"Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove yourselves, how that Jesus Christ be in you except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor 13:5)

Brethren, may I call your attention to the meaning of the first clause of this verse? The Apostle calls attention to the Faith. What faith does he have reference to? Just any old belief? That Adam ate an apple? That there was a big flood once upon a time? That it is all right now to do anything you want to and call it worship? Blow a horn, play a fiddle in the church house, or dance a jig there? That is one kind of faith. See what Jude says: "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." This was written about the year 66 A. D. We all believe that Jude had reference to the system of faith, or the plan of salvation propogated, and established by the apostles.

This is, no doubt, the Faith Paul is calling our attention to in our text. Are we doing that, just that, and nothing else? Some say in their writing and preaching, "we are holding to that faith.'' Examine yourselves! One says, I believe our system of faith covers the whole plan of salvation. So do I. Everything we must do to be saved is embraced in it. "But 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). Now if we can get what Paul preached, and practice it we will be saved. Is that true? And he preached what all the apostles preached. "To the Law and to the Testimony."

For the remission of sins; they all taught, from John the Baptist and Jesus, to the apostles, faith, repentance, confession and baptism. For church work, the apostles taught sobriety, chastity, honesty, love, industry, vigilance and perseverance.

In the Church, the Lord's Supper, consisting of one loaf representing the giving of the Lord's body; the cup, signifying the giving of the one life upon the cross. A most sacred and solemn remembrance of His holy life. Meeting upon the first day of the week especially for that purpose and the weekly contribution.

By Christ's example we also have the choosing and ordination of elders, deacons, and evangelists (John 15:16).

Through the example and teaching, we find the Apostles practicing and teaching the same thing. See, "And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and the prayers." Paul gives us a splendid and enlightening example of the breaking of bread in 1 Cor 11:23 to the end of the chapter. We shall only quote here verses 23 to 26. "For I have received of the Lord, that which I delivered unto you, (note that), That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said: Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me; After the same manner, also He took the cup, when He had supped saying; This cup is the New Testament in my blood; this do, as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till He comes." Who cannot understand that? Plain, and simple as can be made. The Church of Christ understood it that way, and thus partook of it for nineteen hundred years.

Laying aside and giving "as you are prospered on the first day of the week," was also a command. The care of the Church was entirely under the elders and deacons, till nineteen hundred years had passed.

The ordained evangelist went every where preaching the word of God as given in the New Testament, without doubt or question. Thousands were converted and brought to Christ. They came with streaming eyes showing their repentance and very few went back into the world.

The Church of Christ was growing by leaps and bounds even in my boyhood days. Denominationalism was giving away fast. But a change came over the Church as a dark cloud overshadows the sun. False doctrines came in. One man taught that ordination should have been left in the miraculous age, and his students spread the miasma through their papers all over the U.S. Men came in; took charge of the churches with no preparation other than selfishness and greed and it stopped growing as if it had hit a stone wall. Innovations and error crept in until today if Christ should come, He would not be pleased with his bride.