The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-04
CHRISTIAN UNITY.
Rev. Adirondack Murray's New
Church and Newspaper.
BOSTON'S LAST SENSATION.
The Initial Sermon Of the Pastor
in the Music Hall.

now rejoicing over the dawn Of new in both the
realms of religion and literature Their bright and
shining light the leader OF the young and venerable
hosts, is none other than the Rev. W. IL. H. Murray
probably of the most popular young clergymen
settled in Boston, as he is one of the
nowncd in the country 1t is year more ago since
internal discussions Of a Greedy nature influenced him
to resign his passionate Of the Park street church, IN
this city. Immediately after his resignation move
ment TO establish a Union church, with Mr.. Muir
ray at its head, conceived and carried forward
by his most ardent admirers and supporters
in tho church from which he had just
cred his connection Tho result OF all this
the sudden raising OF funds for the of the
largest church ed1ce In the United States within
twelve months the sacred edince will adorn the now
vacant lot tho corner Of Columbus and Berk
ley street. When completed 1t is surmised that the
current expenses will be about SIS 900 500 900 per
annum: but the large number OF pews which IL will
contain will enable them TO be disposed Of lnsig-
nidcanty low figure, and thus the Masses the mid
ding and poorer classes command the advantages
of the Gospel price fully within their means The
idea is best illustrated by comparing It with
paper of limited and ofarge circulation Those who
paronize the one Of limited circulation have TO pay
an exorbitant price compared with those who buy
paper OF world wide popularity and circulation. On
this plan-evangccal also in its way-Rev Mr. Murray
proposes scatter the Gospel among the Bostonians
Inasmuch year is required for the building Of
the new church edifce IL decided that during the
meantime the services should be held in the Music
Hail. and the initial by tho distinguished pas
tor was preached there this morning large and mis-
cellaneous congreg CATION.
MURRAY's SERMON
Mr. Murray's text was selected from John, xviii. 21-
sThat they all may be one, thou, Father art in
and in thee, that they also may be IN u.s. that
the world may believe that thou hast sent ma" In
commencing he said that he proposed speak
on the general subject of Christian unity as sug-
gested by the text He then went to say that
at q time when, outwardly at least the Church is
broken up Fragments when the followers Of Jesus
are designated by so many different names that one
might suppose all unity is lost; when these names de-
scribe secs that will barely tolerate, much less fellow
ship, another; when churches built by the help
OF partisan feeling and secaran rivalry, 1t seems well
that should pause moment and examine the
which have led 10 these divisions in the family OF God
EARTH and ask ourselves whether we have not all Of
gone far enough In the direction of separation Will
there DO any unity left II we divide much more' Has
not the hour rather than diverge;
TO affiliate rather than antagonizeS What Is the one
enjoined His disciples by the Master just He
10 depart into heaven and what are the divisions
that harmless, and what those which mis-
chievous among His foowersi Denominatonalsm will
continue 10 exist because u nnus ils occasion
in the diversites OF mems dispositions and the wide
differences
worship God each after his own mode and habit and
be gamers thereby, but those who seek to make
denominatonallsm mean more than this seek moral
mpossibity. They are engaged In an uphill work. and
the hill grows sleeper and the load they pushing
heavier every year The public opinion of the age Is
against them. The strong practical common of
the people working away the problem and grad
ualy but surely settling IL It's verdict 10 spoken
in one sentence at one time in one spot or by one Judge
Ii is announced day by day in various uterances by
many lips and in many places This verdict IS, that
all Christian disciples, by whatever name known,
essentially one that their rights and privileges
to all divine ordinances the same that the great
facts both they relate 10 the human tho divine
side of mans redemption, which underlie Christianity
and give all It's significance 20 IL are held IN common
by all disciples OF Christ all disciples stand In broth
erly unity and TO treat each other as brothers
should Hence each church, being Gods house,
open all Gods children; each pulpit that procaims
the Gospel OF salvation IS open TO all who love to pro
claim IT. each sacrament should be administered to all
who seek It's holy consolation and each and every soul
who repents Of sin and has faith in the Saviour Is by
that experience in full and actual fellowship with all
souls OF like experience and cannot without the
part of those who do IT. be excluded from such fellow
ship.
MR.. MuRRAY's POSITION
This we say not because IL is novel doctrine for
believe II is either openly or latenty held by all who
are governed by Scripture in the formation Of their
ecclesiastical opinions but because church and
pastor at point of undertaking when IL is
proper and indeed necessary for US to speak out and
declare just what position Is lest the sacred
we represent should suffer loss by the misrepresenta
ton of the ignorant
Lett be known, then, that stand as pastor and
people on the inspired Word Of Cod from which
draw the rule or faith and practice Christians;
that the words Of Jesus the Christ as recorded by
the four Evangests, held by US In especial love
and reverence as being the highest expression of
wisdom ever given by God TO men; that the great
facts taught therein OF mans sinfulness, and re-
demption herefrom by faith in Christ through regener
alton, justification and qualification cordially be-
leve; that the terms OF this spiritual salvation
two-repentance for sin Of such sort as leadeth to
godliness Of thought and act in tho subject and faith in
Christ or such sort M 70 incline the believer 10 do
His will and TO love God with love that casteth out
tcar;p that all who declare that they have complied
with these conditions Of savaton and seeking TO
1.-Two as bccometh such, and gladly received
brothers and sisters in the Lord with us, be their
education in and understanding Of doctrina theology
outside Of what is embraced in the above state
ment what it may, for hold that profound
ignorance and Misrepresentation OF technical theology
and grossly erroneous views in regard TO Is, may
cOexst with such love for God and and faith in
Christ as guarantee 10 the soul salvation, and that
body OF proessed Christians have a right TO exclude
from the Endorsement and help Of their fellowship
the privileges Of the sacraments, any who humby re-
gard themselves participants in the great salvation.
For nty years the Christian people OF America have
been praying Tor union For hfty years God has been
answering those prayers until body Of union sent
ment has been accumulated, the volume and energy Of
whose influence is felt all Christendom For half
century the Christians OF New England have besough
Christ their Great Head that HIS followers Of all
nominations might be one, as he and the Father are
one. For half a century, we repeat Christ
has answered that prayer That answer wo
propose 70 organize into church, whose
foundations shall be laid By the hearty help OF all and
whose illustrations shall be- from this day on for the
help and consolation Of all To the end that those who
nave been praying may see before they ole the EN-
bodied answer to their petition standing before their
eyes, and all sceptcs and scoers may know that how
ever remote their azure submits may stand beyond
mortal ken still the prayers OF Gods saints arc heard
on the hills Of heaven, and answered, too by Him who
sits KING amid their everlasting surroundings
RELIGIOUS CONVICTION
This church, then, whose initial service we hold to-
day, amid the disadvantages imposed upon us by the
place In which we compelled to meeS whose secu-
lar sights and associations wo seek help Of God TO
spirituaze, IS born Of no personal or ambitious pan
but Of a profound religious conviction. 1t comes TO
meet q unmet by any existing organization TO I'll
place among the religious and educational orces Of this
city untitled to do a work which is to-day undone.
IL antagonzes with denomination but rather seeks
70 cooperate with all If IL shall receive additions
from sister churches IL will do not because viii
seek them but because IL benefited by the same law
OF preference and affinity other bodies IL builds
hope Of prosperity on the breadth of Its plans tho
energy OF It's administration the democracy OF lts
spirit the devotion Of It's membership the presence or
the Holy Ghost IFS love for man, It's loyalty Christ
and the blessing Of Almighty God