do mormons have the holy spirit?

[TheosisM]

This appearst to be an accurate statement from my very limited knowledge of restoration theolgy. I know the Church of Christ is a brand of restoration theology. However, the LDS restoration appears to be much different than the Church of Christ restoration views.

Of course it is. The point is that each has a valid claim to being a restoration of the original Church (and all are rightly included under the umbrella of ‘Restorationism’), regardless of whether it occurred with angels, reading a book, staring into a hat, etc.

How Mormonism’s restoration supposedly occurred does not dictate the validity of the claims of other restorationist churches (which was what zerinus was saying in his first post in response to me), and my entire original point was that there are a host of other churches claiming a Great Apostasy and restoration, therefore if one accepts that a total apostasy of the original Church did occur, it does not necessarily follow that one goes to the LDS Church as the restoration.

 

[2nd_Adam]

Of course it is. The point is that each has a valid claim to being a restoration of the original Church (and all are rightly included under the umbrella of ‘Restorationism’), regardless of whether it occurred with angels, reading a book, staring into a hat, etc.

How Mormonism’s restoration supposedly occurred does not dictate the validity of the claims of other restorationist churches (which was what zerinus was saying in his first post in response to me), and my entire original point was that there are a host of other churches claiming a Great Apostasy and restoration, therefore if one accepts that a total apostasy of the original Church did occur, it does not necessarily follow that one goes to the LDS Church as the restoration.

Thanks for the education. As being a sola scriptura Christian, any claims to restoration and extra-biblical revelation means nothing in my Christian version world view. I do enjoy sharing the gospel of God’s grace with Mormons. Restorationists are hard to share the truth of the gospel, since they believe historic Christians are apostate, correct? Mormons seem to have an obvious spiritual arrogance and pride, because of a restoration perspective. Because of that outlook, they get extremely hostile at times.

 

[ParkerD]

If you understand the book of Romans better than I do, please expound the thesis statement of Romans:

Romans 1:16-17

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Hi, 2nd Adam,
I had seen your request but have been busy today.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Paul is addressing the Romans, which means he is addressing mostly Jewish converts to the early church. He is very much aware that by converting to a belief in Christ as the Savior, they need to leave behind their very strong traditions about the “law.”

He reminds them that Jesus brought the gospel to the “Jew first” and that it also goes to the Gentiles and Greeks.

He quotes from the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk to highlight the need for the “just” or the “righteous” to “live by faith” and not by the law. In other words, if these Jewish converts are still clinging to their traditions that said they are justified by living the “law” (law of Moses), then they need to understand that even in the Old Testament, the teaching was provided that there is a need to live by faith, and Paul establishes that such faith is founded in believing in Jesus Christ and His saving grace. (The best chapter and description of what is meant by faith is, of course, found in Hebrews 11).

Also, if these Jewish converts think they are any better than the “Greeks” by the fact that they are Jews, then they need to forsake that “tradition” and understand that everyone who becomes a convert in the gospel is on equal ground. The citing of Habakkuk illustrates this very well, since in Habakkuk we read of how the prophet Habakkuk is lamenting that God has apparently forsaken Israel with the overtaking that is come upon them by the Chaldeans, but it is revealed to him that “thou hast established them for correction.”

Paul warns the Roman converts that they need to keep the commandments of God, and not judge others.

I think Romans 2:1-11 is a great summation:

1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

 

[zerinus]

Who said that I was talking about your above statement? . . .

I am:

Mormonism is the only religion that claims to have received divine authority from God by revelation and ministration of angels to re-establish God’s true Church on earth with the fullness of the priesthood and Apostolic authority after that authority and priesthood was lost through the Apostasy of the original Church.​

And I don’t know of any other church that matches that claim.

 

[2nd_Adam]

After reading this thread… there is not a lot more to say. Spiritual blindness and inablity to receive the truth of the gospel is as real as Satan himself. That is why I am a Calvinist. I can proclaim the gospel to you, but I can never make you believe the truth.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=383529

This weekend was the semi annual conference of the LDS (Mormon church). Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland (a member of the Quorum of Twelve) defended the Book of Mormon. The transcripts will not be out for a couple of days yet.

However, he stated that the arguments against the divinity of the Book of Mormon were “pathetic”.

Generally a very fine speaker Brother Holland today seemed very angry and blew off the arguments against the Book with frustration and anger. Normally the Mormon hierarchy today do all their best to court good relations with other religions. Perhaps it was directed against apostates within.

Did anyone hear the talk and would like to comment ?

