
 
 2. "One Lord." Since there is one Lord, there is 
 just one who speaks with authority. He said: "All au- 
 thority in heaven and in earth is given to me." He 
 shares or divides his authority with no one. Popes and 
 creed-makers, who are responsible for all the divisions 
 in the religious world, have no authority. Theirs is ill- 
 gotten. Shall we listen to creed or Christ? Christ is an 
 infallible lawgiver. "Hear ye Him." 
 
 3. "One Faith." There was only one faith for more 
 than a hundred years after Christ's church was estab- 
 lished. That one faith is now being preached by the 
 church of Christ. Paul gives admonition concerning the 
 faith : "Earnestly contend for the faith once delivered 
 unto the saints." He makes "faith" and "gospel" synony- 
 mous and says : "Though we or an angel from heaven, 
 preach any other gospel unto you than that which we 
 have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1 : 
 8.) "The gospel is the power of God unto salvation." 
 
CHRISTIAN UNITY 183 
 
 (Rom. 1 :16.) There must be unity in the word preached. 
 The "one faith'* can only be perpetuated upon the earth 
 by ministers preaching with "one mouth" — preaching the 
 "one faith." 
 
 4. "One body." The church is nine times called 
 "body." Paul says : "He is head over all things to the 
 church which is his body." (Eph. 1:22-23.) There is 
 one church. "Upon this rock I will build my church," 
 not churches. There is just one church to make supreme. 
 The apostolic church was possessed of unity of organiza- 
 tion. The first step in apostasy was when the local con- 
 gregation expanded into a diocese and this destroyed the 
 New Testament unity of organization. 
 
 5. "One baptism." The apostle next gives emphasis 
 to the oneness of baptism. "Keep the ordinances as I de- 
 livered them unto you." So speaks Paul. What is Paul's 
 teaching concerning the practice of baptism? How was 
 he baptized? "Therefore we are buried with him by 
 baptism." (Rom. 6:3.) Since there was but one faith 
 preached in New Testament times, Paul must have taught 
 all congregations the same thing as the congregations of 
 the different countries was a great unit. (Acts 9:31.) 
 If he and the members of the church at Rome were 
 "buried by baptism," all others elsewhere must have been. 
 Is immersion the "one baptism?" The New Testament 
 answers that question by a description of what the per- 
 sons did. Penitent believers went to the water (Acts 8: 
 38) ; where there was much water (John 3:23) ; down 
 into it (Acts 8:38) ; were buried in it (Rom. 6:4) ; were 
 planted (Rom. 6:5) ; were raised (Col. 2:12) ; came up 
 out of the water (Acts 8:39) ; had their bodies washed 
 (Heb. 10:22). There is one baptism and should be one 
 universal practice. 
 
 6. One spirit." This spirit does not inspire contra- 
 dictory messages, because there is one spirit. "He will 
 guide you (the apostles) into all the truth." There is just 
 one spirit to , animate the Christian world. It animates 
 the one body — the church. 
 
1*1 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 7. "One hope." Not many hopes, as the hope of 
 universal salvation by the Universalist ; the hope of an- 
 nihilation by the wicked, as inspired by Russellism; but 
 the one hope of the gospel. This one hope inspires Chris- 
 tians. 
 
 These are the seven elements of an unadulterated 
 gospel. Carnality will bring division, but these seven 
 elements will bring unity. There are primary and non- 
 vital causes for division, but carnality is the primary 
 cause of all division. Soul-sleeping, wearing jewelry, etc., 
 would be considered secondary or non-vital causes for 
 division. 
 
 Conclusion. — Opposition to denominationalism may be 
 an unpopular course with the world. It was unpopular 
 in Christ's day. He said: "Other sheep I have which 
 are not of this fold: them also I must bring; and there 
 shall be one fold and one shepherd." (John 10:16.) 
 He taught unity and brotherhood and was met with Sad- 
 ducean hate, Pharasaic opposition, Essenic scorn and 
 pagan indifference. His teaching antagonized Jewish tra- 
 ditions, prejudices and antipathies, and for it he was 
 rejected, cursed and crucified. If the division of God's 
 people were ever right, if denominationalism were ever 
 excusable, it certainly would have been during Christ's 
 personal ministry, and he certainly would have been the 
 first to give them recognition as denominationalists, if 
 right, or excusable. He taught that he was "the way, the 
 truth and the life," and lived a faultless life; but they 
 were angered by his teaching, and enraged by his living, 
 and they hounded him to his death — "dragged him to 
 the cross, nailed him there and cursed him while he died." 
 
 Can you live and worship in utter disregard of the 
 prayer of your Lord delivered under such solemn cir- 
 cumstances? Can you impugn the sincerity of Christ 
 when he prayed "that they all may be one?" Can you 
 impeach his wisdom when he assigns the reason, "that 
 the world may believe that thou hast sent me?" Will 
 you not do your part to "stop the pain in his heart?" 
 
©UR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 
 By E. G. Rockliff. 
 
 "That They May All Be One." — Jesus. 
 
 Wickliffe, grasping God's true Word, arose, 
 
 And Huss, who would not yield it though the flames 
 
 Hissed round him ; and the mighty Luther rose 
 
 And hurled the Bible at the papal throne, 
 
 And set it shaking to its fall. A host 
 
 Came after them, enamored of the truth, 
 
 And through the wizard press the Word was sow* 
 
 In many lands, and day began to dawn. 
 
 Last in the land of Knox, the Haldanes rose, 
 
 And in their line the Campbell,s who, across 
 
 The blue Atlantic to the virgin west 
 
 Bore the bright torch, and kindled a great flame, 
 
 Uplifting mighty voices in the wild, 
 
 Inhospitable wilderness, they cried: 
 
 "Prepare the way, for lo ! the Word appears ; 
 
 Make plain a highway for the Lord ; lift up 
 
 The lowly valleys of the sunken Truth ; 
 
 Bring down the hills of proud sectarianism; 
 
 Straighten the crooked doctrine by the Book; 
 
 Smooth the rough places of debate and strife, 
 
 And all flesh shall behold the way of God." 
 
 —From G. P. Pittman's "The Break of Day." 
 
 Has the last wish and prayer of our Savior been 
 answered? No. Is it being answered? Yes. Will it be 
 fully answered? That depends upon us. Christian unity 
 is exercising the minds of religious people all over the 
 world in an unprecedented manner. Division is at last 
 seen to be a barrier to progress. Those of us who are 
 old-fashioned enough to believe that the remedy lies in 
 
116 OUR savior's prayer for unity 
 
 getting back to the faith and practice of the church as 
 perfected by the apostles would do well to feed the dis- 
 quiet that is spreading and pray that out of all this con- 
 fusion may evolve the answer to our Lord's prayer. 
 When we read Acts 2 we are filled with admiration at 
 that wonderful brotherhood, that union of hearts, that 
 great company that could truly sing: 
 
 "We are not divided, all one body we; 
 One in heart and doctrine, one in charity. " 
 
 It looked as though that for which our Savior prayed 
 was soon to be — men of every kindred, tribe and tongue 
 were, by the preaching of the gospel, welded into one 
 great family. These were of one heart and one mind. 
 What the gospel did then it can do again. Our Master 
 desired this union because of the moral power it would 
 confer upon the church. Nothing would so speedily con- 
 vince the world of the claims of Jesus as would an united 
 Christendom. (John 17:21.) Nothing hinders so much 
 the progress of the old gospel chariot as division. On 
 every hand today union is allowed to be a "consumma- 
 tion devoutly to be wished." This was not always so, 
 and is a sign of the times. Let us thank God and take 
 courage. 
 
 Notice, however, that it was Christian union for which 
 our Lord prayed. The Christian is the unit, and the word 
 Christian is to be understood as met, and only met, in such 
 disciples of Christ as were so called at Antioch and else- 
 where. The union of such as these in the One Body is 
 the only Christian union recognized in the word of God. 
 Many today are just playing at Christian union. They 
 are spending their strength for nought. 
 
 Someone has well said that Christian union is not 
 the result of the vote of some conference, but of the 
 Spirit's indwelling. "If any man has not the Spirit of 
 Christ he is none of His." It is human manipulation that 
 has made what was so clearly understood in the first cen- 
 
OUR savior'* prayer for unity W 
 
 tury hard to understand in the twentieth. When we lead 
 men away from the commentary to the sacred text we 
 bring them to that mould of instruction that makes fre« 
 from sin and makes servants of righteousness. (Rom. 
 6:17.) 
 
 A bonfire of books, as at Ephesus, would help some. 
 Let us use the divine mould out of which we can make 
 Christians only; with which we can reproduce a brother- 
 hood like the one in Acts 2. What an anomaly, one Head, 
 many bodies. The way of Balaam is the way of many : 
 "They have forsaken the right way and are gone astray." 
 The result is Christless churches and a progress minus 
 God. 
 
 Marcus Dods in his exposition of First Corinthians : 
 "The church was intended to be the grand uniter of the 
 race. Distinctions were to be obliterated. Men alienated 
 were to be united. The opposite has resulted ; the church 
 has alienated neighbors and friends. Thus the church 
 has lost a large part of her strength. Had the kingdom 
 of Christ been visibly one, it would have been supreme 
 and without a rival in the world. Had there been union 
 where there has been division, the rule and influence of 
 Christ would have so far surpassed every other influence 
 that peace and truth, right and justice, godliness and 
 mercy would have everywhere reigned. But instead of 
 this, the strength of the church has been frittered away 
 in civil strife and party warfare, her ablest men have 
 spent themselves in controversy, and, through division, 
 her influence has become insignificant. " 
 
 Brethren, let us have clean hands in this matter. 
 Now that the awakening has come, let us help heal divi- 
 sions and weld together the forces that make for right- 
 eousness. Let us reiterate our Lord's prayer; cry out 
 in clarion tones how Paul besought his brethren not to 
 be divided, but to all speak the same thing. Let us ring 
 the changes upon the oneness pleaded for in the New 
 Testament. Our cry, "Back to Jerusalem," must be heard. 
 Back to the purity and simplicity of the message that pro- 
 
188 *ur savior's prayer for unity 
 
 duc*d the first church. Nothing else will reproduce it. 
 
 They did not want to be Wesleyans, Lutherans or Cal- 
 vinists at Corinth, but they did want to be Paulites, 
 Appollosites, Cephasites and Christians. It is the same 
 thing. 
 
 Paul, in effect, said to them: If you can divide the 
 one Christ crucified for you, and if one church can live 
 on one part and another church on another part, then go 
 ahead. But if there be one Christ indivisible, then is 
 there but one church indivisible. The Bible, the truth, the 
 whole truth, and nothing but the truth, is the common 
 peace ground. Its plain, unvarnished instruction will 
 produce an army that will shatter the forces of evil. That 
 God in heaven will speed the time when his Son's prayer 
 shall be answered (when names and sects and parties fall 
 and Jesus Christ is all in all) is the prayer of one of the 
 million in the firing line opposing division and faction. 
 
 G. P. Pittman in "The Break of Day" writes : 
 
 "A million hearts 
 Unite in one resolve — to cast away 
 All things that have no warrant in the word, 
 And to do all things written in the Book — 
 So shall the church be one. 
 
