The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-03-18

writer's that might be cited, ana VINO are OF the
highest authority in the Episcopal Church
The foGos OF that renowned master OF theolog-
ical controversy, Dr. Barrow, are within reach.
In his "Diseoarses on the Unity ofthe Church,
and speaking of "the nature Of schtsm,
we find him saying among other things that,
" Il CONSISTENT an refusing to maintain commit
mon toith other churches t0ithOUt reasonable
cause" And again: "All Christians should
be ready, when an opportunity doth invite, to
admit one another to conjunction in offices OF
piety and charity, in prayer, IN communion OF
the eucharist, in brotherly conversation and pi-
Gus conference for edi6cation or advice. SO
that he who flies and aroids communion l0ith
as, you in your prudence may know, that such
man breaks himself off from the Whole
Church" (See works, vol. l, PIP. 766, 1887
From this it seems that the great lights OF
the Episcopal Church in former times pointed
it along different track from the one it is now
pursuing. Bishop Barrow would have well
coined Dr. Alexander to his side at the COM
munion table, while Bishop Meade would not
allow him such place. 1t was to this we re-
ferred in one of the articles in the Central
Presbyterian as an inconsistency. Among High
Church Episcopalians its explanation is plain
enough; it is perfectly consistent with all their
schismatical assumptions. But from those
rho agy7e II suoh sr svowal towards other
Christian Denominations rs that made by or
esteemed srsthran @: the CHHrctmaR, 1t does
appear fc Us exceedingly inconsistent AID as
it touches, nay affects deeply practical point
in which Christians, though living under dis
tinct organizations of various names, haveit yet
in their power mostimpressivelya and beautifully
to testify to the world the great fact of their
substantial unity, the exclusiveness practised In
ands of Presbyterians, and not few Episco-
palians also think strange of, and do not un-
derstand; and which they will regret did not
engage the attention of our brethren of the
SOHthsrR Chrchman in their notice of the
remarks we had offered
Let US notice in the next place what our
brethren observe about preaching in each 9TH
ers pulpits. The Central Presbyterian had
said" We are ready to commune with Epis-
copalians, ministers and people, In the Lord s
Supper, to invite their clergy on all suitable
occasions into our pulpits, and to preach, up
oniuvitation. in theirs" Subsequent remarks
show that We referred more especially to such
public occasions as Synods and Conventions,
though We are entirely willing to extend it to
others. The precise point we had In view was
that our Episcopal brethren should in this
thing make a practical recognition of other
churches, such as COMFORTS with their own
principles, and such as those churches make
in respect to one another. In dissenting from
this view, the Southern Churchnlan uses two
illustrations which it may be proper to notice.
As to the first, the supposed exchange Of
coats, we remark
l. That upon such public occasions as we re-
ferred to, Episcopal, and Presbyterian, and
Methodist and Baptist ministers go into one
another's pulpits, each in his own proper char
acter. There is, therefore, properly no ex-
change of coats at ALL
2 But if it were so, do not our Episcopal
brethren make that exchange In those cases in
which they open their churches to US, or occu-
py ours2 VIII it be said Jas we also men
tened some weeks ago thai Ley only lend
them Then we .subnit thai 4 blssher who IS
quite ready every how and then to borrow my
coat, though it be only "tolerable" one, and
to lend me his own "tolerable" one in return,
has no reason to object to the unsuitableness OF
an occasional exchange. This coat does not
seem to fit the case.
Next let us see how it is with the partition
icaLs." Grant that under present cireum-
stances they are as necessary for the different
churches as they are orseparate families; that
they promote peace and good neighborhood, -
But suppose my neighbor tells me he has the
highest possible regard for both myself and my
family, but never invites US to his house. l
might think well of his wall and his fences,
but would also think it strange if he could not,
once and while at least, let down his bars
open his gates and his door, and welcome me
in. Yes, walls and fences are great helps to
good will among neighbors, and SO are gates
and doors; and not less when properly opened
than when properly shut Would it be hand
some for him to invite his neighbors to occupy
his house occasionally as loan, absent him
self, leaving request for them to make
themselves as comfortable and as much at
home as possible2
Ifthese Illustrations of the coat and the
partition walls hold good in the form here
presented, they would bring US precisely to this
point that while it is very proper for our evan
f,llx a
frankly" to own one another as churches of
Christ in words, the less we do it in practice
the better Now while we admit the com
munion of saints " extends to every form and
thing in which Christian sympathy and fellow
ship are manifested, yet there are certain acts
in which that communion is eeminently ex-
hibited For example, all know that the
Church is most eonSpicuouSly represented
through her ministers. What act then can
more openly declare to the world that, though
differing with my Episcopal brother so far that
it is found most for edi6cation we should be In
separate households, l joyfully still recognize
him as belonging to 1.-THE commonwealth Of
Israel and 1.-The household of faith, than
to welcome him upon 4 suitable occasion into
my pulpit, show him the way into it, and sit
down there beside him, and take part with him
in the services? But do our Episcopal brethren
of the LOw-Church thus carry out their &C
acknowledgement of US? If we err in saying not
one in twenty does it, we beg leave to be
corrected. They will sometimes, There are
however many exceptions even to that,
lend US their churches on public occasions
But how does this manifest the com
munion of saints before the world? Is it