As usual a false argument was set up to play to the faithful LDS members. Apparently Hyrum Smith (Joseph Smith’s brother) quoted comforting words from the Book of Ether (one of the books in the Book of Mormon) as they went to their deaths (I agree this was murder).

He then asked the congregation whether they thought that he would quote from a false book that claimed to be divine on his way to meet his Maker. Therefore it must be a true book - scripture, divinely sent.

It will have pleased the people and these words will be quoted for months and years hence.

I will post the link when the transcript arrives, unless someone does it before hand.

There’s a lesson to be learned here I think. You cannot defeat spin. The battle to bring truth to our Mormon brothers and sisters must come through the spirit and prayer. Perhaps sometimes we seek to guide God’s ship too eagerly.

So my plea is to remember the 14 million LDS members in the world in our prayer for their ability to shake off the shackles of error.

God bless you,

Hal. (LDS poster)

 

[dianaiad]

I agree with you in a bigger sense.

…there is a sense bigger than “God is the final authority and can do anything He wants to?”

God is always the final authority. The question is really about how God reveals Himself to us. General revelation (Rom 1 – what God has made) is revelation to all mankind, but it is revelation that renders all mankind guilty before God. Special revelation or Biblical Revelation is how God authoratively reveals Himself to mankind. However, the Bible is a closed book to men without the Spirit of God.

Interesting quibble, there. Of course one needs the Spirit of God to understand scripture…it may as well be a ‘closed book’ without it. However, “The Bible is a closed book to men without the Spirit of God” is NOT the same thing as “the Bible is a closed book.”
2nd Adam;5824753:
The illuminating work of the Spirit of God is required to understand Scripture in an effectual way.

Of course.

…that’s not exactly what I’m talking about, though, is it?

Why did Jesus speak in parables? There is a concealment of truth to the non-elect, and a concealment of truth to those who are His. It is impossible for God to lie; therefore, God never contradicts Himself in what He has revealed in Special Revelation (Holy Bible).

Ah. A rather strict Calvinist, I see…
Nice to know, but not exactly on topic. Why are you changing it? This is NOT about how to intepret the Bible. This is about why you believe that the bible is a closed canon–that there can be no more revelation after the revelation given to the Bible authors. Would you care to address that?

Since this thread is about Mormons not having the Spirit of God, then you are not able to understand and receive the gospel of God according to Scripture in an effectual way.

Wow. Really? Because there is a thread somewhere asking “Do Mormons have the Holy Spirit?” that means, of course, we don’t? What if I started a thread entitled “does 2nd Adam have the Holy Spirit?” Would that mean that of course YOU do not?
2nd Adam;5824753:

If you are an Elect of God in the Mormon Church… led by the Spirit of God, you will eventually leave the Mormon Church.

1 Corinthians 2

Proclaiming Christ Crucified

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Wisdom from the Spirit

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we (orthodox Christians) have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

The natural person (Mormons) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we (Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Protestants) have the mind of Christ.

Have a nice day!

2nd Adam, would you mind actually addressing the question I asked?

 

[2nd_Adam]

…there is a sense bigger than “God is the final authority and can do anything He wants to?”

Interesting quibble, there. Of course one needs the Spirit of God to understand scripture…it may as well be a ‘closed book’ without it. However, “The Bible is a closed book to men without the Spirit of God” is NOT the same thing as “the Bible is a closed book.”

Of course.

…that’s not exactly what I’m talking about, though, is it?

Ah. A rather strict Calvinist, I see…
Nice to know, but not exactly on topic. Why are you changing it? This is NOT about how to intepret the Bible. This is about why you believe that the bible is a closed canon–that there can be no more revelation after the revelation given to the Bible authors. Would you care to address that?

Wow. Really? Because there is a thread somewhere asking “Do Mormons have the Holy Spirit?” that means, of course, we don’t? What if I started a thread entitled “does 2nd Adam have the Holy Spirit?” Would that mean that of course YOU do not?

2nd Adam, would you mind actually addressing the question I asked?

Please see my last post before yours.

