Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-08

millions of Angllcans, or the one hundred
millions more or less of the Greek church. OF
ones whom Mr.. Thomas nicknames-of the
twenty millions of Lutherans, or the ten mil
lions of Presbyterians, or the five or SIX mil
lions each of Methodists, Baptists, and Congre-
gationalists or the many millions of Scandlna-
vians, Danes, Copts, Armenians, Noravians,
Janseniets and old Catholics. This is the church
of which 1 speak; this is the church in which l
expressmy belief, when say, I believe in the
holy Catholic church" and this is the church
which has my prayers and love. I believe in no
Catholicism less wide than this Generous,
large hearted Mr. Thomas! l believe he
and Armenians, Methodists and. Con-
gregationalists, &c.; even the Congre-
gationalists, whom in another lecture,
when defending his church against cOmmun-
ism, he consents to throw overheard, because
they reject one of his coordinate supreme
courts-the creeds Of the ancient church. But
no, not all yet, Mr.. Thomas excludes one sect,
the Reformed Episcopalians,t the church of
Bishop Cummings, whom the Episcopallan
conference communicated, after he had left
them, to form church of his own.
These several theories, from DR.. Pusey's and
Mr.. Thomas are all, as much as another,
most destructive of the diyinely, established
unity Of the church; to recall to mind this
unity, is to refute them.
The church which Christ established was a
polity, religious commonwealth consequent
ly, social unit The word itself, church, inn
plies this fact. Christ's church is, literally,
Christs society, and when speak Of a so
ciety established by some persons we at once
have presented to our minds corporate body,
with its conditions of membership, its rules of
government, distinct and separate from all
other societies, or organizations. Christ always
speaks of the church, in the singular mum Der:
"On this rock 1 will build My church. Tell
the church, Other appellations, under which
He presents it to US, have the same
it as His kingdom, His fold. A
kingdom is one political organism, a social unit
indicating not an endless number of sepa-
rate kingdoms, but one particular common
wealth. So is it with the word, fold. When
using this latter word Christ brings out def
nitely this idea Of social oneness: "Other sheep
I have who are not of this fold; these, toe, must
l bring, that there be but one fold, and one
shepherd In the Protestant theories Christ
words cannot apply. They place before US
churches, Kingdoms, folds; but no one church,
no one kingdom, no one fold, To use these
words in the Protestant theories is violation
of the rules of language. These churches and
folds may be similar in many respects to one
another; they remain separate social organiza-
tions. The several States Of our Union might
have similar constitutions and laws; the Ian
guage and customs of the people might be
alike. But, yet, were there notlin Washington
central government, locking all the States in
to one social body, we would have 80 many re-
publics, but not republic.
Christ impressed upon His church oneness as
her distinctive feature among men. The Jew
ish high priest prophesied that Jesus should
die to gather together in one the children
of God that were dispersed" And His
own words, in the prayer to His
Father, after the last supper. are as
significant as they are solemn. Holy Father,
keep them in Thy name whom Thou hast given
Me, that they may be one, as We also are. And
not for them only do pray, but for those also
who through their word shall believe in Me;
that they all may be one, as Thou Father in Me.
and in Thee, that they also may be one in
Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast
sent Me. And the glory which Thou hast given
Me, have given to them, that they may be
one, as We also are one; in them, and Thou
in Me, that they may be made perfect in one,
and the world may know that Thou hast sent
Me, and hast loved them, as Thou also hast
loved Me-" How the Savior reiterates, again
and again the prayer that His followers be one!
Well, Christ's prayer was surely heard, and
oneness must forever mark His disciples. It
is. too, visible oneness; a oneness which the
world will perceive, since it is to be to the
world the proof of Christ's own mission.
The Protestant theory before our eyes, what
of Christ's prayer! Hundreds of associations
not only distinct from one another, but
endued with the most contradictory features,
in ceaseless war with one another! Why,
surely, Christ has not gathered together
into one those that were dispersed;
the Father has allowed His prayer to pass un-
heard; the Father has refused Him the proof of
His divine mission, for which in special man
ner He had besought Him ';that they be one''
To extend the name of Christ's church to a
multitude of jarring sects, is denying the pray
er of the Savior.
Mr.. Ten Brock admits the original oneness
of Christ's church, but admits also that in the
course Of time it was broken up into fragments
In yonder sky, he tells us, there whirls host
of little worlds, beyond the pathway of Mars,
fragments of a majestic planet which once,
perhaps, wed with Jupiter in brilliancy These
fragments all circle round the same central sun.
held to their place by the same force that once
held them, when united. These fragments are
to Mr.. Ten Brock 8 mind images of the divi-
sions now existing among Christians. All! but
that planet after it came forth from the hands
of the Maker, received no solemn promise that
He would Himself care for it, in Especial man
ner, until the end of time; no assurance was
given to it, that all created power, even hell
itself, would be powerless to assail it.: no
prayer assembled from lips divine that this
planet should be always one. Well. the
Church was launched upon time, strong with
Gods own strength, assured through Christ s
word of being always one, and as her founder
framed her, SO she remains.
TosSt. Paul the church is body body
is some one organism, not an aggregation Of
fragments. She is ''the body Of Christ" He
being the head. Surely Christ will maintain
the integrity of His body. The church is a
body consisting, indeed, Of many parts, but
having these parts, subordinated and united
together SO as to make one complete and har-
monious whole. "From Christ the whole body.
compacted and fifty joined together, by what
every joint supplieth, according to the working
in the measure Of every part, maketh the in
crease of the body to the edifying of itself in
charity"
What, then, the consequence. since we be-
hold around us organizations beyond COM
putting, each one asserting its right to be
recognized as church? The answer is easy
There is in the world but one church of Christ
all other organizations are sects and schisms.
Christ instituted His church to last during all
ages, and, side by side, men have never ceased
putting forth fabrications of their own. The
spectacle. sad as it is, was seen in the
very first days of Christianity. s.There
well the spirit Of INSTRUMENTATION that
| sways the heart of unregenerate man. But
most criminal he declares are these separa-
tions from the church; sects and schisms he
| numbers among the sins that exclude from the
kingdom Of heaven. The language Of Other
apostles is no less expressive, both in setting
forth the fact that there shall be sects anC
schisms, and in condemning the authors and
fomentors of these spiritual rebellions. ssThere
shall be lying teachers among you, 'says st