The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-07-16
49,, N. rowrr Of the Gospel Is not TO

ton; Dut INC poWch VI 49,
be estimated by arithmetical ratio. II
does not lie in the number Of church rolls.
1t is not the number Of presbyteries or the
number of .ynods Is going to test the pow
err Of Christ. Unquenchable zeal and love
are going to give power to the church
not these external things.
When the bishops of the Episcopal
Church in England send greetings to their
brethren the bishops Of the Episcopal
Church in America, and invite them TO 90
over and confer with them, that they may
be Pan-Anglican Church, let them go.
The voyage is pleasant. the meetings are
pleasant, and some good may come out OF
IL. But you must not expect too much.
You cannot do n great deal by these ex'
ternalities. II these bishops come back to
America humber than they went and
with more profound sense Of the value
Of souls, and clearer conception Of the
brotherhood OF men, that part OF their
Pan-Anglicism viii do good. But the ea,
ternal features Of II are Of but little con.
sequence.
When the mild and summary old Pope
sends his missive to Presbyterians and
Episcopalians, and says: Brethren, wan.
dering in irregular paths, behold! we have
called an ecumenical council: come all
that universal Christendom may be rep.
resented in this council" / say to the
Pope "God bless you, dear old man; and
God bless your bishops, and make them d
hundred times holier than they are; and
God bless all the churches that are under
your authority according to the arrange
ments of men. If 1t were convenient FOL
me to 20 TO Rome, and / could throw any
light on the liberty Of the individual,
would sit in your council. But it matters
very little to me whether 1 so or stay
For the church is not with you. You d'
own Christ, and you do not own the world
Grace be unto you, because you are apar
Of Gods flock, with all your faults. Grace
be unto you, in all your endeavors. How
ever imperfectly your priests and bishops
may preach; however much they may
have brought down from a medieval ag'
of luggage on their backs, nevertheless,
will rejoice, because, anyhow. Christ is
preached"
I would not put out the Catholic Church
If l could If God were TO give me the
power to destroy all the churches that ex-
ist, saying. "You have only TO speak to
sweep them from the face of the earth" l
don't know Of one that would annihilate.
l say, further than that, am so firmly
convinced of the divine economy Of divi-
sions, of various organizations, in the
church. that if power were put into my
hands, and were told by the Almighty,
IF you but speak the word. all churches
shall be identified, and there shall not be n
single sect on the globe" would not
speak it. would say, Let the churches
stand rs they are, so fara mere organiza-
ton is concerned. They came together by
elective affinity; and each has hidden in
its bosom some great element that perhaps
none of the others have. So vast is the
truth, that il is not given to any man or
set of men to tell the whole off it. Ii takes
one part to tell one side; another part to
tell another side; another part to tell an
other side; and still another part to tell
another side. And then the whole Is not
unfoljed. Ages to come must correct past
ages, and add to this anthem that which
diseloses all manner of divine love and
grace. All / would do. If God gave me
the power, would be to hold my hand out
over the scattered sects in Christendom,
that make the one church, and say, Lore
one another, and so JayfR tie iaw.-PIym-
onh Pulpit.