 

[deanna_clark]

By masonic I mean the person’s heart is with the earthly good of people above the love of God and God’s will. Some with this are atheists, others are religious, but a pelagian mindset runs their behavior. Masons pull off the road to Heaven, the Crown, and park. I agree Mormons often love their families very much. This is a natural virtue and beautiful. However, it isn’t a fruit of the Holy Spirit by itself. Of course, as John le Carre wrote, “These days you have to think like a hero to be an simple decent human being.” Or in the words of Montaigne, “The good of living in a depraved age is you get a reputation for virtue at a bargain price.” So I agree, people who do love their kinfolk are not to be sneezed at. However, the Nazi mass murderers were besotted with and spoiled their own families…often going from one to the other with astonishing ease! Without the wisdom of Jesus and the Church, it is easy to harm others trying to do them good. I believe there are saints in Heaven, (Abraham Lincoln) who had on earth a masonic mindset. But there is a large part of earthly man worship that is of satan…ice cold, science without compassion or soul, technology idolotry,legalistic judgement on morality, above all, praising mere people inordinately and celebrity mania. Foreigners say there is no emotional life after adolescence in America. People even brag about going to work the day after a parent or child dies. When my little daughter died people were badgering me to babysit right away, wanting me to snap out of it within the week. Perhaps this sort of thing here is causing thiese autistic children…even little ones are bullied out of honest feeling about their life situations. Somehow this all ties in together!!

 

[2nd_Adam]

By masonic I mean the person’s heart is with the earthly good of people above the love of God and God’s will. Some with this are atheists, others are religious, but a pelagian mindset runs their behavior. Masons pull off the road to Heaven, the Crown, and park. I agree Mormons often love their families very much. This is a natural virtue and beautiful. However, it isn’t a fruit of the Holy Spirit by itself. Of course, as John le Carre wrote, “These days you have to think like a hero to be an simple decent human being.” Or in the words of Montaigne, “The good of living in a depraved age is you get a reputation for virtue at a bargain price.” So I agree, people who do love their kinfolk are not to be sneezed at. However, the Nazi mass murderers were besotted with and spoiled their own families…often going from one to the other with astonishing ease! Without the wisdom of Jesus and the Church, it is easy to harm others trying to do them good. I believe there are saints in Heaven, (Abraham Lincoln) who had on earth a masonic mindset. But there is a large part of earthly man worship that is of satan…ice cold, science without compassion or soul, technology idolotry,legalistic judgement on morality, above all, praising mere people inordinately and celebrity mania. Foreigners say there is no emotional life after adolescence in America. People even brag about going to work the day after a parent or child dies. When my little daughter died people were badgering me to babysit right away, wanting me to snap out of it within the week. Perhaps this sort of thing here is causing thiese autistic children…even little ones are bullied out of honest feeling about their life situations. Somehow this all ties in together!!

I thought Abraham Lincoln converted to Christ during the Civil War? He must have searched divine providence in his struggles for the country.

abrahamlincolnsclassroom.org/Library/newsletter.asp?ID=127&CRLI=175

Historian Nicholas Parrillo wrote: “Lincoln’s religious transformation was closely interwoven with his policies regarding emancipation and war. He first departed from his old religious views because of the challenges of waging war, and he latched onto a Calvinist conception of providence when confronting his uncertainty over emancipation policy. He then discerned that freedom for the slaves and the redemptive bloodshed of war seemed to be features of providential design, and these realizations made it justifiable for him to stick by his emancipation policy and his relentless prosecution of the war, despite pressure to the contrary.”87

 

[dianaiad]

Please see my last post before yours.

Why do you do this, then? It seems to me, sir, that proclamation is more than simply saying something that is illogical and expecting everybody to just go with it. You need to be able to support your ideas.

Simply saying 'I can tell you, but I can’t make you believe it…" is a tacit admission that you CAN’T back them up.

So far you have claimed that what you claim is…because it is.

In other words, you are claiming that I should believe that there is no revelation, and has not BEEN any revelation, since the books of the Bible were written, and nobody has recieved any such revelation.

And how am I supposed to know this?

Because…God is supposed to tell me?

???

 

[dianaiad]

By masonic I mean the person’s heart is with the earthly good of people above the love of God and God’s will. Some with this are atheists, others are religious, but a pelagian mindset runs their behavior. Masons pull off the road to Heaven, the Crown, and park. I agree Mormons often love their families very much. This is a natural virtue and beautiful. However, it isn’t a fruit of the Holy Spirit by itself. Of course, as John le Carre wrote, “These days you have to think like a hero to be an simple decent human being.” Or in the words of Montaigne, “The good of living in a depraved age is you get a reputation for virtue at a bargain price.” So I agree, people who do love their kinfolk are not to be sneezed at. However, the Nazi mass murderers were besotted with and spoiled their own families…often going from one to the other with astonishing ease! Without the wisdom of Jesus and the Church, it is easy to harm others trying to do them good. I believe there are saints in Heaven, (Abraham Lincoln) who had on earth a masonic mindset. But there is a large part of earthly man worship that is of satan…ice cold, science without compassion or soul, technology idolotry,legalistic judgement on morality, above all, praising mere people inordinately and celebrity mania. Foreigners say there is no emotional life after adolescence in America. People even brag about going to work the day after a parent or child dies. When my little daughter died people were badgering me to babysit right away, wanting me to snap out of it within the week. Perhaps this sort of thing here is causing thiese autistic children…even little ones are bullied out of honest feeling about their life situations. Somehow this all ties in together!!

er…
how?