 We, who were cloven asunder in a hundred camps, 
 Have found indissoluble union in the truth. 
 This, also, shall the sundered millions find, 
 If we but do our part and play the man. 
 For, as the sun uprisen, gathers strength, 
 And climbs to the meridian in a blaze 
 Of glory no man dares to look upon, 
 And the blue heavens, pale with excess of light, 
 And hills and plains are white and shimmering, 
 The wide, wild seas shine in a molten mass, 
 And the great world is one bright orb of day, 
 And all the universe is one in light — 
 So is the glory of the day to be 
 The destiny of union in the truth." 
 
UNION. 
 By T. Short. 
 
 The above chart illustrates how party names and 
 doctrines vanish away as we approach Christ, and in our 
 nearness to Him how an illumination of truth shines upon 
 us and the rays of His love mould our hearts into one 
 till we can see that a delusion has been preached to men. 
 See that "another gospel, which is not another gospel," 
 has been preached to men. See a gospel made by man. 
 
 But hear Paul in regard to the true gospel : "The 
 gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For 
 I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but 
 by revelation of Christ. I conferred not with flesh and 
 blood." 
 
 Hear Peter : "For we have not followed cunningly 
 devised fables when we made known to you the power 
 and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewit- 
 nesses of His majesty." 
 
 How was the gospel perverted? The Galatians "re- 
 turned to the weak and beggarly elements" of the world, 
 became in bondage to the flesh. They observed days, 
 months, times and years as the world. They walked not 
 in the spirit, "but did bite and devour one another." 
 
 Does God change? Some will say, did God change in 
 that He made a new spiritual religion? No. God de- 
 signed this new religion before the foundation of the 
 world. Notice His promise to Abraham that in the full- 
 ness of time, "in his seed all nations of the earth would 
 be blessed." 
 
 Cause of Perversions and Divisions. — Following the 
 church down the ages, you may detect these perversions 
 and their results — divisions. Divisions (falsely so called) 
 are caused by this delusion : We (people generally) con- 
 sider as belonging to the church the following : 
 
 1. Opinions in regard to the mysteries. Th«s« opixx- 
 
190 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 ions are imaginative. The first great division was caused 
 by a debate, one party holding that the Holy Ghost was 
 begotten from God through Christ ; the other that He 
 proceeded from God. 
 
 2. Things that are of this world. The church as seen 
 by God is essentially the regenerated spirits of men. 
 "My kingdom is not of this world." 'They (my dis- 
 ciples) are not of this world." "Religion (of Christ) is 
 not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in 
 the Holy Ghost." 
 
 Hence, Paul says: "Let no man therefore judge you 
 in meat or drink or in respect of an holy day or of the 
 new moon or of the sabbath, which are a shadow of 
 things to come, but the body (substance) is of Christ." 
 For membership, therefore, there is only one test — Chris- 
 tianity. Should you be judged by man in respect to the 
 squareness of the earth or wearing of uniform, or preach- 
 ing in a heathen temple, provided your liberty in so doing 
 does not offend — that is weakening a brother in the faith, 
 provided you worship in the spirit of Christ. 
 
 Foolishness. — From the above we can see that the 
 debate — Science Versus Religion — is foolish, that state 
 churches are perversions and that war is the insanity of 
 carnality. There were no Christian soldiers till the 
 church was perverted. 
 
 The above chart is more fully explained in "Gideon's 
 Band," a book published by T. Short, Guilford, Kansas, 
 at 50 cents, postpaid. This book represents the church 
 as not made by man. This we hold is important. Why? 
 Suppose, during a revival, infidels prove that the church 
 originated by man and you could not contradict them, 
 how many joiners would you get? If you admit that the 
 church was made by man or partly made by man, you 
 have placed the church on a level with idols of heathens. 
 
 Iron and clay church. When you say that the church 
 is partly terrestrial, you have mixed the world and church 
 together; you have desecrated the church. If terrestrial 
 things are considered as part of the church and they 
 
UNION 191 
 
 become venerable by age, and it is proven that they are 
 against science and all reason, then this iron and clay 
 church will perish. For instance, you hold as a church, 
 that the eaith is square, and science proves the earth to 
 be round. Suppose you hold to any tenet (not given by 
 divine revelation) as being part of the church, and in 
 time this tenet is shown to be false, don't you see that a 
 church built on terrestrial things has a sandy foundation ? 
 But the church of Ghrist, founded on the stone of in- 
 spiration and upon which is built ("Ye also as lively 
 stones are built up a spiritual house") a spiritual super- 
 structure will stand. The gates of hell can not prevail 
 against her. 
 
 This stone celestial some time will strike the iron and 
 clay church and grind it to powder. That is, it will be 
 divided till, like powder, it can and will be carried by the 
 wind and will have no lodging place in the hearts of men. 
 And that flame from heaven, which lit the sacrifice of 
 Elijah, will burn it up. And the illumination therefrom 
 will spread over the world even to the darkest jungles 
 of heathendom. But the stone celestial, cut out of the 
 mountains without hands (not made by man), will roll 
 on till it fills the whole earth. 
 
 Hymn on Union. 
 Tune, "How Firm a Foundation Ye Saints of the Lord." 
 
 1. 
 
 How firm a foundation, for faith and union, 
 
 Built on inspiration, she is celestial. 
 
 Whom say ye that I am? Thou art Christ, the Lamb. 
 
 Sent, troubled hearts to calm; promised Son of God. 
 
 2. 
 
 Blessed art thou, Simon ; by inspiration 
 Came this firm foundation, this stone celestial ; 
 How sandy foundations, for all divisions, 
 They're built on delusions of carnality. 
 
192 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 Celestial Feast. 
 
 Tune, "Fill Me Now." 
 
 Waiting, waiting altogether 
 For more of thy wondrous power; 
 For unison like that first meeting, 
 When they all, with one accord, 
 Faithful were in one place waiting 
 For the spirit of their Lord. 
 
 CHORUS. 
 
 Fill us full, fill us full, full of thy spirit; 
 Jesus, come and fill us now. 
 
OUR SAVIOR'S PRAYER FOR UNITY. 
 By H. C. Shoulders. 
 
 The above subject we find contained in the prayer 
 of our Savior which He uttered on behalf of His dis- 
 ciples and those believing on Him through the words of 
 the apostles. This, to my mind, is, and was then, the 
 sweetest prayer our Savior prayed while on earth. It 
 should be the desire of every person trying to walk in 
 the footprints of Jesus to so live and conduct them- 
 selves that a union of the professed followers of Christ 
 would be brought about and many souls be saved. Jesus 
 says : "Neither for these only do I pray, but for them 
 also that believe on me through their word; that they 
 may all be one ; even 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 didst send me." (John 17:20-21.) 
 
 (1) Jesus prayed for His disciples. (2) He prayed 
 for all that believe on Him through the words of the 
 disciples, that they might all be one, united, joined to- 
 gether. Jesus and the Father are one, even so are the 
 followers to be one, that the world may believe in the 
 Christ, the Savior of men. 
 
 One great cause why so many people do not believe 
 or have faith is because of the confusing doctrines being 
 taught by the different religious teachers of the various 
 denominations that exist in the world today. They claim 
 to follow Christ and yet they are divided among them- 
 selves, which, of course, is confusing to the person who 
 does not study the Bible for himself and see just what is 
 taught in the scriptures ; consequently, many of the people 
 do not believe anything and thus they become infidels 
 and full of all kinds of skepticism. Every person must 
 admit that the professed followers of Christ should be 
 united. In union there is strength and power, but in divi- 
 sion there is weakness. 
 
194 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 The Bible is the word of God, and is, therefore, the 
 only basis upon which we can have union. The Bible 
 reveals the will of God to man, but what does the apostle 
 claim for the Bible? Listen to his words: "Every scrip- 
 ture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for 
 reproof, for correction, for instruction, which is in right- 
 eousness : that the man of God may be complete, fur- 
 nished completely unto every good work. ,, (2 Tim. 3: 
 16-17.) The Bible furnishes people with very good work. 
 Therefore, if they do anything not revealed in the Bible 
 it is not, and can not be a good work. "And now I com- 
 mend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is 
 able to build you up, and to give you the inheritance 
 among all them that are sanctified." (Acts 20:32.) The 
 word of God's grace, which is the Bible, is able to build 
 us up and give us an inheritance among the sanctified, 
 which are the saved. Then, people are saved through the 
 word of God. "Wherefore putting away all filthiness and 
 overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the im- 
 planted word, which is able to save your souls. " ( Jas. 1 : 
 21.) 
 
 "Now, I beseech you, brethren, through the name of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, 
 and that there be no divisions among you ; but that ye be 
 perfected together in the same mind and in the same 
 judgment." (1 Cor. 1 :10.) The only way we can speak 
 the same things is to speak the things God has revealed 
 to us in his word. If every person would do and teach 
 just what is revealed in the Bible, all would be united, 
 would be of the same mind and the same judgment. 
 Paul says : "Giving diligence to keep the unity of the 
 spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph. 4:3.) God, Christ 
 and the apostles have all clearly taught that the professed 
 Christians are to be one, and the person who does not do 
 all in his power to bring about this union is not striving 
 as directed in the scriptures. Disciples should stand to- 
 gether firm, with one purpose in view ; yea, the propaga- 
 tion of the gospel and the saving of Souls. Paul says : 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 195 
 
 "Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of 
 Christ : that whether I come and see you or be absent, I 
 may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, 
 with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel." 
 (Phil. 1 :27.) "The bonds of peace." Bond, that which 
 binds or ties together; a cord, a chain. Certainly fol- 
 lowers of Christ are to be bound together and be at 
 peace one with another, working for the salvation of the 
 souls of men and women everywhere. 
 
 The prayer of Jesus while in Gethsemane just before 
 His cruel death on the cross is a good example of sub- 
 mission to the will of the Father. "And he was parted 
 from them about a stone's cast ; and he kneeled down and 
 prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this 
 cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be 
 done." (Luke 22:41-42.) Jesus prayed, if it was the 
 Father's will, let this cup (cup of suffering) pass from 
 me. He submitted to the will of the Father even under 
 the most trying circumstances ; even so should we sub- 
 mit to His will, obey it and be saved. Wherever you see 
 division, you may know at once God's authority has not 
 been recognized, because when God's will and authority 
 has been submitted to and obeyed, union and harmony 
 prevails in the church and the community. 
 
 In what are we to be one ? The apostle Paul teaches 
 we are to be one in faith. He says in Eph. 4:5 that 
 there is "one faith." Since there is one faith and only 
 one, we must all have the same kind of faith in order 
 to be one, united together. Hence, the question, what 
 must we believe? "By faith Enoch was translated that 
 he should not see death; and he was not found, because 
 God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to 
 him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing 
 unto God: and without faith it is impossible to be well- 
 pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must be- 
 lieve that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that 
 seek after him." (Heb. 11:5-6.) "Many other signs 
 therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples. 
 
