The herald. (Smyrna, Del.) 1870-1871, 1871-04-29
For the Herald.
AN INDEPENDENT CEUECR.

Mr. EDIToR;-trom the mere express
sion of desire for an Indepeh dent
Church has thus grown necessity on
reply to the feeble production of ~"
How" asks he, "eoHld harmony be se-,
cured in such combination p Let our
answer be that to secure that "harmo-
NH so essential to the advancement of
christianity, and which appears to have
fled the churches of which ''J' is the
self appointed apostle, is the object
sought to be attained by the friends of an
Independent Church.
Let us examine a little into the exist
ing "harmuny". of some of the leading
sectarian churches of our land. The Pro-
| testant Episcopal Church trembles to-
day between the convulsive struggles of
its two extremes-"High and Low
Church." Ritualism has reared aloft
defiant crest, which twill not down at
the bidding of lerdly Bishops. That
great organization, founded by John
Wesley, which, as he said, should be a
tres beneath whose branches the weary
souls of the sinful might repose, and
whose leaves should be for the healing
of the nations, has been convulsed from
root to topmost leaf, and has shaken
from its branches the seed that has pro-
duced Sfr separate "trees," with Leaves
unlike, yet, we presume, for the healing
4 ork papers of last week contained par
ticnlars of the 'harmonious'' condition
OF an nj. E. Church on Long Island,
which had been supplied with an objec-
tionable minister. The 'leaders' took
possession of the church, and at last ac
: counts still held it, having their meals
brought to them, which, we presume,
they ptousiy ate from the communion
table, while seated on the mourners'
bench. One of them pleasantly inform
ed the minister that il he attempted to
enter the church, he (the leader) would
send him TO 'glory with a pistol ball ~
Il And this is the sectalian "harmony" of
the early afternoon of the nineteenth
century. AT this rate, how "harmoni-
, Gus" we shall be by the sunrise of the
twentieth can only be left to conjec-
! ture. - lHil 10 NJ
| But, Mr.. Editor, neither your space
: nor my time will allow me TO speak at
] greater length of particular divisions in
the different churches. We know that
absolute harmony exists among none
r either Catholic or Protestant. We know
D there IS genuine religion in the land that
. looks to God as the author of our being
r and our final Judge. AS .erder il
/, Heavens first law" that idea should
s find IFS most perfect crystalization or
z earth in the churches erected in His
| ooeASutCh
}, though by our advocacy of an Indepen-
!. dent Church we would not anticipate
s that millennial day, when all churches
= shall become as one, we are free to con
s fess that we believe the truest solution
I. of the perplexing problem of churcI
J. unity is to be found in strict obedience
to the Golden Rule, when Invested of al
the appliances of guardianship which
= sectarian zealots, in their Conferences
z Synods, Convocations, Assemblies, anc
), Ecumenioal Councils, may, throw rounC
d it. Our church. the Holy Church, indie
k pendent of all sects, warning upon moth
a ing save wrong, controlled by the con
p sciences fits membership, and the will
In or Heaven, with creed as extensive a
ID humanity, and as comprehensive as tn
D. universe, we may nationally expect tn
endorsement of men and the approval o
God. Our people shall be one people
l. and the one God shall be our God; an,
., while we by good works shall be set ri
y in the most holy faith by the preacher
N word, seshali tie who shall minister un
III to us never be "set up" by the tax col
m lector. We know how protitless churc
ar discussions are, Mr.. Editor, and we hav
- no idea of troubling you again on thi
subject.