I understand loss, deanna. I have not lost a child, but I have lost a grandchild, and a husband. I know, and understand, the frustration you are expressing about this shallow mindset that seems to be rampant in the culture now.

A hundred and more years ago, when a loved one died, you were SUPPOSED to mourn, deeply and for awhile. Widows wore black for a year. Kin less close wore black mourning bands; they were signals to the world “treat me gently; I have lost something vital to my life.”

This doesn’t happen now. As you say, we are supposed to ‘snap out of it,’ and 'get on with life." It’s not that easy. In fact, though it doesn’t happen all that often any more, every once in awhile I will think “Oh, that’s hillarious! Wait until Jim hears…” and I remember, and the loss hits me as hard as it did in 1994, when he died.

…and I have most definately ‘gotten on’ with my life. Since 1994 I have raised my five kids, gone back to college and graduated, begun an entirely new and different career…things I would never have done if Jim were still here. My life is very different now…but I will never ‘get over.’ it. We really aren’t supposed to, y’know. It’s not like the flu…and people who tell you to ‘get over it.’ aren’t worried about you anyway. They just don’t want to be reminded that life and everything sad that comes with it can happen to THEM, too.

All that said, I have to ask—what does any of this have to do with the Mormons?

 

[Geocacher]

This is one thing that is not a constant. I have at times felt a group spirt, while in church and other times, I was bored. I have felt the spirit at times in other churches, but most of my experiences were with the LDS faith since 1971. I have felt the spirit at my Lutheran Church also, at times.

This is not an easy thing, because Health and wellness are factors, as well as the feeling of not fitting in with the people around you in the congregation.

So I have had times when the spirit was quite strong, stronger in the LDS meetings than my other places I visited. Been to several of churches over the many years.

So what I am saying is that having the Holy Spirit is not always a constant, but it’s there.

 

[zerinus]

After reading this thread… there is not a lot more to say. Spiritual blindness and inablity to receive the truth of the gospel is as real as Satan himself. That is why I am a Calvinist. I can proclaim the gospel to you, but I can never make you believe the truth.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=383529

None are so blind as those who will not see.

 

[2nd_Adam]

Why do you do this, then? It seems to me, sir, that proclamation is more than simply saying something that is illogical and expecting everybody to just go with it. You need to be able to support your ideas.

Simply saying 'I can tell you, but I can’t make you believe it…" is a tacit admission that you CAN’T back them up.

So far you have claimed that what you claim is…because it is.

In other words, you are claiming that I should believe that there is no revelation, and has not BEEN any revelation, since the books of the Bible were written, and nobody has recieved any such revelation.

And how am I supposed to know this?

Because…God is supposed to tell me?

???

It is very difficult to take the Mormons on Catholic Answers seriously when there is a thread about Mormons who are fighting other Mormons about the validity of The Book of Mormon. If there are Mormons inside the Mormon Church who reject the Book of Mormon to be true, then how can we discuss and debate the truth of Christianity?

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=383529

 

[2nd_Adam]

None are so blind as those who will not see.

Dear Mormon Friends on Catholic Answers:

“For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains. - the historic Bible Jesus

 

[dianaiad]

It is very difficult to take the Mormons on Catholic Answers seriously when there is a thread about Mormons who are fighting other Mormons about the validity of The Book of Mormon. If there are Mormons inside the Mormon Church who reject the Book of Mormon to be true, then how can we discuss and debate the truth of Christianity?

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=383529

Ad hominems do not answer the question.

You don’t need to" take me seriously." Just…answer the question.

 

[2nd_Adam]

Ad hominems do not answer the question.

You don’t need to" take me seriously." Just…answer the question.

Before I answer your questions, please share why you are here?

 

[ParkerD]

It is very difficult to take the Mormons on Catholic Answers seriously when there is a thread about Mormons who are fighting other Mormons about the validity of The Book of Mormon. If there are Mormons inside the Mormon Church who reject the Book of Mormon to be true, then how can we discuss and debate the truth of Christianity?

2nd Adam,
You have misunderstood. It is “former Mormons” or a person who thinks he should be Catholic but hasn’t yet left the Mormon church, who are seeking to discredit the Book of Mormon. Perhaps it would be well for you to read those kinds of entries more carefully rather than thinking they are being written by active LDS members.

