Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1853-10-12
For the Grant County Herald.
Christian Union.

/
Independent, headed, | think in that pa
per Modern Scepticism, is from the zen
Of an occasional correspondent whose
signature is well known to its readers.
| think the clergy, at least those who
read the independent will admit there
is much painful truth il. the article re-
ferred to, and generally they will with
the author ascribe it to the fact, that
dogmatic theology, to the prejudice of
praciicat chrasteDnhy has long been too
prominent that the churches have been
SO strenuous In insisting on peculiar ar
''charity aud good works." have almost
been lost sight OF. Denominations have
becom: sectarian, and instead Of practl-
cling benevolence, they have been array
ed against each other. But it must be
allow ell that, here and there, there have
been bright exceptions. Such churches
as HENRY WARD BEECHER's of Brook
Ign, and others, with multitude Oh
practical christians every where have
greatly desired thet the divided church
might be made one-not by any ponder
Gus system Of Capitalization, but by
practacaIly adopting the precept of the
great founder OF the christian church,
who requiring that it should be one, says
''By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, # ye lone one another"
ihe question arises how is this TO be
accomplished ? TO me it seems, that
the most eHectual means would be to
follow the example OF many congrega-
tons. | could name, and include in the
creed to be subscribed, only such arti-
Giles as all christians are kn0lCn to agree
IN. Thus securing unity ac'ttout 'inJof-
mny, This would break down all RI
valry Of sects, and leave christians moth
Ing 10 do but to love one another, and
bless the world.
We have no right to make that "a test
Of communion which Christ ard his A
postles did not. ''To multiply articles"
says Bishop Taylor "and to adopt them
into the family faith, is to build tower
on the top of bulrush,- the very ma
king such law is unreasonable" 'If
they be little things only that we add"
says Howe awe must know that there
is nihd misunderstanding little in re-
ligion, the less they are, the greater the
sin to make them necessary, to hang
so great things upon them, Is to break
the churches peace and unity, and to
make new way to heaven. 1t is in eff
feet to say, If you will not take Chris
tianity with those additions Of ours,
you shall have no christian ordi-
Larces ; we will, as far as in us, ex-
Glade you IRON heaven itself, and all
means Of station; and upon the same
ground on which they may be excluded
by such arbitrary measures, they hay
be excluded another also, and be YeceiUed
nowhere. And ii the terms Of these
communions differ, they all exclude one
another"
know, as a justification of sectarian-
ism, it is said that the division Of sects
is convenience, as it offers distinct
place for every shade of opinion. The
justification Of wrong on the score Of
convenience, is sorry plea. Il is not
true however, or why do we see SO ma
ny estimabIe men, who by their faith
and works, prove themselves to be good
christians, not in the communion Of the
church ? With the present barriers Of
sectarianiSm thrown around the church
it is not difficult to conceive of case
where, notwithstanding, the multiplicity
Of sects, as the catholic spirited Howe
says, good man "could be receiUed mo-
,chere." Suppose christian man 10
hold calviniStic views of doctrine, and
to believe in adult baptism by INNER
sion, and to object TO close communion.
The close communicates could not offer
him a home. If he turn to churches
holding his own doctrinal views, he
don't believe il infant baptism, they do
again he is at fault. Suppose he turn
to Baptist churches protesting open com
mnuion; their armenian creed is in his
way, and so he might go round feeling
himself sort of religious vagrant, ha-
wing no home. The good man cannot
lind home any where because of these
secafian laws. | know a case Of this
kind now iii actual existance. off the
holy scriptures speak with such severi-
~, as we know they do, of the altering
of mans landmarks, what may we thinl;
of altering Gods
The remedy against modern epti-
cism, seems TO me to be self evident. I
is christian anton. Let all barriers save
those which the Great Founder of chris
tianity set up, be broken down. IF the
work be difficult. and requires time
as il will in large towns and districts
where sectariauism is strongly entrench-
/ ed, then all who are christians in heart,
may love one another. cooperate in ev-
cry good work as far as possible; be
careful not to get in each others way
and thus preserve ''the unity of the
spirit in the bonds of peace )" they
would thus prepare the way for flu
sion of elements. And in all new pla-
ces occupied by christians, let the people
,choSe inalsanabie right ii is, agree on
some broad platform, on which all who
love Christ can stand, and let The Cross
Be center of attraction, and not any par
,icular shileboleth or ism, and then
/ what Howe calls ''the carnality of relig-
....@;,,H NIL oooso AL frue