196 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 which are not written in this book : but these are written 
 that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of 
 God : and that believing ye may have life in his name." 
 (John 20:30-31.) "And my speech and my preaching 
 were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demon- 
 stration of the spirit and power: that your faith should 
 not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of 
 God." (1 Cor. 2:4-5.) From the above scriptures, we 
 can see there are just three things for us all to believe: 
 (1) Believe in the one God and that he rewards all who 
 diligently seek after him; (2) believe that Jesus Christ 
 is God's Son and that life comes through His name; (3) 
 that our faith is to be in the gospel of Christ, which is 
 God's power to save, and not in man's wisdom. The per- 
 son that really believes all of these things as he should is 
 ready and anxious to obey the gospel to be saved. (Rom. 
 1 :16 ; 2 Thess. 1 :7-9.) All that believe or have this kind 
 of faith have the kind of which Paul speaks. 
 
 We are to be one in that c\\\ are members of one 
 body, the church. "There is one body, and one spirit, 
 even as ye were called in one hope of your calling. . 
 (Eph. 4:4.) This one body is the church. (Eph. 1:22- 
 23; Col. 1 :18, 24.) We are to be one in name, and we 
 can be if we will take the word of God and be guided by 
 that and that alone. "For this cause I bow my knees 
 unto the Father, from whom every family in heaven 
 and on earth is named." (Eph. 3 :14-15.) We are to be 
 one in mind. "If there is any exhortation in Christ, if 
 any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, 
 if any tender mercies and compassion, make full my joy, 
 that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being 
 of one accord, of one mind. . . ." (Phil. 2:1-2.) 
 "Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as 
 brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded : not rendering 
 evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrarywise 
 blessing ; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should in- 
 herit a blessing." (1 Pet. 3:8-9.) If people are all in 
 the same church, wearing the same name and have the 
 
our savior's prayer for unity 197 
 
 same kind of faith, being of the same mind and speaking 
 the same things, they will also practice the same things 
 and will have the one hope of eternal life. Paul declares : 
 "Ye were called in one hope of your calling." (Eph. 4: 
 4.) When people obey the gospel and live as directed in 
 God's word, they then have the one hope of eternal life. 
 Paul then tells us this hope is an anchor to the soul. 
 (Heb. 6:17-20.) 
 
 The last question I wish to consider is this, what 
 has and does now destroy union among God's people? 
 Answer: Peace, union and harmony are and have been 
 destroyed among disciples by false teachers. "I know 
 that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in 
 among you, not sparing the flock : and from among your 
 own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to 
 draw r away the disciples after them. Wherefore watch 
 you, remembering that by the space of three years I 
 ceased not to admonish every one night and day v/ith 
 tears." (Acts 20:29-31.) "For where jealousy and fac- 
 tion are, there is confusion and every vile deed." (Jas. 
 3 :16.) Self-importance and pre-eminence among brethren 
 and religious teachers will cause confusion and division. 
 "I wrote somewhat unto the church : but Diotrephes, who 
 loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth 
 us not. Therefore, if I come, I will bring to remem- 
 brance his works which he doeth, prating against us with 
 wicked words : and not content therewith, neither doeth 
 he himself receive the brethren, and them that would 
 he forbiddeth and casteth them out of the church." 
 (3 John 1:9-10.) 
 
 With these lessons before us, let everyone study the 
 Bible, be simply a Christian, a member of the one body, 
 the church, working for the salvation of the souls of men 
 and women. 
 
UNITY OF THE SPIRIT. 
 By J. F. Tomson. 
 
 Texts : "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is 
 for brethren to dwell together in unity." (Ps. 133:1.) 
 "There is one body." (Eph. 4:4; John 17:20-21.) 
 
 The subject before us is one of vast importance as 
 it relates to spiritual matters and the oneness of God's 
 people. Many discourses have been delivered upon the 
 subject of "Christian Union," which phrase is not found 
 in the book of God. Of course, the word unity is from 
 the word unit, which means one, and where unity exists 
 there will be union. Many prayers have been made for 
 the unity of the religious world, yet we have division, 
 parties, factions and much strife and contention. Whole 
 communities and sometimes families are divided reli- 
 giously. Who is to blame for these religious parties or 
 factions ? Not the God of the Bible, for He is not the 
 "author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches 
 of the saints." (1 Cor. 14:33.) 
 
 To accomplish any work, great or small, by any 
 number of persons, there must be unity of action. A 
 divided army can not expect victory. It is only when 
 they are united and follow the one leader that they can 
 hope for success. Long ago it was said: "In union 
 there is strength." "United, we stand; divided, we fall." 
 Our Savior said of a kingdom and house : "If a kingdom 
 be divided against itself that kingdom can not stand. 
 And if a house be divided against itself, that house can 
 not stand." (Mark 3 :24-25.) 
 
 It is clear to be seen by all thinking persons that the 
 religious world is divided into warring factions or parties, 
 and that each party is working for its own advancement 
 to the downfall of the others. Even the church of 
 Christ has been wrecked by uninspired men, who have no 
 
UNITY OF THE SPIRIT 199 
 
 regard for our Savior's prayer ; who prayed for the unity 
 of his disciples. "Neither pray I for these alone, but 
 for them also which 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." (John 
 17:20-21.) 
 
 In this memorial prayer of our Savior, He prays for 
 the unity (oneness) of His disciples. In this prayer He 
 shows the intimate relationship existing between Himself 
 and His Father, and that they have no separate wills or 
 kingdoms. But such a union as He prays for can not 
 exist as long as uninspired men meet in councils, conven- 
 tions and associations to legislate or formulate by-laws, 
 creeds or disciplines in disregard to Christ as the great 
 lawgiver. Then, who is to blame for the divided state 
 of the religious world? There is only one answer: Men 
 who are not willing to "speak where the Bible speaks 
 and to be silent where the Bible is silent." 
 
 The whole tenor of the New Testament writers is 
 against division and in behalf of unity. (See Board 
 Diagrams, Nos. 1 and 2.) 
 
 "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ (a) that ye all speak the same thing 
 and (b) that there be no divisions among you; but (c) 
 that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind 
 and (d) the same judgment." (1 Cor. 1:10.) "Fulfill 
 ye my joy (a) that ye be likeminded; (b) having the 
 same love; (c) being of one accord; (d) of one mind." 
 (Phil. 2:2.) 
 
 We have itemized the thoughts of these texts to show 
 what it takes to promote the unity of the body of Christ, 
 which is His church, that all may dwell together in love 
 and be of the same mind and judgment. If men would 
 speak as the oracles of God, and submit to the authority 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, there would be no division, and 
 the Lord's prayer would be answered. "And whatsoever 
 ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name (by the 
 
200 OUR savior's prayer for unity 
 
 authority) of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the 
 Father through him." (Col. 3:17.) When He was ex- 
 alted at the right hand of the Father, all authority in 
 heaven and earth was given unto Him that He might 
 put all enemies under His feet. (See Matt. 28:18-20; 
 Eph. 1:15-23.) 
 
 If we obey His teaching faithfully there will be no 
 factions or discord, but perfect unity and love in the body 
 of Christ. It is the will of the Father that we hear Him, 
 as He is "the way, the truth and the life, and no one can 
 come unto the Father but through Him." (Matt. 17:5; 
 John 14 ;6.) 
 
 Carnality has brought about the division in the reli- 
 gious world today, until we are divided and subdivided 
 into near twelve hundred denominations, all working 
 harmoniously together to overthrow the church of Christ. 
 Carnality divided the church at Corinth. ( 1 Cor. 3 :3-5 ; 
 1 Cor. 1:11-14.) 
 
 Explanation of Our Diagram. — The large diagram 
 represents the kingdom of God, or church of Christ. In- 
 side of the large, we place three smaller diagrams, rep- 
 resenting three of the most prominent denominations of 
 this country — granting them, for the sake of the argu- 
 ment, what they claim to be, branches of the true church. 
 Now, show what they teach about the establishment of 
 the church. Then show the Bible teaching. (Matt. 16: 
 13-19.) If the church was established before Pentecost 
 (a) it was a church without a foundation; therefore, a 
 sandy foundation, as the foundation had to be tried. 
 (Isa. 28:16.) The foundation was tried when Jesus 
 was crucified. (Acts 4:10-12.) (b) A body without a 
 head ; therefore, a headless body — a dead body — as the 
 spirit was not given until Pentecost. (Col. 1:18; Jas. 2: 
 26.) (c) A church without the purchase orice paid. 
 (Acts 20:28.) 
 
 On Pentecost, the law of induction was announced 
 and the prophecy of Daniel (2:44) was fulfilled. The 
 history of the case shows the prediction to have been ful- 
 
UNITY OF THE SPIRIT 201 
 
 tilled- "1 will build my church," Jesus. The "law was 
 to go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from 
 Jerusalem." (lsa. 2 :3 ; Luke 24 :46-49.) 
 
 Make an argument upon the name as applied to the 
 term church in a local and catholic sense and as applied 
 to individual members. (Isa. 62:2; Acts 11:26; 1 Pet. 
 4:16; Jas. 2:7.) Show Methodist and Baptist teaching 
 on entering the kingdom, but not into the fellowship of 
 the church until after baptism. Mark out F. and R. F., 
 also M. E. and Baptist, S. P. and B. standing for sprink- 
 ling, pouring and baptism. Show that the terms free 
 and close communion are unscriptural terms. (1 Cor. 10: 
 16.) 
 
 Next, show the divisive work of creeds, marking 
 everything that divides Christians, after asking the audi- 
 ence to give chapter and verse authorizing them. Creed 
 is from credo and means "I believe." All organic bodies 
 have their creed. The creed of the Methodist Episcopal 
 church is the Discipline. All the organic laws of the 
 Methodist Episcopal church are based on the twenty-five 
 articles of faith found in the Discipline. The creed of 
 the Baptist church is the American Confession of Faith, 
 Pen Manual or Phil. Confession of Faith. All the or- 
 ganic laws of the Baptists are based on the eighteen ar- 
 ticles of faith found therein. Destroy a creed and you 
 will destroy the sect holding to it. The church of Christ 
 is a divine institution. It has a divine lawgiver, and, 
 therefore, its laws are divine. A divine institution, divine 
 head and divine creed. Webster says : "A creed is a defi- 
 nite truth to be believed." What definite truth did God 
 submit to the world as the object of men's faith? We 
 read from the sacred pages : "For God so loved the 
 world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso- 
 ever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever- 
 lasting life." (John 3:16.) 
 
 When the pagan jailer cried out at the midnight hour, 
 "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas 
 answered : "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou 
 
202 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 •halt be saved and thy house." (Acts 16:30-31.) Philip 
 said to the eunuch, "If thou believest with all thine heart, 
 thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that 
 Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (Acts 8:37.) In all 
 these scriptures and many others Christ is made the ob- 
 ject of men's faith. Faith in the divinity of Christ as the 
 Son of the living God was the creed of the apostolic 
 church and the only creed. Then, back to Jerusalem and 
 let our motto ever be, "Where the Bible speaks, we will 
 speak," or be as silent as the hills. Show the divisive 
 work of the Christian church. Make an argument against 
 societies and instrumental music, marking out as you pro- 
 ceed everything that divides. 
 
 Homily. 
 
 Unity. — The word unity is from unit and means one, 
 which word occurs three times in the Bible, one time in 
 Ps. 133.1 and in the fourth chapter of Ephesians, third 
 and thirteenth verses. (See Eph. 4:1-6; see Diagram 
 No. 4.) 
 
