The New York herald., 1870-05-23
CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CEURca.
Discourse on the Unity of the Church.

Discourse ON the Unity of the Church.
About one hundred persons OF different nation.
aites congregateo at this little church, on
Sixteenth street, between Sixth and Seventh ave-
nues, last evening. IL is very quiet church. and
cannot but be impressed lie enters Its portals
with the fact that most OF the occupants have col.
leced To worship God rather than display an Ella
borate wardrobe. The church itself Is without any
pretensions to vanity, the walls being bare as
prison cells and the seats without cushions.
few Of the attendants evidently believed that Sum
day day OF rest;r for they repaired 10 the
"Land ofNod' as the exercises commenced,
and persisted IN noddng their heads TO every sem
tence OF the preacher. After the opening prayer
the whole audience Joined IN two hymns OF four
sianzas each. The singing was very good, CON-
pletely 0vershadowinS The little instrument in the
corner.
The sermon OF the preacher OF the church from the
text (Epiiesians W., 4, 5)"There Is one body and
one spirit even as ye are called Ia one nope OF your
calling; one Lord, one faith one baptism',-was q
careful review OF the dscords existing between the
different religious denominations. The oneness Of
which tn. Apostle speaks Is varionsy translated BY
different theoogians, while
CHRISTIAN UNITY IN IT'S FULNEss
Is nearly thing OF the past. The mystical body Of
Christ signifies unity. No man VIII deny that there
Is but one body. Paul says "By spirit are YOU
Apostle mean oy unity OF CHRISTI Christ prays In
John 18th, That they may all be one, even he and
Father and son. The witness or God upon the esrtn
y not book but living body. God formed the
Church on earth TO show his power and love, and
unity on the earth and the human body Is an exact
pattern OF what the heavenly body Is. Those who
say
IT Is OF NO CONSEQUENCE
what the Church Is have no faith that It is the
body OF Christ AS we look Christendom do We
anything resembling the unity of the Father and
the Sony DO we Sc one faith, one body, one hope,
or many hopes, one baptism or many bapiisIns3
DO we rnd BODY joined IN unity or one distra1 ted
with divisions and strifey st. Paul was indignant
with the Corinthians because they took unto
themselves names OF men. saying, "I am of
Paul. IL am OF Cephas," IL OF Apoilos.n
What would st. Paul say II he rose from the
dust and heard men say II am Romanist'
IL am Protestant or III am Baptist,n &c Not
alone III name, but In faith, rule and governments
does antagonism prevail. The three great divisions
OF Christendom are the Roman, Greek and Pro-
testant. The first. with one head, the Pope; the
second. with two patriarchs; the third, with pre-
tence OF unity at all. We have Roman against
Creek Greek against Roman, Protestant against
both. Within these great divisions there SUBJ
divisions. The Ecumenical Council makes Roman
dlssensions visible to all. Episcopals have high and
low church, aud
PREsBYTERIANs ARE DIVIDED
into several sects OF different names. No effort Of
man can heal the divisions OF the Churrh. All
human efforts Will only add to the evil, and wit
ness to the Church Is that for the purpose OF gather
ing together the fragments Of the scattered stones
Of Zion He has restored his master builders, the
Apostles at The first, according 10 his words, II
VIII restore thy judges as at first and thy counscors
as at the beginning.n
The meetings VIII be continued at this church on
an audience shall gather TO hear the "angel o. the