New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-07
OPENING ADDRESS OF DIR. vINTON


our ears have heard, think may be permitted to
the Church Congress this happy naugu-
ration of most interesting experiment An expert
ment" call It, for although In the Mother Church the
Congress has settled into success, yet we all undert
stand the liabilities in planting an exotic. and no man
can tell precisely how any given set OF measures may
operate or succeed under different conditions call 10
an "interestiDg" experiment-to my mind one OF tho
most interesting conceivable and the chief idea that
presents itself the ideal Of this Congress- the great
effect to be contaminated by the prosecution
of its measures turns directly upon the unity
acknowledged way of expressing the unity Of the
Church. method which both procures aud denotes that
great work OF laboring for Christ where men come
together with the heart of Christ and labor side by slde
their prayers and their wealth all gladly dedicated
TO His supreme service when they labor side by sds
sna When Sat hy By the OF the suffer"
ing poor. when they administer the eoaimanloa
out and attests its vital unity. 10 shows
then that the heart of the Church is tho
we adopt the same expression; we lift up the sans
anthems of praise acknowledge the same naouai con-
genital sin we look to the same resurrection, ana QUA
souls various they may be In their lndlVduantest
cultivate wholesome oneness In the heart ana me OF
ali this you observe. is heart, is affection Is sympathy.
and ia all this the 1eesi OF tns and dess
action Of the mind OF the Church IN TINS sort OF WORK
nrooch TO perfect unity than this Is 1t not
he tbat the mind of the Church may brought into
an attitude and position IN which It shall realize
closer unity of reason and OF understanding, as well
as realize the unity OF the spirit and OF the hear mere
the dogmafic technical traditional distinctions OF
thought which we find in the Church, which we muss
find In every assemblage Of mankind are there not
Underlying conditions recognized great absolute
truths Is there not broader platform upon which our
distinctive have each an accredited and equally
available position Do not light here In FORM
Ing our opinions and prosecuting our discussions DC
not our minds work by sort OF reflected light, cooied
light a light reflected from the low terrene 01jeetd
about aud perhaps reracted by passing through the
fogs mists of preJudces aud educational forms OF
thinking May to higher level than this.
where the light is purer and brighter and where tho
blood IA cooler and where the simple intelligence can
operate freely and where we can take birfsye
view the oulspreadng fields below and mark the due
position OF each and all the several dogatc views thai
Now If this can be accomplished plainly It is grand
and benefcent result and Is 1t not thing that Od
accomplished There underlying truths, broader
ana deeper thon positive truth IN our ordinary ite
There higher range of intelligence and even higher
that necessarily for conducting the ordinary bush
Of e II is to this elevation that the Cnaren Con-
where prejudices and passions shall go TO sleep where
sharp angles of difference shall be rubbed on oy com.
munion aud contact, where the venom OF prejudice
shall be dispeled aud purged OUT ana where
the reason sees By Its own pure light.
Ia order 70 accomplish this what has the Church
Congress done 1t has invited men OF all schools Of
thought, habits OF mind, tastes and tendencies, and
nractces in devotion aud ritual IL has extended tne
invitation tar wide throughout the Church, aud
invited representative men OF every style OF thonges
aud character, however you may choose to designate
| them, aud asked them to come up on
common platform OF discussion. VI What ques-
| lions Private measures aiming at particular
result which passion and interest may be invoIyedf
No: but IN the discussion OF principles-0f seed
tbogkts Those ideas which are full OF the seeds OK
things, and In which men may agree and agree abso-
iuteiy and eye TO eye, even though led by other
tendencies they may in the practical Application or
those principles, find themselves sometimes divergent
But nothing gained for the cause OF uulty In the
Church OF Christ 10 have men OF differing minds and
habits come together TO listen and learn what may be
said the other sdef Is 1t nothing that they shall
have agreed together for the purpose Of INTEL
ectual unity and DO they not go down rom tue pis
form after each discussion feeling each man, thas
his brother, after ALL IL not the bad man he used To
think he was that the truths, the dogmas OF the
technical statements which ne adopts "a the expression
of his ordinary conviction, alter all have their roo! aud
ground work in essential truth. Ii We believe our
friend and opponent to be IN error we can al eas We
that error is no longer thing that We vruently
| demp, but rather commisserate, pardon and pray
for. This coming together 10 order to see each s
| power Of reason, is In itself an expression
and procurng Of the power OF unity which Is valid for
ali the purposes Of unity Ia the Church OF Christ IL Is
Christ powerful thing IN the Church, but that thu
Churcn shall be imbued aud inspired with the mind OF
Christ as well with the heart. And then what uores
will you ask Will not His own prayer DO realized thsn'
that they be He s one, In compass not only
but In Intelligence In the Agreements upon esse'
| tia, VITAL eternal truths .,,. -
The Church Congress meant to enect TINS result
therefore have called Ia representative men from all
| schools. They have answered from al scnoom rhey
will probably represented here from AL schools ZACH
one shall have his time and mode Oh sPssse, Insre VIII
no here for mere pride OF opinion 70 prove ise
Victorious There IL nothing which need involve pasops
but in pureness Of simple intelligence these questions
upon the water leaving them 70 germinste and nucti
a. God shsi blsss It. and shall bring abont hng up
OF the ChuIshs snteuigssss " the CopsTssA -" ~