Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-11-06
DIR. Harris on the Alliance.
RUTLAND, Oct. 81, 1878.

sermon on the Evangelical Alliance, that
the reverend gentleman labors under
some misapprehensions regarding that
organization, and as am in full sympa
thy with this movement, and the more so
after attending most of the meetings of
the recent Conference, l feel it duty
to present it under its true light The
subject is certainly worthy of serious
consideration.
/. The Evangelical Alliance is not
that vague and indefinite body which it
is represented to be. 1t has ''creed,"
or profession of faith, and pretty full
one, too.
The parties composing the Alliance
hold and maintain what are usually I'M
derstood to be evangelical views in re-
gard to the matters of doctrines under
stood, namely:
/. The Divine inspiration, authority,
and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures.
g. The right and duty of private
Judgment in the Interpretation of the
Holy Scriptures.
g. The unity of the Godhead, and the
trinity of persons therein.
A. The utter depravity of human ma
ture in consequence of the Fall.
5. The incarnation of the Son of God,
his work of atonement for sinners and
mankind, and his mediatorial interces-
| sion and reign.
6. The Justification of the sinner by
| faith alone.
7. The work of the Holy Spirit in the
| conversion and sanctification of the sin
| ner.
s. The immortality of the soul, the
resurrection of the body, the judgment
of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ,
with the eternal blessedness of the right
ecus and the eternal punishment of the
wicked.
8. The Divine institution of the Chris
tan ministry, and the obligation and
perpetuity of the ordinances of Baptism
and the Lords Supper.
AS to its motto, ''In essentials, unity ;
in non-essentials, liberty; in all, char
ity," it is both appropriate and beauti-
full. That any Christian should call it
''platitude" is certainly surprising.
2. The delegates to the late confer
ence represented not themselves, but
branches of the Alliance, just as it is
done at the general conventions of the
Young Mems Christian Association.
Their position was, therefore, regular,
and in perfect accordance with the prin-
ciples of other representative bodies.
81. The Alliance does not propose to
resist the encroachments of Romanism,
nor does it dictate method of proselyt-
ing. There were able papers read at the
meetings in New York on the various
evils against which Christianity has to
struggle, and, of course, Romanism was
included, but the greatest battery was
fired against infidelity. The essay of
Prof. Christlieb, which took two hours
and three quarters in delivering was the
masterpiece of the conference. 1t was
worth the Journey to New York just to
hear this discourse. There was an able
paper on the Protestant doctrine of justi-
fication, rs compared with the Romish,
by an Episcopalian, Bishop Curnlins,
of Kentucky : and the Alliance showed
Its liberal spirit in reading q document
from the Old Catholics of Germany; and
would have been glad to welcome somt
of the Old Catholics, who were invited.
4th Or. Harris is reported to have
said 1.-THE largest body represented at
the Conference was the Baptists, Now,
how does this accord with the statement
made before, that the delegates repre-
scented only themselves? From what
has been said on delegates, tits clear that
no denomination, either Episcopaiian OF
Baptist, could be represented, but at the
conference there were members of these
two denominations representing branches
of the Alliance, and 90 far as / can Judge
there were more Episcopalians thar
Baptists. Distinguished men of the
: Church of England have heartily co
operated with the alliance since its form
alton. and no one, so far as | know, has
vet discovered that his connection witt
this association was in the least incon
sistent with his principles, no one has
been censured for it. 1t is rather strange
that the English Episcopalians shoulc
he more liberal than their brethren IL
America. It is probably because tht
: Evangelical Alliance is better known
: and more firmly established on the othel
, | side of the ocean than here. If that IL
the reason, we may hope for a better
state of things on further acquaintance
9Th. AS to the objection against join
; inc the alliance that it does not Teatiz'
anStQ, it seems to us as not very con
vincing; for how can unity be attaine(
among the disciples of Christ unies
t they become acquainted with each other
( associate together, exchange. views am
express their mutual sympathies Ii
order TO have unitg we must first hay
2trai0n. When warm hearted Christian
r come together as the members of tn
s Evangelical Alliance are wont to do
: they cannot help feeling nearer one an
other than they supposed, and withou
, sacrificing any of their principles, the,
realize in their inmost souls and ex
: hibit to the world that spiritua
D union, kindred to that they hope to en-
: ioy in heaven, and which is far superio
! to ecclesiastical or official unity. 1hl
is the great thing ALREADY gained By tn
q Azlia7ce. Now, he who wishes the en-
y must wish and employ the means, other
$ wise he will remind us of the boy tina
4 did not want to go TO school, because b
! could not read Nevertheless, ''wheret
% we have already attained, let us walk b.
e the same rule, let US, mind the sam
r thing" This principle of Paul is precise
,e / ly that of the Alliance, and by followin
II | III, VIC Cdn IlOtO NlAS(tutttlJ bSktSa ~
, ,erfectt0s of future and possible t671atl
+ than by standing aloof and wrappin
1t ourselves up in the narrow folds of ou
k UNCONVENTIONAL mantle.
y Evangelical Christians aud denonlin.
Z tions have spent too much strength
: miserable rivalry and warfare one wit
y another, and that to the disgrace OF II
]. Gospel and the triumph of the power
1t of evil; it is high time they should r.
,e cognize their relationship, love eac
!, other, and labor in common for the NJ
y building of the "Church of the Futur'
g which will be the Church of the Pa
r in its original purity and beauty but .sha
Is have gathered to itself, besides II
IS depths of its analysis, the breadth OF j
syntheses, the experience Of its tolls
i struggles, and its griefs through =. q
these centuries" The principles OF Il
Eyonra1icaI A l1ianCa tend. f0 this 0lOI