The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-02-03
The Episcopal Church.
BY REV. noBr. L. STEVENS.


John Wesley in ssrm OH on divis-
lens among Christisns, ssys, "Many
persons who profess m ueh religion"
"havs not the least conception Of this
matter, neithor imagine such n sspara-
tioA 10 be any sin At all. They leave
o Christian. society with a. much un-
eoncorn Is they 70 out Of one room iAto
another. They give occasion to all
this complicated mischief, and wipe
their mouths and say. they have done
no OWL"
OA tho other hand, many cling TO
their peculiar sect, simply because it
Is what they or their friends have long
been members Of 1hsy admit that
people may do quite - we'll in other
denominations they are not members
because they consider Christ establish
ed the Church in the form they bold
to, but because their s1uca ton makes
them better suited, whore they have
bssn accustomed to worship. Can
there DO any Limits to tho number Of
dsHeninatioAs on this principle Of
choice. The word "hsrssy" comes frsra
the Greek meaning "a choice" end is
Aow applied By al Christians TO mean,
an evil eheics, regardless Of all estab.
lishsd opinions and facts Th us the
Unitarians arc hsrstics for denyins
the Divinity Of Christ Unless Chris
tians search fer the will Of our Saviour
in this partisular there is ne Limitation
10 nAmbsr Of the divisions selfwill
mast ysild TO established usagss unless
they are clearly contrary 10 scripture !;
sharity is impossible withss. spirit
Of accommodation. Doctrines and Gus
toms which have always prevailed in the
Church, will be accepted without scrI-
pie OF those sadsavorisg to keep peace
asd unity. There are ever two buu-
drod different sests in the United
States today there have BEEN more !;
bat after dividing many have died cut.
This protest against division comes
with moro fercs frsm the Episcopal
Chureh to-day, because hardly nine
years ago, notwithstandinS the NEST
earnest pretsstaticn Of the brsshrsn,
tad il diseet violation Of his srdination
vsvs, Bishep CsnniAs served his cen
asetien with tbs naia bsdy, and start
ID what was called . reformed Epircs.
pal Chareb. He was fsllswsd By absut
efteea euI Of three theusand clergy.
Eaas and jsinsd By disstfeetsd nsnts
Of other dsaonisationa. This see,
though bui sins years old has Ssparat-
eI ints three organizations already. Ii
uss welcomed with the right kAad oi
fellowship By ether rdsaoninasioas a. in
perfect accordance with the principle sl
sf ehoies, instead Of being esndsmned
as violation Of charity the evil frat
Of division bss matsrsd very quickly il
this case
Surely Christians must have som,
, guide or rsls in this matter. Whsz
an evil has reached sush q fixed posi-
tios, il is sad indeed. Only devoted
sci: denial and willingness to follow ihs
Tru.h when revealed can help thG
8 Church Of Christ. s.. Paul gave 9
rule Ia Rem. XVI. IL. "HoE bs
v ssseh you brethren, mark them which
y cause divisioHs, and offences contrary
r 10 ths dsstrias which ys have learned
and avoid thsm."
r These divisisns are dsing moro fol
r the saase Of iaGdslity than ths attacks
Of allIinkdsl writer's eembiAsd. Lstas,
enc consider the difference, in che in
: ausacs Of Christianity in iAis eeuHtry
. now aud hfty years ago. SsotariaAisH
= was hot and evil results mob then 50 ap
' parent. Old men will tell you tha
the nation As whole has passed froH
under the influence Of ChristiAnity
The appalling fact mssa us that no
only are two thirds Of our whole popu
: laIisn unbelievers, but that pepula
> sentiment is in many places strongl,
opposed to the iHfusnces and teach
ings Of the Christian Church. Th
number of members is larger new thai
? formerly, but .hs growth Of Church in
I. nuencs has been ia no proportion 4
Q tho growth Of the country.
i No general movement towards
real unity caa be expected. Tse man,
Q ten peral interests are al stake 70 sx
peet that any enc denomination wsul,
. give place V ansthor /; the lsvs .
many is TOO cold to expect thsm to tax
n any special interest very few hav
tho cander to acknowledge that they o
i their forsfathers may have been i
. error, though orrer ia division thsr
!, eertainly is; others viii prefer thsi
0 ewn way, right or wreng, and wi
4 ridicule what they neither uHaers,and
ner wish to inform themselves assus
n IL remains then with each individus
IS CAristiaa, to do his or her duty fc
A. the sake of Christian unity. Ot,ms
10 the truth is not popular with thss
10 who rake the loudest professions {
being perfectly free from Lisetry. A
% rule those who prefess to be FIRE
/. frsm all prejndics aud marrow minded
\ ness are tho mast illiberal, beesus
~ they do not recognize the truth tbs
= these two qualities are natural to th
!, human naind and emily overcome b
wide extended observation and pract
cal Charity. The spirit Of perseeutic
= is not dead yot, as any one will 6n
- whe attempts TO ruA counter to pop,
:. = lar sentiments, sithsr in or out of tl
n Church. Ne fres will burn, nor bloc
" :. be she'd as of old. Men TO-DAY "a
make the weight Of popular displssauI
:, felI in many other ways than hy blow
- - and tho Pasiont conscientious soul, WI
20 takes consistent stand in this matte
?, - will have to bear hard thipgsfor n
~ sake, who endured much sontraaiCtiC
- .'s of aianers aSaints himself.
;" Where was the starting pOint
divisions among English speaking P,
II pie 2
n At the Reformation HsAry vi
= severed England from the sway Of q