The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-11-22
4 PLEA FOR SIMPLICITY.


with its original design. It's divine
Founder declared that his kingdom was
not Of this world, and it is fair inter
probation of his statement, as illustrated
in its primitive history, that it was in
tended to present permanent contrast
to the monarchies of the ancient world
The characteristics of the kingdoms of an
tlquity must be borne in view if we would
rightly apprehend his meaning. And we
know at least the ordinary features of
those institutions sufficiently well to form
a comparison between them and the spir-
itual kingdom of the Redeemer. They
appealed altogether to external force.
They were sustained by military power.
They were invested with gorgeous dis
plays of pageantry and pomp. They re-
sided in architectural splendor, and taxed
the utmost resources of ancient art to
decorate their habitations The sover-
eign was clothed in the most imposing
array of purple vestment and glittering
ornament and the attendants wore cor
responding insignia of royal liberality
and exalted position. To impress the
multitude with awe, and reward them for
their subservienoy with the highest graf
ifcation of the senses, was the policy of
government, and no device was left un-
tried that tended to blind the intelli-
gence, overawe the manhood, and secure
the submission of the subject.
w hen Christianity became the religion
of the Roman Empire. it was rapidly as
simulated to the political system with
which it was allied, and from that day
the Church departed further and further
sfrom its primitive type. The element of
force began to be introduced into It's pol
ity. External pomp began to mark its
worship. The primitive chamber of
prayer was converted into temple. The
humble minister became an ecclesiastical
dignitary. The simple sacraments were
converted into shows. The arts were
utilised to invest primitive devotion with
sensuous forms, and the appeals of the
gospel were diverted from the heart OF
the worshipper to the eye, the ear, and
the imagination; until at last, in media
val times, the vast cathedral overshad-
owed the dwellings of the poor, and the
wealth and splendor of the clergy became
the envy or admiration of the ignorant
and superstitious masses.
The Reformation was an effort to bring
back the Church to its original form and
spirit. The world had assimilated it to
itself, and it had borrowed so much from
the nations that had adopted it that its
spiritual character was almost lost. It's
chief was sovereign potentate, its min
listers were a peerage Of many orders,
and its worship was a grand display of
wealth, decoration, and priestly power.
1t was no longer an unworldly king
dom, as intended by the Lord
But the Reformation was arrested bv
the secular spirit of the times, and hence
we find the Christian Church in so many
countries at the present day allied with
the State, and presenting many features
Of form and observance impressed upon
it by its social surroundings It's origi-
nal simplicity is despised The popular
taste, educated in worldly school, will
not tolerate return to the institutions
Of Christ. The body Of mankind, unin-
huenced by the gospel, always prefer a
Church in which architecture, vestment,
sensuous music, and voluptuous art, are
cultivated more than the graces of the
heart. The voice Of Christ proclaiming
that the kingdom Of God is within you,
remains UNDECIDED, whilst hosts of mere
Journalists zealously resist every effort to
restore a purer spirituality. The truly
pious cannot be content with such con-
dition. They must long for the day
when the Church shall cease to COPY the
world when the world shall cease to
allure the Church when truth shall no
longer be symbolised by meretricious
and delusive art but, embraced by intel.
ljgent faith, and cherished by the afec-
tions, it shall shape the character and
control the life Of man. The Church
vorrf o. 81 49, L