When you stand before Him whose name you have supposedly taken as sacred, even though this is all suspect since Paul described Him in a way that you have used to describe yourself, you will be able to say either “I saw” or “I was unaware.” It will be your choice. Only He will know your heart.

 

[dianaiad]

Before I answer your questions, please share why you are here?

:ehh:

Check out the name of the sub-forum.

Where else should I be?

 

[reslight]

I don’t buy that. As far as I can tell, the LDS Church is the only church that stakes a viable claim to a “Restoration”. The JWs or 7th-day Adventists don’t even come close. The JW organization was started by Charles Taze Russell whose story is given in the Wikipedia as follows:

The JW organization was not started by Charles Taze Russell. Russell did did not believe in such an organization, nor did he believe in many of the teachings of that organization.

Russell on the true church:

We should be prepared to find that the one true Church of Christ for the past eighteen centuries has been scattered here and there amongst various denominations. – “The True Church.” Pastor Russell’s Sermons, Page 120

.

All of the consecrated, of whatever denomination, can be recognized as members of the one true Church." – “The True Church.” Pastor Russell’s Sermons, page 123.

The true Church has never been divided, because each member of it is united with the Lord, the Head, and, through Him, united to every other “member of his Body, which is the Church,” the “little flock.” – “Pastor Russell’s Reply to Cardinal Gibbons’ Sermon.” What Pastor Russell Wrote for the Overland Monthly, page 123.

I hold to the great Catholic doctrine that there is only one true Church, founded by the Lord Jesus Christ through His Apostles, nearly nineteen centuries ago. – “St. Peter’s Keys.” Pastor Russell’s Sermons, page 459.

I hold, and few, if any, will dispute it, that the one catholic or universal or general Church of Christ is the one mentioned in the Bible—“the Church of the First-borns, written in Heaven.” If this be admitted, my next proposition is that the Lord in Heaven records as members of His true Church all the saintly—whether Roman Catholics, Anglican Catholics, Greek Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc.—and none others.

Have we not here the one Church, the Catholic Church, the universal, the only Church which the Bible recognizes? – “St. Peter’s Keys.” Pastor Russell’s Sermons, page 460.

If we recognize these saintly Christians of every nation and denomination as being the one true Church, “whose names are written in Heaven,” and if we recognize all others as Gentiles, we shall be getting the eyes of our understanding into true alignment with the mind of God as expressed in the Bible. – “Exposition of the Justice of the Day of Vengeance.” What Pastor Russell Wrote for the Overland Monthly, page 344.

We believe that in every nation and denomination there are some true saints of God, members therefore of the true Church of God. – “Golden Age at Hand.” What Pastor Russell Wrote for the Overland Monthly, page 385.

God’s call and selection of saintly sacrificers in this Gospel Age ignore all sectarian, all denominational, all national lines—“The Lord knoweth them that are His.” – “God Preparing for the Harvest.” Pastor Russell’s Sermons, page 187.

When we learn to look from the Bible standpoint we see that inside and outside of all the different sects and parties and creeds of Christendom there is just such a “little flock” of saintly footstep followers of Jesus. These are the true Church as God sees it. – “The Matter With the Churches.” The Watch Tower, September 15, 1911, page 356 (Reprints page 4878)

We must take the broad, general ground of the Scriptures and recognize only one Church. Nor may we make the mistake of saying that the one Church is one Sect. No sect, no denomination, however great and influential and numerous and rich, either in sordid or historic wealth, can be conceded the right to appropriate the name which our Lord gave to all truly his disciples. Surely none of us is sectarian enough to dispute this premise. We must learn to recognize the Church of Christ from the same viewpoint as does the Head of the Church. We must learn the force of St. Peter’s words to Cornelius, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted with Him.” (Acts 10:34,35) – “The Church Militant’s Surrender to the Church Triumphant.” What Pastor Russell Wrote for the Overland Monthly, page 187.

While repudiating sectarian systems as of the Adversary, let us fellowship as brethren all who trust in the precious blood and are consecrated to his service --no matter how imperfectly they discern the truth–hoping for the fuller opening of the eyes of their understanding soon. – “Views From the Watch Tower.” The Watch Tower, April 15, 1905, pages 116,117 (Reprints page 3541)

=====================
I might add, however, that due to certain interpretations of various scriptures amongst the Bible Students, sectarianism did develop amongst the Bible Students even in Russell’s day, which provided the grounds for Joseph Rutherford to later develop the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” organization, the very kind of “sectarian system” that Russell did not believe in.