The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-04-24

tntUCTS, Uut udCh W ulU I'soiU o"'
life Of the master. TO try TO feel rs nc ier'
to I've rs he was and,to do MS he did. TO-
wards God and maj, modified only hy the
change Of circumstances under which we
live. This Is not, then, in essence and MT
mate aim seciarian church, but il in body
and soul, in nll It does and feels. in what q
Is and what il represents, a christian eh"rfh
As body Of believers we are a sect, h'''
all our nims and labors and purposes n,,e n,e
above and beyond iu q broader sphere. VIC
have but Que object which leads all oll!,rs
and That is not to make men nominally Unl'
versalisis, but TO be an agent 10 enllgllten
elevate and redeem the human race. we
believe in no sect, work for no sect, care ioI
no sect, only as means to tho higher an''
noiler end Of pointing men upward 10
better life than they lead, to better purposes
than they feel, to better God than they
know, and to q broader and better iallf
thnn they cherish. There is something
nobler than sect, higher than name, better
than tho zeal Of religious composition :.io'
that we pray. to that this church will eve'
point rs the needle to the north. This Is
The sphere and object Of this church.
ITS CHARACTERISTICS.
Turn now to its chief christian charnc
terisiics. I will mention three: lst i ls
evangelical To be evangelical, according
to Worcester Is to believe in the gospel
which includes The binh, lie, mirncles
death, resurrection. ascension and doctrines
of Jesus Christ. Al who accept these are
evangelical or Gospel believers. No one
sect can monopoliZe this name TO itself nn,
be just to others We know that all chris
tan sects accept the gospel rs they under.
stand il, hence are evangelical. But we dd
think that the glad tidings which shall he to
ull people, have more meaning, a broader sig
nfcnnce, better promise, and consequent
ly uru more precious to us than to others
Of n narrower sfaith. Christ Is. our all ill
oil Ills arms clasp an undivided world
wl,icl, he,is lal'ofing to redeem. We he.
lieve in him, VIC honor him, VIC love him,
We flee 10 him, and offer him our humble
aid in1lie great work of tho worlds saliva
ton in which he. is engaged. As evidence
Of this, we this day, on this cOnsecrat&,I
ground, in the presence Of God and melI,
chris,cn this the Church Of Christ" and
we dedicate our .hearls with it to the wofk
of evangelism. The gospel Is our hope,
our staff, our life Every drop Of blood
which cOurscs IN the veins of Our faith il
evangelical l,y il nrc we saved from sih,
through II do we rise to God, upon II do
we stand us tho !, Chief Corner Stone 81
our strength. :. !:
Secondly, this is n libcrnl church. u
hesitate 80 to cali il {: because if ! say th!s
Is liberal christhn church thereby rolt.
vcy the i,isa that there can bo an Hiberdi
christian church. ~l,icl, though partly ir,ro
Is partly false. Such church would l'c
partly christian hut partly unchrislinn.
Christianity is thing oi the head the han
md the hand. a .vhirch .Inay hc truly
christian in its i:rccd, and truly christian IN
its work, Int IL illil'crul snd tniOlcrnnt to.
wards Other faiths il caniln, bo called chris.
tan in spirit. Though christian In two
IarS, il fails in the ihirl ; and the part IN
n hich II fails 10 the very ope Thicb e Of
(m. far moro consiGdencc han toth tho
others together. Let u man lbs errenso,is
in his opinions and mistaken In his work,
hit if he profess to he christian let him mob
give the lie to his profession by exhibiting
a small, nurrow,' scctarian, uncliaritablc
spirit. IA well attempt to play Hamlet
with Hamlet left out, rs TO he a christian
churcl, with no fralernal, liberal, charitable
spirit iornds men and bodies OF different
faiths.
The thinl characteristic, nnd last which I
will mention. il growth and progress This,
church is progressive. If truly christian..
Il must bc progressive. Truth itself is pro-.
gressiye, christianity is progressive, saliva.
ton Is progressive; virtue Is thing OF,
growth character must be formed; lie ~
an unl6llInent, the seed, the root, the blade,
the bud, the flower, the fruit. Gods work
for man from the foundation of The earth
till now has been by successive steps. All
things have tendencies. Progress is nn
endless law. Man is progressive here and
will be hereafter. knowledge Of God.
truth, life, heaven, expand with experience
aud will beyond tho grave. Tint lie is a
higher development Of the character gained
by degrees in this. The soul now aud for
ever grows as il absorbs truth, and 1t ab
sorbs truth as II Is open to conviction, free
and receptive. q: So OF the true church
u holds nll its articles of belief subject to
modification and change. Il stands with
open doors to admit and give every new
idea iuir and impartial hearing. II pre-
judges nothing. II isnot arrogant hut hum.
bic, and confcsses freely that It's own creed
undoubtedly contains rome error with The
truth Il is not satisfied with tho belief II
has, but is ever looking forward for more
light, more knowledge, and 10 rc.adjust the
old To the wants Of the new.
-. :, CONCLUSION.
To be evangelical, liberal and progressive
are'not peculiar to our church necessarily,
they belong to christianity. As tho less
is included in the greater 30 are they cni-
braced in the wonl christian. We look IN
no ejbec namo than that. We inscril'e il
alonc upon our banner anil throw II to the
breeze MS heavens highest gin to men ana
| am persuaded that neither death, nor liic,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers
nor things present Ilor things to come. nor
height nor depth, nor any other crraIuro.
shall le able 10 sefTruis lls from the love q,
God. which is in 4 Q'ist Jesus our Lord. 4
. Old acquaintance. II