The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"GodUNITY OF THE CHURCH. 27stance, to one body of Christians that there arethree Persons in God, and to another that there iaonly one Person in God How ? could He say toone individual that Jesus Christ is God, and toman. How can He tellanother that He isonlyme that the punishments of the wicked are eternal,and tell another that they are not eternal ? Oneof these contradictory statements must be false.lis not the God of dissension, but of peace."Hence, it is clear that Jesus Christ intended thatHis Church should have one common doctrine whichall Christians are bound to believe, and one uniformgovernment to which all should be loyally attached.With all due respect for my dissenting brethren,truth compels me to say that this unity of doctrineand governmentis not to be found in the Protestantsects, taken collectively or separately. That thevarious" Protestant denominations differ from oneanother not only in minor details, but in mostessential principles of faith, is evident to every oneconversant with the doctrines of the different Creeds.The multiplicity of sects in this country, with theirmutual recriminations, is the scandal of Christianity,and the greatest obstacle to the conversion of theheathen. Not only does sect differ from sect, buteach particular denomination is divided into twoor more independent or conflicting branches.In the State of North Carolina, we have severalBaptist denominations, each havingits own dis-1 1. Cor. xiv. 33.