The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-12-14
SUNDAY SERVICES.


| Yesterday morning sermon was delivered
by Rev. A. Dalton on Limits of Christian Lib
erty. Romans, H. g. "Let not him that eat
eth despse him that eateth not; and let not
| him which eateth not judge him that eateth.
For God hath received him.
When Rome was mistress of the world, all
roads led 20 the great city, and all peoples flowed
into it. As the gospel was preached to all men,
representatives of all races accepted it at Rome,
and so were first brought face TO face in the
Roman Church. They all agreed in accepting
the good news of the Gospel, but they at once
began to differ as to questions of discipline and
modes of administration The fact is indisput'
able and it was inevitable. The interest of it to
us is, to note the procedure of the apostle in such
a crisis, and the importance of it arises from
similarity of circumstances in the church to-
day All who "profess and call themselves
Christians" are supposed to accept the unques'
toned and undoubted statements OF faith
which pervades the Gospel and Epistles, and
which for our learning, are collated IN the
Apostles Creed, This was as true IN the apps
ties day, as in our own. But when we go De-
yond this, differences of opinion and cOnSe-
quent diversities in discipline and worship, are
manifestly as great as they ever were in Rome,
or elsewhere The worst of it is, that these diff
ferences on secondary matters, from the first
have been the occasion OF more strifes than we
can compute either in numbers or evils. This
being so, the further question arises whether
this is a necessity laid upon us from which We
cannot escape, or not. Ii it is a necessity it is
a burden grieyouS to be borLe and has done
more TO hinder the advancement of Chrsts
kingdom than all the other causes combined.
We turn therefore, to the great Apostle for
light and instruction. How did he meet the
difficulty, and what remedy did he propose?
First, as to the fact, he admitted it, He did
not affect to believe that the Church OF Rome
was at unity with itself on these secondary
questions Hence he did not write to them as
if they were, did not ignore their differences, ]
but clearly recognized them, and reasoned
cogently against the extremes to which they
were carried. By the terms in which be rec,
osnized their existence, he virtually admitted
that they were referable TO circumstances,
rather than to character and hence, argued
nothing against rectitude OF purpose, either
on the one side Or on the other. If man ate
certain meats or not, observed certain days or
not, so that he desired to please God, one
course was as Christian as the other. This
shows US in the second place that the Apostles
injunction was, not that they should cease to
differ, but cease to wrangle about their differ
ences. In other words, in all questions not
vital, the spirit is more important than the let
ter. To hold the truth here without charity, is
to be less Christian, than to err without malice
The disciples of Christ may be unable to see
such matters in the same light, but they can
agree to differ, and to live ia peace while they
differ
In tine third place, we learn that there is but
little hope of converting each other on these
points by argument. If there were doubtless
an inspired Apostle would have reSorted to
this method On the contrary, he waived all
discussion of the disputed points-ailowed each
to hold his own opinion and remained undis-
turbed in his favorite tenets, and enjoined only
mutual forbearauce and charity. The liberal
man was not to despise his brother of narrow
and prejudiced views. and the narrow minded
man was commanded not to PREJUDICE those
who felt at liberty to do what he could not con
Scentously do. And this rule lis as safe now
as then, provided always no fundamental prip,,
ciple of piety or of morals is at stake. Mutual
liberation ia all secondary questions is the
only possible condition of preserving the unity
of the church, or keeping the peace among
Christians. And it remains true Today,
that you will scarcely find an in instance nee
lief, or into yours by direct argument
Ones faith is plant of slow growth, and must
usually be years in coming to maturity. When
grown, it is immoVable as tree F1naiiy,we
learn from the the Apestles's treatment OF this
subject here and elsewhere-that in the differ
ences which arose so early in the church, and
which in substance continue to this day, neith-
er party has the right to impose its belief or
practice on the other. If either had attempted
it at Rome, schism in the body would have
ensued at once This was then regarded as so
great an evil, that both parties sought to avoid
it by mutual concessions. Afterwards, indeed
the strict Jewish, ceremonial and sacerdotal
party got the upper hand, and have kept 1t to
this day consolidating their power by siIencing
every note of dissent. This policy, which
makes desert and calls it peace, when fully
carried out ensures the peace of d grave yard.
Yet signs are hot wanting OF similar DISPOSE
ton iu churches which have rejected the RO-
t. AoIr hnA. 1ACs, ntiCr IN
be successful must be thorough" This word
must bejts motto Half measures never sue
coed. And nowadays, what church can car
ry out, even II 1t enter upon any but half
measures.
Of what we have said, this is the sum. Dit
ferences of opinion on questions not absolutely
determined by Revelation, are not only inevlta-
ble but allowable; and hence not censurable.
They are neither to be forbidden nor con-
demned Nor are they to hs ignored or pro-
scrbed, but permitted. AS they are seldom, ii
ever, amenable to argument, they are to be
mutually tolerated without reproach to either
party LET not him that eateth, despiss him
that eateth not; and let not him that eateth
not, Judge him that eateth: For God hath Ie-
ceived HIM. Therefore, let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind, and let us follow
the things which make for peace"
ST. LUKE's CATHEDRAL.
The services at this church yesterday morn.
ing were of very interesting nature. Besides
the usual clergyman, the Lord bishop of Mon
treal and Bishop Tozier of Zanzibar were in
attendance and OBLIGATED. The music was
very fine The Lord Bishop of Montreal de-
livered an able and thoughtful discourse from
Isaiah xxI:1'-"Watchman, what of the
night"
The preacher briefly reviewed the history of
the Church, and then spoke of its present con-
dition. Perncious doctrines are creeping in,
and should be guarded against. The question,
"Watchman, what of the night?" was never
more appropriate.