Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-04-12
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Written tor the Fayetteville Observer.
A Novelty that is NOT a Novelty.
No-0

interest, IL might be advisable to
preserve these numbers)
The object Of this discussion is
to Indicate the distinctive principles
of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
There is, and since the day Of Abra-
ham there ever has been such a
thing on earth as the Church OF
God. He originated in it He gov
ems and protects it. 1t is His in-
strumentality for the reformation--
the regeneration and salvation of a
fallen world. 1t is that Kingdom
which Christ has promised to be with
to the end Of time, and against which
the gates of hell shall not prevail.
God wrote its constitution, appointed
and commissioned its officers. As
man did not originate this organize.
ton, so he can neither establish the
terms Of admission nor clothe its
rulers with power. If, then, The
Church 10 its origin and authority is
in no sense hunldn--and in every
sense duAe-we must look for its
features in the only book where
God has written out his will, touch
ing the salvation Of man. That
book is the Bible. Here, if any.
where, must we find the character OF
the Church. Here the boundaries Of
the great Kingdom are defined
Here the titles and functions of its
officers, their authority, aud their
duties are declared.
The world is divided into two
great classes: those who are within
this kingdom, and those who are
without it. There is no neutrality
in the great contest between right
eous God and rebellioas world. =
Every man is either an adopted cit
izen in this great commonwealth Of
Grace, or he is an alien. HE that
is not with me is against me, is the
declaration Of Christ. The lines
which mark the boundaries of
Gods kingdom have been drawn by
bis own fingers for the darkeuetl eye
of the sinner. This fact of itself
is sufficient to warrant the conclu-
sion, that this demareation IS so dis.
tinct and definite, that 1.-THE wayflr-
ing man though foil need not err
therein, and be that runs may
read" The church then is God s
kingdom on earth, preserved and
protected by the abiding power Of
his own promised presence, and may
be as readily recognized by the de-
scription contained in the Scriptures,
as any earthly kingdom may be
known by its constitution and statute
book. Il there be no other name
given among men whereby we mus!
be saved, but the name of Christ.
and the church is ''Christ's mystical
body" then it follows that the sinner
must know trhen, as well rs hoW, TO
to look for refuge from the power
and penalty of sin. He is not to be
sent in search Of an invisible ark.
The Israelises knew whenthey crossed
he line, and entered ''ihe promised
and" The penitent prodigsl knew
when bis father kissed him, land when his
trembling feet crossed the threshold Of
that fathers house. God made a
covenant with Abraham and his seed,
md with nobody else. This cove
,ant was simple. The seal was def |
lite. The conditions we're explicit. !
LII who received the seal were there
" made parties to the covenant
All who we're in the covenant we're In
he church, and all who were out Of
he covenan of were ont Of the church.
from Abraham to Christ no person
ould mistake the church of God.
70 intelligent man could be at loss
there to find this divinely.ordained
ociety. From Moses to John, ii |,
7as equally plain who were the ad-
illustrators of this kingdom; by
'hom appointed their authority {
nd their functions.
God chose the tribe of Levi as the ,
tribe. OF them, He took
be family of Aaron, as the priestly 6
lmily; Of those He selected one for q
be high priesthood. Thus vas the
hurch of Jehovah furnished With a
linistry, whose authority came with
,e great seal of heaven, and
Though this priesthood did not al q
avs please holy God, yet no other G
ass of men however learned or !
,dly, we're permitted to perform the c.
cred duties. lSes 10th chap. d