The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-23

ed and allowed among EpiscOpaians them
selves; some are Arminians, others are Cal
vinists.
The other is that the latitudinsriaDism OF
the Episcopal Church about teachings Is
notorious. A church that can so easily toll
crate the POpish teachings of Drs. DeKoVen
and Seymour mot to name scores of others
of the same type) and barely miss raising
them to the Episcopal bench, that can go on
its way rejoicing with an ever increasing load
of ritualism leading straight to Rome, is not
the Church to make squesmish cutlery
about insidiOus teachings" as areasOn why
it can have no ministerial fellowship with
g the sects.
If the reasons assigned by Bishop Johns
for the exclusiveness of his Church are those
which really bear rule, will he, or some one
for him, explain how it is that Priests of the
Greek Church were invited to seats in the
late General Convention? Bishop Cummins
has presented this point in its true light.
"All this conduct is based on one theory,
the fable of Apostolic Succession--for a
more gigantic fable never existed-the dog
ma that there cannot be church without a
bishop, the dogma which cuts off the whole
of Christendom excepting the corrupt church
es of the East and the West, ;" (thatis the
Greek and Romish churches.)
The sum and substance of the whole Is
this, that the Episcopal Church in this coun-
try-s small sect compared with most others,
and mere speck compared with them all
together-has become practically more and
more exclusive and narrow in relation to
other Christian Churches; and this refusal
to recognize them in appropriate acts of &C.
clesiastical fellowship is not because they are
defective in piety, or learning, or sOundnesS
in the faith, but simply and solely because
they have been ordained by the laying on
of the hands of the Presbytery," instead OF
bishop. In word these self styled "suc-
cessOrs of the Apostles found their Church
upon form of church government, while
the Apostles themselves founded it upon the
great doctrines of repentance towards God,
and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Who
then are the schismatics " These be they
sOhich separate themselves" The essential
unity of the Church does not require all
Christians over the world to be in one out
ward organization; but it does require them
openly to acknowledge one another to the
glory of God the Father" and to shave
fellowship one with another. :"
The sin of schism does not consist in the
existence of separate organizations, but in
their refusal to "receive one another. =
And it is a remarkable fact that while the
Episcopal church in America, through her
official acts, the sermons and writing of her
ministers, and her periodical publications, Is
busy and persistent in charging this offence
upon others, she is burning the record Of that
very sin upon her own forehead deeper and
deeper every year. We cannot but rejoice,
for the sake of truth and Christian charity,
that such men as Mr.. Latane and Bishop
Cummins are from time to time exposing
this "insidious teaching" in its true light.
It is an enormous ecclesiastical imposition,
to which other denominations have too much
yielded, under mistaken ideas of peace
Concessions for Cancellation are beautiful in
their season; but when they involve the truth
of God, the purity and honor of his Church,
they are most wofully "out of season. y
There was a noble Apostle in the ancient
Christian Church I'VE suppose these modern
successor" would claim him as their pre-
decessor-heu! guam dissimmilis = who was
ever ready to yield the utmost that one man
should cOncede to another. But when it
came to be compromise of truth his posi-
ton was" To whom we gave place by sub
lection, no, not for an hour"