National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-14
TIE SPIRIT OF SECT.
Rev. DIR. Domsrs Lecture on Donominn-
tionaI Christianity.

tionaI Christianity.
At st. Paups Lutheran church last night
Rev. DIR. Domer delivered the first of a series
of lectures on "Denominational Christianity"
1t was an exposition of the sect spirit which
has so long held prominence in the Christian
world. and was characterized by that close
logical force for which this preacher is dis
tinguished. Said he:
The inward life of tho sect, when the
opinions of men are made the standard Of
faith, works out by an inherent necessity
into antagonism; and yet men cling to it and
exalt its conventional edCts into standards
of iniallibility. To try to get above the sect
in any honest and noble independence of
thought is to incur tho old charge of turn
ing the world upside down" Perhaps it is
branded as "damnable hercsy." There
ore no grand 6pontancities allowed
TO respond to some intrinsic problem Of love
in Christianity, and to satisfy some plaintive
longing of the church of Christ. No great
and broad generosities arc allowed to COM
mingle with the humanites, anu make well
come all souls that are lifting up fearful
eyes toward the star of hope. a" 1t is with
the sect as IL was with slavery. If it tries
to be fraternsl and sometimes reaches q
brOtherly hand across its landmarks, it does
II in the face Of its logic of its principles,
and of its economy" 1t will not accord to its
theologicalism the mere import of rational
COnNlCllOu, OF inc historical measure
of IA type of thought and faith but lifts them
up into arbitrary authorities, from which
you dare not appeal, and 80 re-enacts the old
b1ndages ana old mistakes forever. Is there
not a better way2 Is there not some spirit
of love, some largeness Of heart, which can
find room for men of independent thought
Ought there not to be ali earnest flowing
together of Christly souls out of all donomi-
nations into the atiinities Of divine brother
hood before we can have any special assur-
ance that our apprehension Of tho Masters
prayer for unity is large enough, or that
our creeds are comprehensive enough 2
And, when these aifinities of
love are once thoroughly awakened
among believers by loving communions with
the ALLOWING Jesus, must there not be- room
enough in their brotherhood for the Fenelons
and Hyacnths, and Dolingers, and Luthers,
and Knoxes and Wesleys, and Olins and
Taylors, and Walters, and Bunyans, and the
humblest souls of every name whose hearts
leap into melody at tho name of Jusus Must
there not be room, too, for the Jeromcs of
Prague, the Husses, the Latimers, and the
Ridleys, with heads and hearts too
large for the orthodoxy of their
times2 Is there not room here around
the humsnizing, sanctifying cross of
Christ for all anxious, longing souls from
the lofty metaphysical Paul down TO the peni-
tent Trogodyte of the Nile as he lifts his sable
visage in hope to the skies? What the church
and the world need most to-day is a creed of
the heart rather than creed of the head. We
need a worlds Christian alliance whose
members shall not come together with ere
dentials from synod, presbytery, conference,
aud convention, but as representatives of the
Transforming power of saving grace, and the
test of whose membership shall not consist
in subscription to human formularity and
opinions of divine truth, but one Of likeness
to Christ, the test of holy life; when the
IhristianB orthodoxy will not he measur red
by the range or even tho accuracy to his the
ology, but by his personal love of Jesus, an
upright life, and heaven-born charity
toward all men.
Prof. Shedd says: Logical men, dogmatic
men, rule the world. Aristotle, Kant, Angus
tine. Calvin, these are names that instantly
suggest systems, and systems that are exact
solid, and maintain their place from century
to century" But what of it? Are not dog
mas still but human opinions, and might ne
not have added the names of other system:
confessedly erroristic, and yet equally per.
sistent in maintaining their places? But
Christ is more than all dogmas, and his Chris
tianity more than any logical system Of
human opinions-more than all com
bined. All systems of mans de-
vising must change, but Christianity az
great spiritual movement and life, while
using oil systems and modifying all mus
rise above all, and outlast all. 1t is old al
the ages, and yet young as all the years Il
come. Hence we need to care but little fol
the sect dogmas In many cases they are but
superficial opinions, which men of all denomi
nations very willingly throw aside, and mus
throw aside in order to come into the warm
summer of q true Christian brotherhood. w,
can be generous and liberal in our view
without being loose and latitudinarian
Whether in the organization or outside of it
we have the right of Independent thought.