(Q) Do you dis-fellowship your Baptist brethren who teach the present existence of “an universal, in visible, spiritual church?”
(A) Most certainly not so long as they duly honor the particular assembly and its ordinances, as multitudes of them do, in spite of the natural tendency of their theory to discredit it. Many of them, known to me personally, are devoted to the particular church and its ordinances, responsibilities and duties. It will take a wider divergence than this to make me dis-fellowship a Baptist brother, though I honestly and strongly hold that even on this point his theory is erroneous and tends practically to great harm. Yes, I do most emphatically hold that this theory is responsible for incalculable dishonor put upon the church of God on earth. I repeat that the theory of the co-existence, side by side, on earth of two churches of Christ, one formal and visible, the other real, invisible and spiritual, with different terms of membership, is exceedingly mischievous and is so confusing that every believer of it becomes muddled in running the lines of separation. Do let it sink deep in your minds that the tabernacle of Moses had the exclusive right of way in its allotted time and the temple of Solomon had the exclusive right of way in its allotted time; so the church of Christ on earth, the particular assembly, now has the exclusive right of way, and is without a rival on earth or in heaven; and so the general assembly in glory, when its allotted time arrives, will have exclusive right of way. Had I lived in the days of Moses I would have given undivided honor to the tabernacle; in the day of Solomon to the Temple alone; and when the general assembly comes, that shall be my delight. But living now I must honor the house that Jesus built. It is the house of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. To it are committed the oracles and promises of God. To it is given the great commission. It is the instructor of angels and in it throughout all the ages of time is the glory of God. If I move out of this house, I must remain houseless until Jesus comes. It is the only church you can join in time.
Carroll, B.H.. Ecclesia – The Church (p. 27). SolidChristianBooks.com. Kindle Edition.