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

authority" Him that is weak in the faith, re-
ceive yes" nor are you to quarrel with me be-
cause L do not agree with you on all points
" but not to doubtful disputation." Instead
therefore of making what you call my error
an excuse for excluding me from your fellow
ship, you should make it even an argument for
not excluding me; since, if you have the truth
and have it not, plainly, it is your duty to
take me in your charge, that too may be led
INTO the truth, rather than to send me OIL to
those who in common with me are in error.
80 much for lay fellowship. All that have
said is equally applicable to ministerial fellow
ship. The requirements however in the latter
case are even more stringent than in the for
mer. Indeed, the ministry have little or no
liberty of thought or conscience. The various
evangelical denominations hedge themselves
around with creeds which like the laws of the
Modes and Persans changed not. The min
lister is called Preacher OF the Gospel, but it
may well be questioned whether he be not
only an expounder of his crced-a mere de-
caimer or retailer of other mems opinions. He
may indeed take his text from the Bible; but
woe be to him if he makes toe free use of the
Scriptures, against the dogmas he is ordained
to preach. Nay. the declaration of the aDos-
tie is more than fulfilled by our. modern defend
ers OF the faith; for The that d0ubteth is damn
ed" even thoughhe do not seat" The preach
er may range at will within the limits of his
UNCONVENTIONAL plot; but he must be careful
not to get over the fence; nay it is esteemed
somewhat diSreputabic-an evidence OF weak
ness or instability for him even to look 0uer
the fence, lest peradventure he should be tempt
ed to go over. But if Christ has placed in my
hands a commission to preach his Gospel, who
may forbid my preaching that Gospel as I'M
derstand it? "Very WE'LL" replies DIR. Bacon
in the Boston Councl-"preach; but if you
don't preach oar doctrines, you don't march in
our troop, that is all."* But what righthas DIR.
Bacon, or any other man or body of men, to
say where l shall or shall not preach. If our
Great Captain, who has put commission in
my hands, assigns me post OF duty, be it in
DR.. Dacon's denomination or any other, no
one may interfere save at his peril.
But the fact that Christ has assigned me to
such post, may be questioned. Very well,
let the church itself decide this point, as it
must bear the responsibility of any decision
that is accepted by it; and if that decision is
in my favor, have right to claim the fellow
ship of the related churches, on the joint au-
thority of Christ and the church which sus-
tains me. And this have right to do, until
the church to which minister loses, in respect
to its piety, the confidence of her sister church
es. The endorsement of Christian church,
ii not the only, is at least sufficient endorse
ment Of a Gospel minister; for there is many
man who cannot reach the arbitrary stan1-
ard OF the schools on some points, who would
| yet make an acceptable and successful preach
er in certain spheres of labor. There are those
| also who lay no claim to the understanding of
all mystery and knowledge, who doubt, who
even confess their ignorance touching some
of the "secret things" of God and the world to
| come, who nevertheless can speak to the editi-
| cation of many intelligent Christians. Besides
it is not so much head as heart we need in the
ministry of reconciliation. If indeed we might
have Paul i'll every pulpit in Christendom-a
man with a great BRAIN as well as a great
heart-it would be well; but if we must dis
pense in part, with one or the other, then give
sne the man OF heart, even though he be of very
ordinary mind, for in spiritual dynamics heart
power is the supreme and regnant power. Such,
for the most part, were the apostles OF our
Lord; ignorant but honest and earnest men
and they went forth,-they, the unlettered but
taught Of God, went forth preaching the Cos
pei with glowing hearts and tongues of fire.
Men listened; princes trembled; cities were
set in an uproar; philosophers were silenced
heather shrines and temples were deserted
idol gods were overthrown; tine world was
turned upside down; and Caesar himself ere
long laid his crown at the feet of the Crucified
One. ..--
Such then is the Liberty in Union among
Christians which the Bible calls for. 1t is time
for us to challenge those unscriptural princi
plcS anu uSttSSS Vi cCCltSldStlCdl ulCbdtlOn, sc
prevalent among the various denominations
dictation which the church can vindicatt
only in the assertion and maintenance of its
AVAILABILITY.
1.-THE ARGUMENT OF NECESSITY.
think the church is beginning to see more
and more clearly the necessity of that tor which
we plead. To my mind nothing is clearer thar
that there can be no true liberty save In
union such as that to which have referred
and that there can be no genuine, hearty union
save in the largest liberty compatible with tn,
spirit of Christianity-a liberty restricted onll
by the terms Of salration and The necessities O
rital religion. know this idea which il
embraced in the single term, "Christian fel
lowship,' is as yet far from being realized. "Sc
natural to mankind is intolerance in whatever
they really care about, that religious feeling
has hardly anywhere been practically realized
except where religious indifference, which dis
likes to have its peace disturbed by theological
quarrels, has added its weight to the scale
In the minds OF almost all religious persons
even in the most tolerant countries, the dut,
of federation is admitted with tacit reserves
One person will bear with dissent in matters
of church government, but not of dogma
another can tolerate everybody short of Pa
, pist or a Unitarian; another every one who
believes in revealed religion; few extent
their charity little further, but stop at til,
belief in God and in a future state. Wher
ever the sentiment of the majority is still gen
uine and intense, it is found to have abate,
little of its claim to be obeyed.nt
But believe the darkness of the night i
past; that the morning is spreading itself upo1
the mountains; and that we may already Sc,
upon their tops the feet of them that brins
the glad tidings to Zion. Listen to the elo
quent words of Prof. Park, who, if he mean,
just what we understand him to sag, nigh
| IAa1 i'm, d.
, which would complement that of Geneva, apt
!, ensure not only freedom, but fellowship anon,
: ali Christians. sit is an especial duty of tn
ministers of New England to make 10 condi
tons of church fellowship which are not es
sentiGl constituents of Christian character.
We are required TO maintain the whole truth
t but not to imagine that all which is true is in
, dispensable to the religious life. We zee
7 all the strength of good men in league agains
the common foe, and are bound to consmun
, a1ith all parties iohO, LOVING their Lord sa
7 prenely, loUe their neighbor as themselves. Thi
is land Astounding with sects; in no othe
/ country on earth are there so many division
r in the church! Hence it is our wisdom to fra
ternizc with all ph0 are the children of on
common Father. The genius of the ecciesias
. tical polity which prevails in New England i
? liberal and generous. (?) 1t requires q = tina
+: he offer the right hand OF fellowship to all tch
loUe the essentials of the Gospel. Hence ac
: are bound by no creed saue that ,chich ecer
| church sees fit to make for ITSELF This is on
prerogative, this our high distinction abov
t the dominant sects of the Old World, that NJ
$ Council of Nice OF of Trent, no Synod of Dort
5 no Assembly of Westminster or at Savoy, hav
, any more authority over US than we think j
d good to allow. With great sum have other
t sought to gain this freedom, but we are fire
a born. Therefore it is our birthrght to distin
e guish between an important truth and an es
a sential one. \ y We stand on platform lon
/, enough and broad enough to hold all the partie
y and schools that loUe our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 and let them stand by our side they with US an
we with them; for blessed are all they tina
v agree in the one thing needful. This
n American Christianity."H Would to God a
this were so! But it seems to me that til
= great Doctor at Andover has unwittingly b.
. come Prophet, and instead of giving US til
!. facts as they are, he has but told us, in GLOW
inc rhetoric what is tn no Re this as II m