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together as a common brotherhood. As one of our poets beautifully expresses it—
"Our heavenly Father calls,
Christ and His members one;
We the young children of his love,
And He the first born son.
We are but several parts
Of the same broken bread;
One body hath its several limbs,
But Jesus is the head."
That the history of every church should be known seems equally clear from the relation they sustain to each other. That was a significant remark made by Paul to his brethren when he said: "Ye are members one of another;" how forcible and expressive is this remark—members one of another. There must be somewhat of a family tie existing between the churches. If it be so, and Ave cannot show why it should not, then is it clear that, as in every well-ordered family, a knowledge of each of its members is desirable and necessary, so is there reason for a knowledge of each church by every member of Christ's mystical body, the church; and however humble and weak it may be, whatever peculiar circumstance surrounds it, so much the greater reason for a knowledge of it. Upon the same principle that our sympathies are moved rather toward the weakest and most unfortunate member of a family, in like manner our interest in and anxiety for these weaker and smaller members of the Christian family should cluster around to watch over and be mindful of, simply on account of what has been already stated.
There may be many other reasons given why the knowledge of no single church of our Redeemer should be lost to the great family of Christians for the want