 When the relation existing between the followers of 
 Christ is mentioned in the Bible it is unity. It implies a 
 state that can not exist without all the elements or prin- 
 ciples mentioned by Paul are present. (Illustrate by the 
 seven primitive colors.) 
 
 Therefore, if we add a new principle or element than 
 the seven named by Paul, the unity of the spirit is de- 
 stroyed. If unity consists of these, neither more or less, 
 it is well to understand them in the order given us by 
 inspiration. Therefore, necessary to this unity we have: 
 (1) The one body. That is, one church — the body is the 
 church. "And he is the head of the body, the church." 
 (Col. 1:18.) "And there shall be one fold and one 
 shepherd." (John 10:16; 1 Cor. 12:13.) What is the 
 body of which Christ is head? It is the church that He 
 built upon the rock. He calls it my church. (Matt. 16: 
 18.) We call it the church of Christ, or Christ's church; 
 the church of the first-born, church of God, etc. How 
 
UNITY OF THI SPIRIT 20i 
 
 may the one body, or the church of Christ, be identified? 
 (a) By its name; (b) by the foundation upon which it is 
 built; (c) by its officers, worship and discipline. 
 
 When men learn to set aside their own wisdom and 
 submit to the wisdom of God and take God at his word, 
 they will cease to multiply denominations and our Sa- 
 vior's prayer will be answered. 
 
 (2) The One Spirit. — The Holy Spirit to dwell in 
 and animate the one body. (John 14:15.) The temple 
 of God in which the Holy Spirit dwells is the building 
 of God, the one body. 
 
 (3) The One Hope. — The one hope is composed of 
 desire and expectation. As Christians we hope to be de- 
 livered from the power of death and be resurrected from 
 the grave. As Christians we hope to see our God face 
 to face, and our Redeemer as he is. Oh, yes ! We hope 
 to meet and to mingle with the ransomed host of God 
 and join in the song to the Lamb of God forever and 
 ever. "Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth 
 himself, even as he is pure/' (1 John 3:3.) All who do 
 not possess this hope can not keep the "unity of the 
 spirit." and with such we can have no spiritual union. 
 
 (4) One Lord. — He who is King of king and Lord 
 of lords. The only recognized Lord and lawgiver on 
 the "unity of the spirit" can never be obtained. If we 
 acknowledge any other Lord or head we can not unite 
 with the people of God. 
 
 (5) One Faith. — The one faith founded upon the 
 divine testimony is necessary to "unity of the spirit." 
 (Heb. 11:6.) He who possesses faith founded upon 
 dreams can not keep the "unitv of the spirit." (Mark 
 16:16; Acts 8:37; John 3:16.)' 
 
 (6) The One Baptism, — Not four or five, but the 
 one baptism. One baptism is as necessary as the one 
 body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord and one faith. 
 (Press the argument.) 
 
 (7) One God. — The Father of all, the author of be- 
 ing, self-existent and eternal. "He who made us and not 
 
204 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 we ourselves/' "In whom we live and move and have 
 our being." "From whom we receive our life and breath 
 and all things." "The creator of the heavens and the 
 earth and all things therein." "Who art from everlasting 
 to everlasting." "The King eternal, immortal, invisible; 
 the only wise God." Amen. 
 
 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren 
 to dwell together in unity." These things observed, and 
 our Savior's prayer will be answered and the world con- 
 verted. All true believers are now one in Christ. Men 
 are saved in the body of Christ. The body of Christ is 
 the church. (Col. 1:18.) "There is none other name 
 under heaven given among men, whereby we must be 
 saved." (Acts 4:12.) 
 
 May God help us to plant our feet on the immovable 
 Rock of Ages, that even in death we shall not fall, but 
 rise to fairer worlds on high. Amen. 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER. 
 
 (Has It Been Answered, Is It Being Answered, or 
 Will It Be Answered?) 
 
 By George W. Varner. 
 
 In the first place, I wish to notice carefully the 
 wording of the prayer. In verse 6, he says : "I have 
 manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest 
 me out of the world. Thine they were and thou gavest 
 them me, and they have kept thy word." Verse 11, 
 he prays the Father to "keep through thine own name 
 those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, 
 as we are one." 
 
 From the scripture cited it is evidently clear that in 
 order to preserve the unity prayed for they be kept in 
 the one name and keep the word. "While I was with 
 them in the world I kept them in thy name." Thus, we 
 see it was necessary to keep them in the one name and 
 that they (the disciples) keep the word he gave them in 
 order that unity might be preserved. 
 
 Luke 12 :32 : "Fear not, little flock ; it is your Father's 
 good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Thus, we have 
 one flock, one father and one kingdom. They had re- 
 ceived the word he gave them, and kept the word, and 
 been kept in the one name, and were of one mind. They 
 had the mind of Christ. See 1 Cor. 2:16: "We (the 
 apostles) have the mind of Christ." One mind and all 
 preached the same thing. (1 Cor. 15:11.) 
 
 Thus we see that the prayer for the unity of the 
 apostles was answered when he prayed and was pre- 
 served throughout the life of the apostles by keeping 
 them in the one name and by abiding in the word. 
 
 Now we come to notice his prayer for those who be- 
 lieve on him through the preaching of the apostles. 
 
206 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 "Neither pray I for these (apostles) alone, but for all 
 them also which shall believe on me through their word, 
 that they all may be one in us, as thou, Father, art in me, 
 and I in thee, that the world may believe that thou hast 
 sent me." (John 17:20-21.) 
 
 Commencing with the twentieth verse, this portion of 
 his prayer looked to the future. He prays for those which 
 shall believe on him through the apostles' word, and the 
 preaching and teaching were still in the future, and the 
 believers were to be made in the future. This portion 
 was not answered at the time he offered the prayer, 
 but we will have to look into the future for the answer. 
 Christ said to those apostles : "I am the vine, ye are the 
 branches/' (John 15:5.) Christ here teaches the close 
 relationship that existed between him and the apostles, 
 the same relationship that exists between the vine and 
 the branches. The branch partakes of the nature of the 
 vine. Christ said to those branches (apostles) : "Ye 
 have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained 
 you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that 
 your fruit should remain." (John 15:16.) 
 
 Christ said in that prayer, "For I have given them 
 (apostles) the words which thou gavest me, and they 
 have received them." Now, it was through the reception 
 and the keeping of those words that this unity was 
 brought about, and when he sends them forth to preach, 
 he sends them the Holy Spirit to bring those words to 
 their remembrance and guide them into all truth. Now, 
 if those words received by the apostles resulted in uniting 
 them in one body and uniting them to the Father and 
 the Son, would not the same word preached by the 
 apostles, received by those that hear and obey it, bring 
 the same results? Unite them in one body in fellow- 
 ship with one another and into fellowship with the Father 
 and the Son. "That which we have seen and heard, 
 declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship 
 with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and 
 his Son, Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3.) 
 
the lord's prayer 207 
 
 Now we will notice the apostles' teaching, commencing 
 with Acts 2. Here we find them preaching Christ to 
 those Jews, and the word preached was believed by a 
 goodly number of them. They were cut to the heart and 
 cried out to know what to do. They were told to repent 
 and be baptized in the name of Christ, for the remission 
 of their sins. And as many as gladly received the word 
 were baptized, and the same day there were added to 
 them (apostles) about three thousand souls — added to 
 the one body. And they continued steadfastly in the 
 teaching of the apostles and in fellowship. Here we find 
 the first cluster of fruit. It partakes of the nature of the 
 vine and the branches that produced it — unity, oneness. 
 
 The portion of the prayer that looked to the future 
 was answered on the day of Pentecost, after Jesus 
 ascended to the Father. Next, we find Peter and John 
 preaching to the multitude in Solomon's porch. And 
 about five thousand believed and showed their deeds 
 (obeyed). (Acts, chapters 3 and 4.) And in Acts 4.32, 
 we learned that the multitude of them that believed were 
 of one heart (mind). 
 
 Next we find Philip down in Samaria preaching the 
 same word, and the Samaritans believed the preaching 
 and were baptized, both men and women. Thus they 
 were brought into fellowship with the saints. United 
 in one body. 
 
 Next we notice Peter preaching to the Gentiles in 
 the house of Cornelius. (Acts, 10:42, to close of chap- 
 ter.) They heard the w r ord, believed and obeyed, and 
 thus were brought into the one fold. These were the 
 other sheep Christ spoke of in John 10:16. He said he 
 would bring and there should be one fold and one shep- 
 herd. Thus we see that the prayer of Christ was an- 
 swered wherever the word was preached, believed and 
 obeyed. 
 
 Next we notice Paul at Ephesus. Here he finds 
 twelve disciples that had been taught wrong. They, no 
 doubt, were sincere, and had been baptized in full assur- 
 
208 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 ance that they were obeying God, whole-heartedly. Now, 
 just imagine you hear Paul say to them: "Are you satis- 
 fied with your baptism ?" They answer that they are. 
 "Well," Paul says, "come, give me your hand and we 
 will receive you into our fellowship, into the one body." 
 Would the prayer of Jesus have been answered in their 
 case? No, emphatically no. But Paul preached the 
 word to them and they believed and obeyed and were 
 brought into the one fold. Thus we see wherever the 
 pure, unadulterated word was preached, believed and 
 obeyed, the prayer of Christ was answered, and so it is 
 now. When the pure word is preached, believed and 
 obeyed, the obedient one is brought into the one fold, 
 into the one name. And so I understand that the prayer 
 is being answered every time the gospel is preached, 
 believed and obeyed. And the prayer will be answered 
 in full when the last gospel sermon is preached, be- 
 lieved and obeyed. But a perverted gospel preached, a 
 perverted gospel believed, and a perverted gospel obeyed 
 will not put the obedient one into the one fold, the one 
 body, the one name, but put the obedient one into Baby- 
 lon. Therefore, it does not bring the answer. "But," 
 says one, "God has a people in Babylon and invites them 
 to come out and they have been baptized?" I admit it, 
 but how did they get into Babylon? They heard a per- 
 verted gospel, believed a perverted gospel, had a per- 
 verted faith, and were baptized out of the world into 
 Babylon, just as those twelve that Paul found at Ephesus. 
 They had been taught wrong, believed wrong and had 
 been baptized out of the world into Babylon, a state of 
 confusion. And Paul preached to them the word, taught 
 them the truth. They believed the truth, which is to free 
 those that receive it. And when they believed the truth, 
 he baptized them out of Babylon into Christ. And thus 
 the Lord's prayer was answered. 
 
 Brethren, we get too anxious to count names, and 
 we go out into Babylon, meet them half way, shake 
 hands with them and leave them in Babylon. There are 
 
THE LORD'S PRAYER 209 
 
 too many Babylonish garments among us. That's one 
 great reason there are so many loose-walking members 
 and so much contention among us. 
 
 We are admonished to run with patience the race 
 that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and 
 finisher of our faith. (Heb. 12:1-2.) And, again, we 
 are admonished to contend earnestly for the faith that 
 was once delivered to the saints. (Jude 3.) Now, if 
 we heed those admonitions and insist on implicit and 
 whole-hearted obedience to the faith as Paul did at 
 Ephesus, it will bring the answer, as it did at Ephesus. 
 
 Now, brethren, in conclusion, I commend you to God 
 and the word of his grace, which is able to build you up 
 and keep you from falling, and finally give us an in- 
 heritance among the saints at God's right hand. May 
 God bless us, one and all, in doing his whole will. Amen. 
 
