If
you are not a Christian, then of course keep out of the church; if you
set up to be a Christian, then take your medicine; if you claim to be a
soldier, then march up and put on the uniform and join the army."

"Oh, I never thought of not joining a church," said Dorothy.

"But I still hang to my point," said the brother. "Why does Dorothy have
to join the church? Do you think, sister, joining the church will save
you?"

"What a question, brother! Of course not. I hope I am saved already. I
have faith in Christ and I am looking to him for my salvation. Simply
having my name entered as a church member will not save me; I am very
ignorant about these matters, but Dr. Moreland told me that Christ
founded the church as the place in which he wished all who believed in
him to be gathered. If he formed the church for his believers, then is
it not the place for me?"

"Daughter, you are right there to a dot. If Christ organized the church
for his followers and you have given yourself to him, then if you
should refuse to enter the church I should doubt whether you had given
yourself to him; but I think you are wrong on one point. You spoke just
now about studying the Bible to learn what church you ought to join.
That's one on me. I never knew the Bible told a person what church he
ought to join; in fact, I did not think it made any difference what
church or denomination a person selected. I thought it was just pay your
money and take your choice."

"I thought," said the mother, "that all the churches were aiming in the
same direction and that all claimed to be founded on the Bible. Do you
think, daughter, that the Bible will tell you to join one particular
church or denomination rather than some other?"

"Mother, you are right there, as you generally are," said the father.
"Here is the Presbyterian church, the only strong church in town, and it
seems to be a mighty good one from all that I can hear of it. Do you
imagine, daughter, that you must study the Bible to learn whether it
will tell you to join this church or some other church that may be off
somewhere nobody knows where?"

Dorothy seemed lost in reflection.

"I wonder what Dr. Moreland could have meant?" she said. "I notice there
are different names by which the churches are known: for example, the
Presbyterians, the Methodists, etc. They call them, I believe,
denominations. Are these denominations the same? Why do they have the
different names, and why do some