The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-05


Corinthians, I, 10. Is Christ Diuided /?
Bretheren 1T is to be regretted that feel
called upon to leave you with such question
uponmy lips And yet do not see how l can
better serve the cause oftruth and righteousness
"a cause dear alike to us all-than by press
ing this question home to you, and at the same
time requesting you to give it a prayerful con-
sideration and answer.
To me, this is an occasion of more than usu-
al solemnity indeed, it is an hour that comes
to man but once in lifetime. stand at
the parting of ways. Our paths are about to
separate as your minister speak to you for
the last time tonight, and take you by the
hand with sorrowfiil benediction. In obedi-
ence to the Great Head of the Church, whose
servant l am, and whose service love, go
from you with many solemn regrets for the
pastand yet not without some cheerful antici
pations for the future /; anticipations founded
upon a hearty trust in that God whose unmer
tied goodness and gracious lead have solarge-
ly experienced heretofore.
But why do go ? What stern necessity
compels the severance of my pastoral relation
to you-a relation which, have reason to be-
lieve, has been mutually pleasant and profita-
BILE (? Is it because have not preached Christ
can confidently abide your answer on this
point. Is it because l, as a man or minister,
have lost your confidence ? l am sure l can
answer for you, No. Is it because love you
less? God knows love you more abundant
ly than ever, my tried and noble friends. Is
it because you send me from you All, then
indeed I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
But no, it is because the denomination to
which you belong closes her pulpits against
me, and refuses to me, as Christian teacher,
the fellowship of her churches. Do you ask
me why l am thus excluded from ministerial
fellowship in the Congregational Churches ?
Plainly then, not because l am unsound on
those doctrines of grace which are fundamen-
tai to salvation but because will not preach
for doctrines what believe to be the command
ments of men because refuse to accept hui
man opinions as being the authoritative decla-
ration of the Word of God in word, because
| I will not bow down to traditional theology,
and yield up my liberty of conscience at the
dictation of irresponsible ecclesiarchs. Well
may we ask ourselves under such circumstan-
ces, SIS Christ divided"? Nor can it be won
dered at that, leaving you under such crcum-
stances, should desire to enter my protest
against an exclusiveness so arbitrary as would
override not only the individual conscience
but the deliberate judgment and choice OF a
christian church. shall, however, cast my
protest in the form OF o plea for CHRISTIAN
LIBERTY IN UNION.
What do mean by Liberty in Union
mean the liberty OF every protessed follower Of
| Christ to think and act according to conscience
| in religious matters, and that all christians
! should be united in the maintenance of this
| mutual liberty. In other words, mean what
may be otherwise expressed in the cordial
| fellowshp-not merging of all christian de-
| nominations-each church and individual
| freely maintaining peculiarties OF dogma OF
discipline, and yet, Notwithstanding their non
essential differences, holding to each other In
,lxy itu of living and nrqrtfCa
faith. But is not this already realized tact
| in the christian church ? Let the petty jeal
ousies, controversies and strifes existing be
tween the various churches and denominations
| of the land answer. Let the schisms which
have rent the churches, the intolerance Of ma
| jorities, the loud-mouthed, exasperating stries
| of creeds, answer. 1 know there are partia
and occasional manifestations of a certain kline
Of fellowship, in union meetings, missionary
societies and the like. Some call this a christ
| ian fellowship. do not. You may call i
UNCONVENTIONAL or evangelical fellowship, bu
not christian !; for it excludes some christian:
who do not stand upon an orthodox platform
and maintain that genuine christian fellow
4 ship itandS ready to embrace every Christian
as brother beloved. l will go farther ant
maintain there can be no true Christian fellow
| ship on any platform whose boundaries arr
determined by mere opinions. The life, thu
spirit, the faith must be the uniting bond o
such fellowship.
Our American Christianity, leading as be
lieve it does in catholicity and charity, tn
Christianity of the world, has much yet II
learn in this direction.
In addressing myself to the SUI bject in han'
would notice
1, THE SCRIPTURAL ARGUMENT.
Paul tells us, that "Where the spirit of tn
Lord is, there is liberty" And we hear Chris
himself pray for his disciples, that they al
may be one" But was not Paul mistaken
and did not Christ pray in vain Has ther
ever been such state of things in the Church
Certainly not since the day of Pentecost-
Rome, in very imperfect sense, gave expires
sion to the Unity of the Church /; Protestant
ism asserted the liberty of the individual cor
science but it remains for the Church of th
Future to illustrate both in the exercise of
more catholic charity. To-day the cathol
heat and tumult of Protestant conflicts, bl
having triumphantly indicated the princip
OF liberty, the sects will again draw togeth,
in union of honest and catholic FELLOWSHIP
Meanwhile the battle must go on. But yo
say there IS no such thing as ecclesiastical ty
ranny in christian America no church
denomination may compel the faith of a sing
\ soul. True, not with thumb screws and rack
But there are other ways of enforcing despot
authority in ecclesiastical relations than by i
quisitorial fortunes there are other WAYS
piercing mems hearts than with the speal
point ; other ways of crucifying them than
cross other ways of wrongfully intimidatil
CT influencing them than by drawing t
sword or kindling A tto-da.fe's in the streets
Christendom. Church censures, exclusi
1 from fellowship, public opinion, are freely use
prejudices are excited, animosities are kindle
and social penalties are inflicted, to enfoI
submission to the will of tyrannous majority
Let protest against hierarchical despotis
be heard in ever so mild tone, and that vo
must be silenced at all hazards. If a soul ey