SHADES OF INFIDELITY NOT A BASIS FOR 
 UNITY. 
 
 By J. J. Vanhoutin. 
 
 An atheist is a person who denies the existence of an 
 intelligent first cause "God." I do not know how a man 
 can obtain any consolation from such a theory, for it 
 does not offer any hope beyond this life. An agnostic 
 will neither affirm nor deny that there is a God. I do 
 not see how that theory can profit any man. A deist is 
 one who admits that there is a God, yet must have his 
 own views as to what God is. There is no comfort in 
 that, for the man is liable to be mistaken. Infidelity 
 never saved a single soul. It is a little like the author 
 of "Atheism" said of his doctrine. He said: "Atheism 
 will not make a wicked man good," and I never knew 
 of it reforming anyone. Its author never intended it 
 for that purpose. He was an obstructionist from his 
 first work. 
 
 Another sprout from the roots of atheism is "skep- 
 ticism." Among religious people "skepticism" is the 
 greatest "ism." It appears to be the corner sandbar of 
 all sectism in the world ! They can twirl the scriptures 
 and toss the sword of the Spirit with as much pre- 
 cision and assumption as a Japanese juggler in twirling 
 a half dozen butcher knives. They can throw the scrip- 
 ture to any desirable spot, rejecting or accepting, just 
 as their frail judgment desires, doubting everything that 
 does not suit their fancy. While Christians live by faith, 
 and walk by faith, skeptics live in doubt, and walk in 
 doubt, and in place of knowing the import of the teach- 
 ings of the New Testament, it appears like they do not 
 know anything about it for sure. An "infidel" is one 
 who disbelieves in Christianity or the truthfulness of the 
 scriptures. They profess to have examined the scrip- 
 
INFIDELITY NOT A BASIS 211 
 
 tures and found out that they are not reliable. All in- 
 fidels are unbelievers, but all unbelievers are not in- 
 fidels. Many unbelievers never knew but very little 
 about Christ or the scriptures, and are ready, willing, 
 yes, anxious, to hear the gospel. And I know of some 
 who greatly desired to hear the gospel but were deprived 
 of the opportunity by designing men, and died without 
 that privilege. 
 
 But as long as people are resting under the dark shade 
 of infidelity, unconcerned, the "Son of Righteousness, 
 with healing in his wings/' will not reach their benighted 
 heart. God was here first, but "Mirebaud" came after- 
 wards and tried to get people to deny the existence of 
 a God, and the world would not unite upon nonentity. 
 Neither did Jesus pray for that kind of a unity. The 
 Bible was here first, "Trypho," and then Celsus, the first 
 Gentile writer against Christianity, came and tried to 
 get the people to unite against Christ and the unity for 
 which he prayed, but they could not form any basis for 
 a unity against the union for which Christ prayed. So 
 they and a number of others just drifted along. But 
 after a while the various teachers became so divided 
 over their unbelief of the scriptures, that a very great 
 many of the people became more divided than ever and 
 the division became very popular. Then a great many 
 concluded that division was better than union, and by 
 such division every man could be suited. In this way 
 "skepticism" and "infidelity" prevailed over faith in the 
 word of God. Jesus prayed for his apostles, and then 
 for them also which would believe on him through their 
 word. True faith in Christ is obtained through the testi- 
 mony, or words of the apostles. And as the apostles all 
 preached the same gospel, and testified to the same facts 
 in regard to the resurrection of Christ, the faith of all 
 believers was the same, and it is still that way. 
 
 Paul said: "I continue unto this day, witnessing 
 both to small and great, saying none other things than 
 those which the prophets and Moses did say should 
 
212 our lord's prayer for unity 
 
 come; that Christ should suffer, and that he should be 
 the first that should rise from the dead, and should 
 shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles." (Act* 
 26:22, 23.) Again: "To whom he expounded and testi- 
 fied the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning 
 Jesus, both out of the law of Moses and out of the 
 prophets." (Acts 28:23.) The above show just what 
 Paul preached. It was, "How that Christ died for our 
 sins according to the scriptures ; and that he was buried, 
 and that he rose again the third day according to the 
 scriptures." (1 Cor. 15:3, 4.) The law and the prophe- 
 cies in the Old Testament scriptures was preached by 
 the apostles, the people who believed were embraced in 
 the prayer of Jesus, and they all believed the same 
 praching. And if all of our preaching was like Paul's, 
 every believer would be one in faith, one in mind, and 
 one in judgment. Please read 1 Cor. 1 :10. Then in- 
 quire if any man in this, our day, ever heard a man 
 preach the way Paul said he did. I find 476 prophecies 
 in the Old Testament concerning Christ, and many times 
 have I quoted and explained from twenty to sixty verses 
 of the law and the prophecies in about thirty or fifty 
 minutes' time. The right kind of preaching, if it is be- 
 lieved, produces faith in Christ. Then there is a unity 
 in faith, but speculative theories and hobbies will cause 
 division and a divided faith. The Lord's people and 
 church yet obtain faith in Christ through the apostles' 
 word and are united in faith, and are embraced in the 
 prayer of Jesus, while those who obtain a faith of some 
 kind, in some other way, are divided. The apostles' 
 teaching is the only basis for unity. 
 
 If the veil of death and mortality was removed from 
 the true, humble, devoted, praying man while praying, 
 he would then be in the immediate presence of God. 
 But now the veil of death and mortality stands as a 
 dividing line between the worshiper and God. This 
 ought to encourage the Christian man to visit the house 
 of prayer. There is another place where the true Chris- 
 
INFIDELITY NOT A BASIS 214 
 
 tkn i* brought face to face with Jesus except for the 
 reil of death and mortality, and that place is where he 
 meets with even two or three at the Lord's supper, Jesus 
 having passed through death and is over on the other 
 side of the death line ; but his followers are yet on this 
 side. And the man who professes to be a Christian, and 
 does not pray, surely does not understand how to wor- 
 ship "the Lord in the beauty of holiness. " And the man 
 who refuses to pray publicly, or preside at the Lord's 
 table because he has not been appoined "elder" or "dea- 
 con" is the man whom the Lord says to not appoint. 
 Elders and deacons must be tried and have some ex- 
 perience in the work before they are permitted by the 
 Lord to take the responsibility of the office of elder or 
 deacon. 
 
 Since the days of Joshua, the river Jordan has been 
 typical of death, and perhaps longer; for when he 
 crossed the Jordan in order to enter the land of prom- 
 ise, which was typical of heaven, the river opened and 
 that below the dividing line ran on down to the dead 
 sea, while the water above was stayed and backed up 
 as far as to the city of "Adam," which city (supposed 
 to be the first after the flood) was soon destroyed, 
 which appears to show 7 that death reaches back to the 
 first man, "Adam," but will soon be destroyed. After 
 Abraham's victorious battle, as he returned, he was met 
 by the greatest man on earth, "Melchisedec," who was 
 prince, king and priest of God, and communed with 
 him by the side of the river. They used bread and 
 wine. This certainly is typical of the Christians' war- 
 fare, and then at the close of the week's work, upon 
 the first day of the week, meet with our Prince of life 
 and peace, our King and our great High Priest and 
 commune, using bread and the fruit of the vine. This 
 brings us to the death line. Our priest, having passed 
 through death, at this holy communion there is only the 
 veil of death and mortality between Christ and his fol- 
 lowers, to whom he gives the blessing. 
 
214 our lord's prayer for unity 
 
 I memorized the Savior's prayer over fifty years 
 ago, yet I have no set memorized prayer of my own. 
 Much having been written about the prayer of Jesus, I 
 think it in place to present our request to God after the 
 following words : "Our Father, who art in heaven" : 
 Thou, the great author of life, and the Father of our 
 spirits, we lift our voices in thanksgiving and praise to 
 Thee for Thy goodness, loving-kindness and tender 
 mercies. And in the name of Jesus we ask Thy kind 
 forgiveness of all our sins. We thank Thee for all 
 earthly blessing, and specially for all the spiritual bless- 
 ing the Church of Christ affords. And we praise Thy 
 name for the hope of immortality and eternal life. We 
 ask Thy blessings upon thy church and people. May 
 they be animated by Thy love, directed through life by 
 Thy wisdom, that the world may be bettered by their 
 having lived in it. We pray Thy blessings and protect- 
 ing care upon our nation, and upon our rulers. May 
 they be as God-fearing men, enacting such laws as may 
 redound to the good of Thy people, that we may lead 
 a quiet and peaceful life. May unity, peace and brotherly 
 love prevail. Lead us all in the path of righteousness, 
 and when w r e come down to die, may we so have lived 
 that we may depart in peace with Thee, and finally be 
 saved in thine everlasting kingdom. We ask in the 
 name of Christ, our Redeemer. Amen. 
 
UNION OF GOD'S PEOPLE. 
 By L. S. White. 
 
 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren 
 to dwell together in unity." (Ps. 133 :1.) There are some 
 things good, but not pleasant, while there are other things 
 pleasant but not good. The above Scripture tells us 
 unity is both good and pleasant. 
 
 We have but to look around us to see the deplorable 
 condition brought about by division among the Lord's 
 people. The principle of strife, division, contention and 
 party spirit among religious people is the greatest hin- 
 drance in the spread of the gospel. If religious people 
 would unite among themselves, live as the Bible directs, 
 be full of zeal, teach and practice the same things, and 
 stop party spirit, it would not take long to convert the 
 world to Christ, and peace and good will would soon be 
 on earth. 
 
 The divisions in the religious world are not over what 
 the Bible says, but over things it says nothing about. I 
 am glad to know it is possible for all people to teach and 
 practice the same things, religiously, and everybody be 
 doing what all will say is right, and no one's conscience 
 be violated. 
 
 Christ Prayed For Union. 
 
 Please read His great prayer in 17th chapter of John. 
 In praying for his disciples, He said : '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. And the glory which thou gavest 
 me I have given them ; that they may be one, even as we 
 are one; I in them, and thou in me." We will let our 
 Savior tell us, in this prayer, the object of his people 
 
216 ou* savior's prayer for unity 
 
 being united : "That the world may believe that thou hart 
 sent me . . . that they may be made perfect in one, 
 and that the world may know that thou hast sent me." 
 Thus you see our Savior teaches if there was union 
 among his followers the world would soon be led to 
 Christ. 
 
 The Extent of the Union. 
 
 Christ teaches we are to be "one as he and his Father 
 are one." God and Christ are not one person, but one in 
 purpose, desire and love, and work together for the sal- 
 vation of the human family. But you might ask : "Does 
 not the Bible say they are one?" Yes, and the same Bible 
 says : "The husband and wife are one," but we know they 
 are two distinct persons, yet one in love and desire. 
 
 Christ Broke Down the Wall of Division. 
 
 "He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath 
 broken down the middle wall of partition between us, 
 having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of 
 commandments contained in ordinances ; for to make in 
 himself of twain one new man, so making peace ; and that 
 he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the 
 cross, having slain the enmity thereby; and came and 
 preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them 
 that were nigh. For through him we both have access 
 by one spirit unto the Father. Now, therefore, ye are no 
 more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with 
 the saints, and of the household of God; and are built 
 upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus 
 Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all 
 the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy 
 temple in the Lord : in whom ye also are builded together 
 for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Eph. 2:14- 
 22.) As Christ died to break down the "middle wall of 
 partition," and to "make peace," what right have we to 
 build walls of partition and create division? 
 
union or god's piofli 217 
 
 The Cost of Union. 
 
