Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-10-23
rhe Evaneehcal Auianee.
WHAT HAS BEEN GAINED.
BY REV. j. q. JOuNsoN,

A series of remarkable meetings have
recently closed in New York. No such
assemblies of the people have gathered
since the days of 1861, when the nation
was in danger On Sunday night, Oct.
18th, the four largest halls in the city
the Academy of Music, Cooper Institute,
Steinway Hall, and Dr. Hepworths
church were crowded to overlooking
With eager listeners, leaving as many
more disappointed. Among the two
hundred foreign delegates to this gather
ing were some of the best known men
in the Christian world. No such gath
ering of distinguished men from across
the ocean has ever been seen in America.
Three things have marked these meet
ings; first-deep and unmistakable pi-
ETY.. Second-the most perfect harmo-
ny and fellowship. Third--a very high
degree of Intellectual power. Papers
have been read on subjects which men
of all ages have agreed in calling the
most important, papers which are the
result Of the careful thought of some of
the ablest men of our generation.
1t is not unnatural to ask what has
been gained? Rev Dr. Adams, in his
most apt and charming address Of wet
come, makes the following statement Of
the purposes of the gathering
"The object of our conferen ;e is Meth
er political nor ecclesiastical. W come
not to discuss forms of church organi-
zation or government, or anything which
is extrinsic or casual. We meet to man
ifest and express our Christian unity.
Divers are the names we bear both as TO
countries and churehes-German, Swiss,
French, Dutch, English Scotch, Irish,
lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Pres
byterian, Episcopalian, Methodist, Bap-
tist, Independent-but we desire and IN
tend to show that, amid all this variety
of form and circumstances, there is a
real unity of faith and life; believing,
according to the familiar expression Of
our common Christian creed, in the
Holy Catholic Church and the "Com-
munion of Saints.
Beyond the expression of opinion as
to the best method of conducting the
great moral and religious work of the
world, this is all that drew those men
from abroad and from our own distant
cities, and which interested, during 50
many days, those great audiences.
One result gained, then, is the display
of how broad the ground is upon which
they stand in common, and how few the
differences. are which separate them, and
how little hindrance these differences
present to those denominations acting to-
gether as one body against a common
foe. Rev Dr. Hodge is called the great
est theologian of the generation. The
following quotations from his paper
show not only his ideas of Union, but
by the appreciation with which his words
were received the ideas of the confer
ence
EVERY believer, no matter who or
what he is in the church, is a men,
Der OF Christ's mystical body. Just as
dear to Christ as our hand is to US. APP
ptause. The terms of Christian COM
munion have been described by Christ.
No church has right to demand more
for Christian union and communion than
Christ demands to enter heaven. APP
piaQse. ss...-.-. .........--
''What is the duties of these denomi-
national churches of The Church just
recognition. CApplause IF we are
bound to recognize Christ, as. Christians;
we are bound to recognize the Church as
a church; and as we cannot alter the
definition of Christian so as to exclude
any who really deserve that name, so
no one has the right to alter the dctini-
ton Of the Church so as to.eXclude any
organized body Of Christians in whose
persons Christ dwells. The Christian is
man united with Christ by the indwell-
ing of HIS Holy Spirit. The Church is
a body Of such men, really such, andby
credible profession such, Who are. organ
lied for the. worship Of Christ and the.
diffusion of His gospel. That is a.
Church. | don't see how you can alter
that. 1t seems to be the Scriptural idea.
of the Church, and therefore wherever
there is an organized body of credible,
protesting Christians, organized for
church purposes, there they have right
to be recognized by every other denomi-
national church as a true Church. There
is involvedin thus inter-communion, APP
plause, as in the Apostolic Church, a
man who was a member of the Church
of Jerusalem, was member of the
Church of Antioch and of Rome: And
then it is involved in the recognition of
| denominatIonal churches; the one and
! the other of them should regard as val
! id the sacraments and orders one of the
other. Applause. If the validity of
| the sacraments depends upon the, virtue
r. i,
| none are valid but those who have this
superactual power TO render them effica-
cious. But if it depends upon that be-
ing done that Christ demands, under the
authority of the Church and with the
sincere intention of obeying the com
! mand of Christ, then the saeraments OF
| the Church are valid and should be valid
| in the eyes of another. Applause. So
for ordination. IF it he as Rome has it,
the confirmation by supernatural power,
then no man IS really ordained, except
| by those who have the exclusive power
of givingthis. If ordination be anala-
gous to an appointment to office; as a
king or president appoints a man; then
| roman is minister who is not commits
/ stoned by due authority. But If. as we
| protestants BELIEVED think may safe
/ ly say all ProtesIaIls 40 DelleVe lnat Ia e
call of the minister Is by the Holy
! Ghost, and no church can make a min.
lister any more than it can make a Chris
tian--[ Prolonged applause, l-then the
office of the Church is simply to anthem
ticate and testify to this. divine call Civ
en- by God. know that there is athee-
ry of the Church very different from
this 1t makes the form everything but
| if nothing external be essential for q
| man to be Christian, then nothing ex-
/ ternal is essential to the being of the
Church. t,ts.