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Church of Christ
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companionship of error, share the same condemnation; and people of
the world, who do not know that the testimonies quoted are extracts
from private letters used without my consent, present these matters
as evidence that my work is not of God or of truth, but falsehood.
Those who thus bring the work of God into disrepute will have to
answer before God for the work they are doing.
A Divinely Appointed Ministry
God has a church, and she has a divinely appointed ministry.
“And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evan-
gelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowl-
edge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fullness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby
they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow
up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”
The Lord has His appointed agencies, and a church that has lived
through persecution, conflict, and darkness. Jesus loved the church,
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and gave Himself for it, and He will replenish, refine, ennoble, and
elevate it, so that it shall stand fast amid the corrupting influences of
this world. Men appointed of God have been chosen to watch with
jealous care, with vigilant perseverance, that the church may not be
overthrown by the evil devices of Satan, but that she shall stand in
the world to promote the glory of God among men. There will ever
be fierce conflict between the church and the world. Mind will come
into contact with mind, principle with principle, truth with error; but
in the crisis soon to culminate, which has already begun, the men of
experience are to do their God-appointed work, and watch for souls
as they that must give an account.
Those who are carrying this message of error, denouncing the
church as Babylon, are neglecting their God-appointed work, are
in opposition to organization, in opposition to the plain command
of God spoken by Malachi in regard to bringing all the tithes into
the treasury of God’s house, and imagine that they have a work to