 From Acts 20:28 we learn Christ "purchased the 
 church with his own blood. " In it he proposes to recon- 
 cile the world to himself (2 Cor. 5 :17-20), and thus unite 
 his people. If Christ made such a great sacrifice for 
 union, ought we not to practice it? 
 
 The One Body. 
 
 "Christ is the head of the body which is the church/' 
 (Eph. 1 :22, 23.) "And he is the head of the body, the 
 church." (Col. 1:18.) "But now are they many mem- 
 bers, yet but one body." (1 Cor. 12:20.) This "one 
 body" is the church of the living God, and the one spirit 
 of God dwells in this one body. Let us see how Paul 
 urges unity in this one body : "Endeavoring to keep the 
 unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." There is one 
 body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of 
 your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God 
 and Father of all, who is above all and through all, and 
 in you all." (Eph. 4 :3-6.) Here are seven items of unity. 
 How is it possible for persons to be prompted by the 
 same spirit, and be divided? The spirit of God will not 
 lead people into different parties, and each one of these 
 parties opposed to the other. Two persons can not differ 
 and both be right. They may differ and both be wrong, 
 but it is impossible to differ and both be right. 
 
 Union Commended, Division Condemned. 
 
 Paul says : "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the 
 name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same 
 thing, and that there be no division among you ; but that 
 ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in 
 the same judgment." (1 Cor. 1:10.) He says again: 
 "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to 
 be likeminded one toward another according to Christ 
 Jesus ; that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify 
 
218 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 God." (Rom. 15 :5, 6.) How can people glorify God with 
 one mind and mouth, and be divided? It can not be done. 
 In naming the different things God hates, Solomon 
 says : 'The Lord hates him that soweth discord among 
 brethren. " (Prov. 6:19.) Paul says: "Now I beseech 
 you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and of- 
 fenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, 
 and avoid them." (Rom. 16:17.) 
 
 Grounds For Union. 
 
 Man can not frame the conditions of union. That be- 
 longs to God. Every time there is a convention of men to 
 frame the conditions of union, they are certain to make 
 the division greater. It is not a union of denominations, 
 but an individual union with God. Where two or more 
 persons are united with God, they are united with each 
 other, for the same thing that unites people to God unites 
 them to each other. It is impossible to have union with 
 each other without union with God. Paul says : "As 
 many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put 
 on Christ. ... Ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 
 3 :27, 28.) How can we all be "one in Christ Jesus" and 
 yet be divided ? 
 
 How God's People Are to Be Governed. 
 
 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is 
 profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for 
 instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may 
 be pefect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 
 (2 Tim. 3:16,17.) There is no division over the fact 
 that the word of God is sufficient for the government of 
 God's people. The division is over things man has 
 brought in which supplants the authority of the word of 
 God. Man has made creeds, confessions of faith, and 
 books of discipline for government of God's people, and 
 these things supplant the authority of the word of God. 
 Why not lay aside all these human creeds, and follow the 
 
VNION OF COD'f PEOPLE 219 
 
 word of God? We can not hav« union on th« govirn- 
 m«nt of the church without this. 
 
 The Name of the Church. 
 
 To the elders of the church Paul says : "Feed the 
 church of God which he hath purchased with his own 
 blood." (Acts 20 :28.) "The church of God which is the 
 pillar and ground of the truth." (1 Tim. 3 :15.) No one 
 objects to any name God has given the church. The divi- 
 sion is over names not found in the Bible. Take, for 
 instance, the names God gave his followers. They are 
 called in the Bible, "saints," "believers," "children of 
 God," "followers of Christ," "disciples," and "Chris- 
 tians." No one objects to any of these names, and there 
 is no division over them, because they are authorized in 
 the word of God. But the divisions over the name are 
 all brought about by human names being given to the 
 church and to many of the professed followers of Christ. 
 It is important that we lay aside all human names in reli- 
 gion and only wear the names authorized in the word of 
 God. 
 
 Justification. 
 
 We are agreed that we must be justified in the sight 
 of God to be saved. We are also agreed that the love of 
 God is the moving cause of salvation, the blood of Christ 
 is the procuring cause of salvation, and faith is the prin- 
 ciple upon which we are justified. The division on justi- 
 fication is brought about because man has added to the 
 word of God, and said: "We are justified by faith only," 
 when the Bible positively says, "We are not justified by 
 faith only." The Bible says we are justified by "faith," 
 "knowledge," "works," "Spirit of God," and a number 
 of other things. It takes them all to enter into our justi- 
 fication. 
 
220 #ra savior's prayer for unity 
 
 Baptism. 
 
 When Christ was baptized, "he went up straightway 
 out of the water." (Matt. 3:16.) It is an impossibility 
 to "go up out of" anything without first "going down 
 into" it. When we were baptized, unless we "came up 
 out" of the water, we were not baptized like Christ was 
 baptized. John the Baptist baptized people "with water" 
 by baptizing- them "in the river Jordan." (Mark 1:5.) 
 Paul says: "We are buried with him (Christ) in bap- 
 tism." (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12.) We all know one must be 
 completely covered up in order to be buried. Then, when 
 we were baptized, if we were not "buried in baptism," 
 we are not "with Christ in baptism." 
 
 Everybody says it is right to immerse people, and that 
 people are baptized when they are immersed; but mil- 
 lions of good people say that one who has not been im- 
 mersed is not baptized at all. Then, why not do the very 
 thing everybody says is right, and stop all this division 
 over the "mode of baptism?" 
 
 Take, for instance, the "design of baptism." We 
 start out to follow Christ. We find the first public act 
 of his life was to be baptized himself, and the last com- 
 mand he gave before leaving this earth was that other 
 people should be baptized. If we are fully determined 
 to follow Christ, we will not stop at baptism, for Christ 
 says : "If a man love me he will keep my words." 
 
 The Lord's Supper. 
 
 This is an institution the Lord gave to his people. The 
 ancient Christians met on the "first day of the week" to 
 worship God, and this worship included the Lord's sup- 
 per. We all agree it is right to take the Lord's supper 
 on the "first day of the week." Even Seventh Day Ad- 
 ventists admit it is right to take the Lord's supper on the 
 "first day of the week." If it is right to do this on the 
 first day of one week, it is right to do so on the first day 
 of every week. 
 
UNION of god's people 221 
 
 The Worship of God. 
 
 We all agree the Bible teaches us to sing, pray, study 
 the word of God, take the Lord's supper, and to contrib- 
 ute our means as the Lord has prospered us. There is no 
 division over these things, because the Bible teaches them. 
 But there is great division among God's people over the 
 use of instrumental music in the worship. Why is this? 
 Just because God never authorized instrumental music in 
 his church. I have two reasons for opposing instrumental 
 music in the church : First, God never put instrumental 
 music in the church, and second, instrumental music in the 
 church causes division, and the Bible condemns division. 
 
 A few years ago there were peace and harmony 
 among Christian people. But today you see the church 
 in many places torn to pieces because someone put an 
 organ in the church. 
 
 The people who are introducing these things are re- 
 sponsible for the division. But we are told that "David 
 used an organ." If we must use an organ because David 
 did, then we are authorized to have a plurality of wives, 
 burn incense, practice circumcision, and do many other 
 such things. David lived many centuries before the Chris- 
 tian era. We are to follow Christ, and Christ never 
 authorized instrumental music. 
 
 But we are told we have instrumental music in our 
 homes, and if it is right to have instrumental music in the 
 home, it is right to have it in church. To which I reply : 
 It is right to have pound-cake and ice cream in the home, 
 but they would not be suitable at all to spread on the 
 Lord's table for the Lord's supper. Many things are very 
 suitable in the home that would not do at all in the wor- 
 ship of God. 
 
 All people can endorse singing in the worship, but 
 many good people can not endorse instrumental music, or 
 even worship where it is. Then why not do the very 
 thing that everybody can endorse? We can never have 
 full union till we follow the Bible as our pattern. 
 
222 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 Christian Life and Character. 
 
 I am glad there has never been any division over the 
 life and character all God's people should have. All 
 agree it is a life that must be shaped by the divine pat- 
 tern — the Bible. 
 
 "Blessed Bible, how I love it, 
 How it doth my bosom cheer ! 
 What hath earth like this to covet? 
 Oh, what stores of wealth are here ! 
 
 Man was lost and doomed to sorrow ; 
 
 Not one ray of light or bliss 
 Could he from earth's treasures borrow, 
 
 Till his way was cheered by this." 
 
CHRISTIAN UNITY. 
 
 Lesson Text: Jno. 17:1-23. 
 
 Proof Texts: Eph. 4:1-6; 1 Cor. 1:10-12; 
 Rom. 12:4,5; 15:5,6. 
 
 By C. E. Wooldridge. 
 
 Although the unity of Christians, the children of God, 
 is a subject as old as the New Testament, it is one but 
 little considered and appreciated until recent years. Since 
 the days of Luther and the Reformation much more 
 effort and talent seems to have been devoted to building 
 up parties among Protestants than to restoring the church 
 of apostolic days in its doctrine, practice, worship, name 
 and unity. As a result, denominations and human creeds 
 have multiplied ; and, until a few years ago, were de- 
 fended, stoutly, against every effort made by real Bible 
 students and teachers pointing in the direction of unity. 
 About one hundred years ago a number of godly men 
 took a determined stand for the unity of God's people as 
 set forth in the New Testament. They sought the causes 
 for division and soon had a number of doctrines and prac- 
 tices marked as divisive and unscriptural. These they 
 determined to reject and refute, upon the strength of 
 such passages as 2 Tim. 3:16,17, "Every scripture in- 
 spired of God is also profitable for teaching (doctrine), 
 for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in 
 righteousness ; that the man of God may be complete, 
 furnished completely unto every- good work." Also, 1 
 Peter 4:11: "If any man speak, let him speak as the 
 oracles of God ; if any man minister, let him do it as of 
 the ability which God giveth : that God in all things may 
 be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and 
 dominion forever and ever." 
 
 From these and kindred passages the following motto 
 
224 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 was evolved: "Where the Bible speaks we will speak, 
 and where the Bible is silent we will be silent." These 
 workers and teachers purposed and hoped to rally men 
 and women to the Christ and his gospel on the simple 
 basis of New Testament teaching and free from the par- 
 tisan and distracting elements of denominationalism. 
 
