, 1875-10-24


and So will an occasional controversy elicit truth
The Church Was meant to be blessing to tn
world.-to help elevate the race, and ~in bac!
the nations to the love and service of God; t,
stand in the very forefront of human progress
and to be incessant in efforts for the alienation
Of human misery and wretchedness.
The Church which does this work the mos
eHectnaly will receive above all others th,
piaudits Of the Master WILLIAM 81. CooeEn-
A'lovEa or UNITY" RESPONDS.
fo The Editor ef The Chicago 1a71u'e:
CHICAGO, Oct. o." Protestant Erites in
fair and kind spirit, and will, with his posi-
ssons. be fully noziced when the union of the
Methodists and Episcopalans has been discuss
ed to its conclusion. Ore thing at time.
Your correspondent merely shows it his POSI-
tions are correct, that there is the greater need
of church nnion. that liberation aud unity may
thereby be scou1ed. But how7 D7 multiplying
sects: hy each pe1son who is dissatisfied with
any organization for lone tridng reason origi-
mating another body to distract tbs world ana
augment the prejudice, already existing against
Christianity by resson Of it's divisions The
'.Iaformed" Chczch Of to-day besetting
another !" Reformed" Church of tomorrow.
AID 50 % ad snanisun7 This spirit OF self-will
and division multiplying Itself into the bcldest
i6d:yidua!tsm2
tTan{e4 (WHICH III ECU lCF DtiEEuIj ku4b
"p1otestans'a position as to the Liturgy ke
tluo. WEas then It must be modified by the
Church within Eega1 arly, not irfegularly. HoW2
BY action from within, and not from without.
How absurd, then, IN this view is secession.
which never cures anything! Bat. il incapable
Of modification from within. hox then? By an
appeal TO tha Church Catholic, III JUS! s.icn coa-
fereAces fs Bonn suggests, until, pablo senti-
ment thus kindly created, tho notifications
come in ! regular and certain way, AMI With
the n cuc Gil unuu.
What Church has moro chality as to religious
character than the Episcopal? WHO more ready
to see and acknowledge tho good among all,
even among those who are violently denounced
hS our dissenting frieudB, such Is the Qu1kers
and Uniyersattsts? Who Use less denunciation
in their press and palpits OF bodies differing
from themf Who more ready to acknowledge
the saintliness Of all who hve higher life in
Christ? 1he couree OF the Epiacopalians is not
dictz:ed by any waa1 OF regard 1or the Christian
character ct the various religious bodies, but
from What they conceive to be high regard for
principle, which manv are beginning to Sec is
right oue. tha. We must have = historic visible,
and united Christianity. And that this is not !
to be secured by any compromise Of any truth, !
or by any sentlmentallsnl; that au must |
frankly acknowledge tllat honesty and truth are
first, and that no love OF any Truth must be ridi-
culed; that ii the Baptist thinks tLat immar- |
sion Is essential to perfect lu!tlatory rAnance
his views must DO respected; If the Methodist !
thinks that his views as to a1snrAnce and Chris /
tlan perfection and the ltinetacy are essential, |
they must not be ridiculed; If the Presbyterian
thinks his vieK5 as to parity aaa pFedestanatioa
and the other OF tho live points are important, |
his opinions must receive defetential cocEidera-
ton :; 30, it tle Eplscopalian has distinct and |
defuite positions as to 5 historic church, these
must be kindly considered.
Surely it is lonoratte in him and honorable TO
the Savior to believe thet we now la,s Church,
not merely Gks that which He established, but
the very same Church, and that tho gift which |
Timothy received did mol did With him, but Was
communicated to another, and another, and an
Other. until it 3as uierrad by direct succession
Ga hE who signs tbs croSs On the brow OF the
e:liit end exteuda tlle bread and wine, the
l!elges Of abiding grsce. Surely it is honorable
III tho L1issupulian u ulali.:aI1l llrluiato tue
eu!!.. iofneut 70 tho great doctrine OF jus:iica-
ton by f.it:i. Why do other Christian
hodles m:sr. present and realy persecuto
tie F. iscopai Church for its views OF
Apostolic pucoeSsion Why not aocredit it
to be honost and Sincere and charitable, it mis-
taken5 Why thiuk it so unreasonable, when III
tue early history Of the Church read that thee
Apostles ordained DlshoEs ss their Successors, |
and set them over various churches. Eusebius |
giving lists OF the succession in various
cities from the Apostles d0sn 3U5 in tiis day
and until the Reformation, the Law and the GUS
tom OF Gnristendon being Uniform and Invarla-
h]e, in every age and every country, the same
custom prevailing. Of one Bishop conveying |
JIublG W a1OIl6Is aUQ Will 1O tEaE6 I'll Ill Qtlp0-
slte practice Is not the uninterrupted success
zion Of Bishops the great fact peryaaing all |
church history Why should it be unreasona- .
lie for Episcopalinns TO refuse to forsake
he appeal to facts and to begin to
lrgue how this or that may have bappened7 .
can you think 1t strange that EpiBcopaiians hold
10 all historical foundation, when ,
hey see that the fRwfuness for one man to es- ,
abllsh g new church outside th6 uld makes it
awful for every one Of the Church to do tho
nr1a 4Arfo
u much the Church OF Christ as the old ONE
he work Of division. dislntegration. and dis- :
olution going on until there shall be as many
hurches hs ministers, until ovarv man is q
uction OF the question? Is it unreasonable :
sheu the Epiecopallans believe that We shall yet :
90 the reformed churches Of Italy, OF France,
I 6pain,-as now the historical churches OF En- !
orned and ali improved by the zeal, and life, !
nd holiness Of the many non-EPlscopal bodies, :
I'D all together, in some way, in Gods own good J
me, constituting ''the Holy Catholic Church
The thing that hath been, 1t rs that which shall c
Let onr good "Proteatant then understand :,
nat Episoopalians do not underrate or desp ise 7
he various religious bodies OF the country. We i
nderstand that they all clam just what we s :
lain. We believe that the great mass OF Prot | r
sstants are as orthodox in the Catholic faith q
by the early councils ss we are. We n
lank God that they hold the great Catholic r
critics Ill the very words and phrases OF an ] :
quity. Here is one point OF essential unity.
1e believe that they do not design to separate
rom the Universal Church OF Christ. They
ave been educated to believe :the present dis
Mon the normal condition OF the Christian 7
hurch. They do not see it with our eyes. They
old to an invisible unity 81
We acknowledge the churchly character and =,
be churchly work Of the various religions :. -
odies. We rejoice in the pure lives Of their q
minister's and members, in their godly men and X
omen, in their staiwart fifth and SIMPLICITY OF t.
odliness in their charity, their zeal, their mis- ~
ona1y spirit, in the grace Of God, in the gifts Of
le Holy Spirit in the power Of Christs presence e
uonE them, We wish to 60 back to no old con- al
.sts, no errors buried in the eraves Of our ci
athers. We rejoice in the many thousands OF y,
atholic hearts among them, with their Catholic +
1irit, their Catholic faith, 8ud their Catholic y
ety. 4 love Of truth, love of God and man, IN
earty desire for union TO be secured by confer
ace, more than discussion. to be secured With o1
1t compromise OF opinions or positions, will n,
ing Christian bodies eventually together. =.
Episcopaiians delight to SEQ all the various .,
ranches Of Presbyterians merging into ono St
rand Presbyterian body; aud so Of the Bsptists u
I'd Methodists- This is an important step TO- n