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Around Old Bethany - A Story of the Adventures of Robert and Mary Davis by Robert Lee Berry
page 38 of 101 (37%)
is of the early church then.

"They were united, with one heart and soul; one holy purpose animated
them; one powerful motive brought them together. There were no
divisions among them, they all believed the same thing, and their holy
fellowship was complete. Everyone knew them as the disciples of Jesus,
and anyone under conviction of sin knew where to go for salvation. It
was a pure church. I suppose that there was not a sinner who dared
to profess very long among them. It was not a mixed multitude, part
saved, part unsaved, part trying to do God's will, and part with a
bent on pleasure and full of worldliness. They were all full of grace.
They were humble, too, and consecrated. They were not classified as
rich and poor--they were all brethren, and the wealthier members had
a care for the poorer members' temporal welfare. What a contrast with
the churches as they exist today! My heart longs for a pure, united
church which will bear the pure testimony to the world."

"Mary, do you suppose that there is any church today like the early
church was?" asked Robert.

"I do not know," said Mary. "It may be that there is."

"Do you suppose the 'church of God,' in whose interests this paper is
printed, can be that pure apostolic church?" said Robert. "What
should the true church be called, anyway? This paper says it is
'non-sectarian.' What is a sect? What does 'non-sectarian' mean? Say,
Mary, let us set this afternoon apart as a time of investigation of
what the Bible has to say about the church. What do you say?"

"Let us do that," said Mary. "We have not read the Scriptures at all
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