 Party names and man-made creeds were soon found to 
 be in the way of the work proposed. In making the plea 
 for the New Testament as the Christian's only creed, and 
 that Bible things shall be called by Bible names, a direct 
 hit was made at two of the strongholds of sectarianism. 
 For around creeds and names men were most ready to 
 rally when their religious position was questioned in the 
 least. But the two-fold plea for a restoration of the 
 church to the inspired pattern given in the New Testa- 
 ment and for the unity of all Christians in such a divinely 
 ordered and approved body, found thousands of ready 
 and responsive listeners among the earnest souls who 
 had grown tired of the selfishness and unfruitfulness of 
 sectarianism. Many were ready and gladly exchanged 
 their churchianity for Christianity. For many years there 
 was open hostility to the Unity idea. Preachers were 
 ready to apologize for and defend division — even com- 
 mend divisions as useful and convenient. Moreover, they 
 were ready to contend for the use of humanly-devised 
 creeds. Today many of the denominations who formerly 
 held tenaciously to their creeds have either repudiated 
 them or relegated them to the background. Few teachers 
 of denominational churches nowadays would consent to 
 be tried by the creed which was formerly accepted as the 
 standard of doctrine and practice, but would demand that 
 his case be brought to the Bible. Likewise there are few 
 teachers and preachers who will now undertake to present 
 and defend parties and sects as desirable, useful and 
 scriptural. While the plea for unity has much yet to 
 accomplish, it has already, in about one hundred years, 
 wrought wonders. 
 
 I btg to here offer some testimonies of great men, 
 
CHRISTIAN UNITY 225 
 
 many of them leaders, bearing upon questions involved 
 in subject. 
 
 The Name "Christian/" 
 
 "Let me speak to you in the language of heaven and 
 call you Christians." — Henry Ward Beecher. 
 
 "These divisions should be merged into the holy name, 
 'Christian/ " — Albert Barnes. 
 
 "I pray you leave my name alone. Do not call your- 
 selves Lutherans but Christians." — Martin Luther {Life 
 of Luther, by Michelet, p. 262). 
 
 John Wesley said, "Would to God that all party names 
 were forgot, and that we, as humble, loving brethren, 
 might sit down together at the Master's feet, read his 
 Holy Word, imbibe his Spirit, and transcribe his life in 
 our own." Again, "I wish the name 'Methodist' might 
 never be mentioned more but lost in eternal oblivion/' 
 {Univer. Knowl., Vol. 9, p. 540). 
 
 "I sometimes feel sorry that the word 'Baptist/ which 
 was flung at us by our enemies and stuck, should be our 
 name, for often its accent of an act obscures to others 
 our great mission in the world. Perhaps yet we will go 
 back to the name 'Christian'." — {Dr. P. S. Henson (Bap- 
 tist), in General Convention of Baptist Churches at Cleve- 
 land, Ohio, May, 1904). 
 
 Concerning Divisions and Unity. 
 
 "The work of Christianizing the world can only be done 
 by a united church" — Norman McLean, Scotland. 
 
 "I would do little to make a man a Baptist and much 
 to make him a Christian." — E. T. Ruth {Baptist), Liver- 
 pool, Eng. 
 
 "The body of Christ, torn and bleeding, is the shame of 
 the church. It is our duty to put an end to divisions." — 
 Dr. Hunter {Congregationalist) , Glasgow, Scotland. 
 
 "Denominationalism has done all the good it can do. 
 Let it fade and pass away." — John R. Mott. 
 
 "The value of Christian union is great at home, but 
 ten-fold greater in the mission field, where divisions sug- 
 
226 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 gest other prophets besides Jesus." — Former President 
 Harrison. 
 
 "The Missionary problem is not a Methodist problem, 
 Episcopalian problem, nor a Baptist problem ; it is a prob- 
 lem for united Christendom." — Dr. Gracey, Ecumenical 
 Missionary Convention. 
 
 "In the missionary work, above all other kinds of 
 Christian work, it is imperative to remember that a di- 
 vided Christendom can only imperfectly bear witness to 
 the essential unity of Christians." — T. Roosevelt. 
 
 "Tke most pitiable sight I saw in the foreign lands 
 was that of churches that had been gathered out of Heath- 
 enism, rent in twain by sectarian jealousy which had been 
 introduced from the so-called Christian lands." — Francis 
 E. Clark. 
 
 "The greatest weakness of Protestantism is division. 
 The demand of the hour is Christian union. Saint- 
 ship is not sectarian. Union would give us strength. 
 A united church in New Albany would give us the power 
 to destroy the saloon, revolutionize amusements and re- 
 lieve suffering."— Frank Orman Beck (M. £.), New Al- 
 bany, Ind. 
 
 'The time has come in the history of the church when 
 God says, TJnite, unite.' God is calling us to 'unite, 
 unite.' I would not for the world forsake my denomi- 
 nation (Baptist), but for Christ's sake I would gladly 
 give it up forever." — Russell Conwell, Endeavor Con- 
 vention, New York City. 
 
 "As soon as Porto Rico came under our flag we began 
 to parcel out the territory. This was comity. Our de- 
 nominational banners should have been left behind us. 
 I like not the word 'comity' ; it is veneered selfishness. 
 It is wrong in principle and unworkable in practice. Our 
 ritual and creeds must not stand in the way of massing 
 our Christian forces. for the redemption of the world." — - 
 A. J. F. Behrends (Congregationalist) , Brooklyn, N. Y. 
 
 "The division of the church into sects is a distinct and 
 flagrant sin. M — Ian Maclaren {Rev. John Watson, Pres. 
 
CHRISTIAN UNIT* 227 
 
 Min., Liverpool) y "The Bonnie Briar Bush," p. 270. 
 
 "It is a pleasure to join with you in your tribute to 
 John Wesley. The more we study of him and his life 
 the nearer we shall come together. I never think of 
 Wesley, the attitude of the English church toward him, 
 and the action of those who broke away from the mother 
 church, without feeling anew that it is the self-will of 
 man and not the will of God that separates and keeps 
 his family apart. The supreme duty of all Christian 
 churches is to place unity, actual and real, as the unity 
 of an army, in the forefront of every prayer and of 
 every effort that God in His good time may bring them 
 to subordinate individual will to His purpose for His 
 church/' — Silas McBee {Protestant Episcopal), editor 
 "Churchman." 
 
 "In the beginning, we are told, the Christian church 
 was 'all with one accord in one place/ but if Peter and 
 Paul were to come to New York, or to New Orleans, or 
 to San Francisco, or to Boston, they would find the mem- 
 bers of this one church in 169 different places, with a 
 practical man named James leading one group of dis- 
 ciples, an emotional Peter leading another group, an 
 esthetic John leading still another group, and the philo- 
 sophic Paul guiding his own band. The cross of Christ 
 stands in the center, but each regiment, with its back 
 toward that cross, marching away from his fellows, 
 while his denominational leader beats time. Yet unity, 
 co-operation, could combine these scattered regiments 
 into a solid army marching on to victory/' — Newell 
 Dwight Hillis, in "Everybody's" April, 1904. 
 
 From the foregoing it may be seen how broad and 
 deep and intelligent and strong is "union sentiment" 
 among representative men of the various denomina- 
 tions. To the above may be added the many societies 
 and associations, some of them, as the Christian En- 
 deavor and Y. M. C. A., in and through which members 
 of almost all denominations work in a unity which knows 
 no denominational restrictions or limitations. So much 
 
228 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 for the favor the plea for unity has won. That senti- 
 ment must be cherished and cultivated, but more, it must 
 be directed to the 'True Basis for Christian UNITY. ,, 
 Churches and church people must be made to realize that 
 the oneness of God's people can only be realized in a 
 return of the model and ideals he gave through the in- 
 spired apostles and recorded in the New Testament. All 
 the figures there indicate unity : One fold, one shepherd. 
 The way, the truth, the life. The true vine. One body. 
 The church. My church. The house of God. The 
 household of faith. The church of God. The kingdom 
 of God's dear Son. An holy nation. A royal priesthood. 
 A peculiar people. The gospel. The gospel of Christ. 
 The New Testament. Such expressions might be multi- 
 plied many times, all indicating perfect unity, unity in 
 organization, faith, practice, motives, objects, worship, 
 hopes — "perfectly joined together." The religious world 
 now entertains favorably a plea for closer relations. 
 Many decry and condemn divisions as weakening and 
 distressing. Co-operations, associations and unions are 
 many and are multiplying in favor, but there is a vast 
 difference in these and the unity for which our Savior 
 prayed. The doctrines, practices, names and organiza- 
 tions which have caused and fostered division and sec- 
 tarianism must be done away with and destroyed and 
 men must become one in the faith and life and church 
 of our Father and Savior. 
 
 Brethren, elders and preachers in particular, let me 
 urge that this subject be stressed at all times. It was a 
 popular and winning theme in the pioneer days of the 
 Restoration, the days when the splendid churches we 
 now have were being carved out of the wilderness of 
 denominationalism, and it will win today. Moreover, 
 the continued life and prosperity of our congregations 
 require that unity be urged whatever be the cost to par- 
 ties and creeds of men. 
 
 The time was never more favorable. Men are think- 
 ing and talking and working at unity along all useful 
 
CHRISTIAN UNITY 229 
 
 lines. The tasks of today are seen to be too large for 
 parties. Nations are leagued together for their tasks 
 and are strengthening their ties. The "relief work" re- 
 quired in this time of almost world-wide distress, re- 
 quired such unity and efficiency as the Red Cross has 
 shown. But a united church, the whole family of God 
 united in Him and under His orders, His army at His 
 command bearing the "weapons which are not carnal/' 
 will be greater and equal to greater tasks than that of 
 the Red Cross. It would destroy autocracy and plu- 
 tocracy and militarism and every other evil, and make 
 the world safe and delightful for mankind. 
 
 Let us study and teach and work and pray that God 
 hasten the day when divisions shall cease and we shall 
 all be one. 
 
"THOU IN ME AND I IN THEE." 
 By F. L. Rowe. 
 
 In order that the church might be all that Christ 
 hoped and prayed for, there had to be absolute oneness 
 of purpose and oneness of action. The Greek word 
 makes this meaning clear. Kind feeling one toward an- 
 other is not Christian unity. That may exist where 
 unity of the faith is torn into shreds. Christian union 
 can exist without love, as the mere organic association 
 of good people does not necessarily carry with it the 
 unity for which Christ prayed. A man might be a firm, 
 consistent Presbyterian and meet cordially and even 
 "brother" a member of the Church of Christ. They may 
 visit in each other's homes ; they might even attend each 
 other's prayer meetings, and to all appearances there 
 would be Christian union between them, but their har- 
 mony does not make Christian unity. There is a popular 
 opinion that Christian union consists of the common 
 communion of all sects at the Lord's table as one amal- 
 gamated mass of believers ; but this demonstration is 
 outward and is not necessarily that union of hearts that 
 the Savior had in mind when he prayed that his chosen 
 ones might be one. Communion at the Lord's table is 
 not in any sense sure proof of Christian unity, for that 
 is all still outward. 
 
 Perhaps we can get a little better insight into the 
 Savior's heart when we recall the words of Paul, "Of 
 one accord, of one mind." Now we are getting inside. 
 With this thought before us, we begin to see the heart 
 of the Savior, "Thou in me and I in thee." Now it is 
 getting closer. 
 
 The nearness of Christ's disciples to himself can 
 only be appreciated when we try to understand the depth 
 of his meaning, "Thou in me and I in thee." We see a 
 
"THOU IN MK AND 1 IN THEE" 231 
 
 oneness that can be represented only by thinking of one 
 liberal body. We, as his followers, can only grasp the 
 force of his prayer by the most intensive concentration 
 of thought. Use the illustration of a true husband and 
 wife — this is not strong enough nor deep enough, but it 
 will help. You see them start out in life filled with the 
 noblest purposes, actuated with common thoughts, de- 
 termined to live for each other absolutely, interested 
 solely in each other's welfare, happiest when in each 
 other's company, planning for each other's good, antici- 
 pating each other's washes, and in every way Irving a life 
 in perfect harmony one with the other. That life is 
 ideal ; but how many are there who continue that way ? 
 The same is true regarding Christ's followers. Their 
 purposes are good and the Savior's prayer shows his 
 bleeding heart filled with deep anxiety for the preserva- 
 tion of this people. The Savior was in earnest, tu€ prayer 
 was sincere, his desire on their behalf would compel 
 them to recognize that the model is absolute perfection. 
 But if we, through weakness or deliberate purpose, 
 neglect or lose the benefits and the blessings that should 
 be ours, it is no fault of the model, of the perfect one, 
 Christ, but simply the fault of our own neglect and dis- 
 regard of Christ's commands. The husband and wife 
 drift apart because they lose interest in each other; the 
 once happy home becomes a place of turmoil; the con- 
 fidence that w T as once there is turned into suspicion and 
 doubt; the love looks that used to be exchanged are 
 missing, the clasp of the hand that used to thrill has 
 ceased to have its power, and why ? Simply because pure 
 love has been cast out. The church today suffers becattse 
 there is not perfect harmony — oneness — in all its mem- 
 bers of the body. We will never understand our Savior's 
 prayer until we feel the force of the meaning that the 
 Savior uses when he described the church as a body fitly 
 joined together. The weakness or defect of any one 
 member of the body is conveyed through the nerve cen- 
 ters to the seat of knowledge, the head. The weakness 
 
232 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 of the spiritual body is made known to the head, Christ. 
 Any weakness distresses him and will distress him so 
 long as the church is not a harmonious body. 
 
 Peter was made to feel the sweetness and charity 
 of Christ's heart. He denied the Savior ; he blasphemed 
 him. He was impulsive and said many things hastily, 
 and yet the Savior could see right down into his heart 
 and knew that his heart was good. Peter received the 
 special privilege of holding the keys of the kingdom, and 
 the Savior had also tested him when he tenderly and 
 forgivingly told him to feed his lambs. Why did Christ 
 give him this special instruction and recognition when 
 there were others of the apostles who had shown no 
 shadow of turning? It was because Christ recognized 
 his heart; and it is right there, I believe, the Savior 
 wanted to impress his followers with the truth that "the 
 kingdom of heaven is within you," and in his prayer 
 I believe it was his purpose to bring out the fact that as 
 members of his family we are to judge each other by 
 the purpose of our hearts, by the pure thought that we 
 all know we have for each other, which are so much 
 stronger than outward demonstration that are some- 
 times merely for effect. Christ wanted his followers 
 to be one in heart and one in purpose, and he wanted 
 them to be forgiving. He knew their weak natures, and 
 yet he meant that the real church should be made up 
 of those whose real heart-purpose was known to him 
 and known by spiritual intuition to others in the same 
 family. 
 
 In the Savior's prayer he mentioned that his chosen 
 ones were not of the world, even as he was not of the 
 world. This statement enforces the fact that the citizen- 
 ship of the Christian, who is one inwardly, is not in 
 this physical world, but in a spiritual world. Christ 
 did not mean that his Father should take them out of 
 the world ; we are all here and must continue here until 
 the Lord sees fit to remove us. We can be in the world 
 but not necessarily of the world. We make our living 
 
"thou in me and i in thee" 233 
 
 by the sweat of our brow, and we have our families to 
 provide for, and we have our obligations to Caesar to 
 render according to the instructions of our Lord; but 
 these matters are only incidental to our existence as 
 members of Christ's spiritual famliy. We must have 
 money to pay our necessary bills or expenses. We have 
 taxes that the government requires us to pay, and we 
 must have money for food and raiment, and shelter for 
 our bodies. The true Christian is not anxiously con- 
 cerned about food or raiment; sufficient as Paul says 
 that we have food and raiment, and having that we 
 should "therewith be content." 
 
 Being not of the world clearly indicates that as Chris- 
 tians our lives, or our thoughts, are not of the world 
 and that we are here as on a period of probation, learn- 
 ing here how to enjoy life there. The sorrows that we 
 experience in this world are not to be compared with 
 the joys that shall be ours, and so none of these things 
 move us because our hearts are in tune with the heavenly 
 music which makes us think of the good things to come. 
 With our citizenship in another world we can appreciate 
 in a small degree the anxiety of the Savior that his fol- 
 lowers should not be concerned about the affairs of this 
 life, but, having their mind upon the eternal life, think 
 of those things and associate with those people that 
 would keep our minds free from the temptations of this 
 world and fit us to enjoy the blessing of the better and 
 higher life to come. 
 
 Christ's prayer was that his Father should keep them 
 from evil. He knew the danger that would follow ; and, 
 while he himself knew no evil, nevertheless he was 
 tempted in all points like as we are. He knew the mean- 
 ing of temptation, for the devil himself had tested him. 
 He knew how alluring the things of this world could be 
 made and he knew how attractive the devil could paint 
 the things of this world that please. He knew how easy 
 it was for the weak to be led off by things that could 
 be seen rather than trust to the enjoyment of things that 
 
234 our savior's prayer for unit* 
 
 would be theirs through faith. There was intense anxiety 
 in the heart and mind of the Savior when he prayed that 
 his followers should be kept from the evil. He knew 
 the hearts of many who were following him. Did he not 
 forgive Peter, with his impulsive nature? And he knew 
 there would be thousands, yea millions, whose hearts 
 would be as good as Peter's and yet who would prove 
 perhaps as weak or weaker. Therefore, he wanted them 
 kept from evil and the power of the evil one. He prayed 
 with all the earnestness and tenderness of a father pray- 
 ing for his happy and loving family when he starts upon 
 a long journey. 
 
 Note, also, the intimate oneness that characterized the 
 Jerusalem congregation. "Continuing daily with one ac- 
 cord and singleness of heart." The language brings out 
 again the answered prayer of our Savior as exhibited in 
 the early life of the young church. We know that single- 
 ness of heart shows that they were happy in each other's 
 company, their "breaking bread from house to house" 
 was to praise God, and because of their devotion they 
 were in "favor with all the people." This oneness made 
 an impression upon the people, so much so, that "the 
 Lord added to the church daily." This same condition 
 should maintain and the same result would follow in the 
 church of God today if there were the same accord (or 
 oneness) and the same singleness of heart that made 
 up the primitive congregation. If man today was ac- 
 tuated out of a desire to see Jesus, with the purpose of 
 making him the center of their thoughts, the model of 
 their conduct, the idol of their existence, the church of 
 today would have the same growth, and for the same 
 reason. Too often today a man will preach in an effort 
 to justify his own conduct, will lose sight entirely of his 
 high calling as a leader of the flock, and will deliberately 
 plan the destruction of a congregation if thereby he may 
 appear justified before some ; and a man will try to have 
 his own way rather than yield to the spirit of the Lord, 
 which teaches us to endure all things for Christ's sake. 
 
"THOU IN MK AND 1 IN THM^' 235 
 
 The true man of God, evangelist or elder, whose purpose 
 is to truly exemplify the teaching of the Holy Spirit is 
 willing and ready to surrender himself and to drop out, 
 if thereby peace and harmony, or the oneness or single- 
 ness of heart, can remain in the life of the local con- 
 gregation. The elder whose heart almost literally bleeds 
 with deep concern for members of the spiritual family 
 is the one whose prayer, day and night, is that no divi- 
 sion shall mar the beauty and serenity of the family, 
 with every thought for the preservation, intact, of the 
 souls over whom the Holy Spirit has made him pro- 
 tector. He is willing to suffer imprisonment, injustice, 
 hardships and all manner of persecution, if only his little 
 flock can know and feel his deep love for them. Such a 
 congregation does not need to be told that he careth for 
 them. They know it and they have seen it; they have 
 felt it ; they will stand by him against division because 
 they have realized his high and eternal responsibility. 
 There can be no division in a congregation with such a 
 godly man. The true sheep know the voice of their 
 shepherd, and woe to him who tries to break into the 
 flock and scatter the sheep. 
 
 I can meet with a faithful band of disciples who 
 have known me for years, who have known my life, 
 and who know my disposition, and they are the ones 
 who can judge me far better than those who know me 
 by my work or by my writings. They are the ones with 
 whom I can be absolutely one in the way Christ wanted 
 his followers to be one. They are the ones who would 
 appreciate my efforts, my intentions; they are the ones 
 who would know my purpose, and they are the ones 
 who would stand by me and fight for me to the very 
 last. They are the ones who would protect me against 
 injustice, against treachery, against false brethren, 
 against those who are spiritually weak. Why? Because 
 they have been with me, they have known my walk and 
 conversation, they are my life-bound members of a great 
 and beautiful family, whose hearts are knit together in 
 
236 our savior's prayer for unity 
 
 love, and who are made to rejoice when I rejoice, and 
 who are made to weep when I weep; that is the family 
 I enjoy being a member of. There is the oneness be- 
 tween us much like that which the Savior prayed for 
 when he asked the Father that his people might be one 
 — "I in thee and thou in me." 
 
 The purpose in Christ's mind on behalf of his dis- 
 ciples was "that the world may believe that thou hast 
 sent me." Unless he could leave some unanswerable 
 argument for the people to perpetuate his doctrine, he 
 would be laughed at and forgotten after his departure; 
 but if his disciples could not apprehend the real purpose 
 that Christ wished to unfold in their lives, they would 
 fail in everything that he was concerned about; namely, 
 of being the example before the world, "that the world 
 may believe that thou hast sent me" ; and if the disciples 
 are, as we believe the apostles were, filled with pure love 
 one to another, there is bound to be that oneness, that 
 intimate association; their lives literally linked together 
 so that it is hard to distinguish the human from the 
 divine. They would make the impression on the people 
 that would convince them that the doctrine of Christ 
 was satisfying, enduring, comforting and perfect. The 
 great mass of the church today are a blot upon the fair 
 name of our Savior because we have lost sight of the 
 prime purpose of the church and that oneness that 
 should possess the hearts and lives of our brethren. Too 
 often the Adam nature asserts itself ; the impulse to dis- 
 trust others; the effort to justify one's personal conduct, 
 or an unwillingness to admit our own mistakes and short- 
 comings. Those are all blemishes that destroy the per- 
 fect body, that alienate the affections of God's family 
 with discord and strife, where there should be perfect 
 peace and love and trust and confidence. These human 
 weaknesses make the church a stumbling-block and cause 
 it to be a hiss, a by-word or reproach, all because we 
 have lost sight of the prayer of our Savior. "For whom 
 Christ died" is too often allowed to refer to the other 
 
"thou in me and i in thee" 237 
 
 fellow. We all need more quiet, prayerful meditation 
 and contemplation on that agonizing scene in the gar- 
 den. We need more self-searching and we need to pray 
 more for God to "be merciful to me, a sinner." We need 
 to overlook our brother's weakness ; we need the spirit of 
 forgiveness ; yea, even seventy times seven, if our brother 
 has erred through weakness. "Herein is our Father 
 glorified that we love one another." 
 
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 Treatment Date: Nov. 2005 
 
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