The sun., 1890-01-26
nELIeIoUs oUEsnors on TINE r1nr
Viewed IRON the Standpoint OF Univsrsai
TheoloEY.

In some remarks upon the subject of n
union OF Christian denominations. not long
ago. Dr. Phillip Schaff 10 reported to have said
In substance that nothing less would satisfy
him than the including the Roman Catholic
and the Greek churches In any such organic
movement OF the religious bodies' Practically
that ultimatum would put an end to any movo-
ment at all upon this line OF effort The more
| ancient, the Greek Church, Is almost unknown
TO the majority OF Western Christiana What
ever lie to he said about this broad claim for
ecclesiastical readjustments will have to limit
itself essentially to the relation OF the Profess
tant religious communities to the Papal eccles-
iastioism OF our times, aud this, not rs n ques-
tlon OF ideal church reconstruction but as O
practical problem OF denominRtional agree
ment" Thus writes DR.. Tucker In the Church
| Union. Hero then, is the Catholic Church,
organized. one mighty power.
| DR.. Gordon, in his address at the bi-annual
sessions OF tho National Evangelical Alliance
at Boston. said: Il verify believe that If the
12.000000 OF Protestant Christians in the
| United States would mass their forces and
work as one man. there is not form OF ma
tional or social iniduity that would not be
swept away before their irresistible mo-
| mentum." Here. then. Is the Protestant
Church, not organized, but mighty power
Now let us digest all this 1t ia conceded
that q union Of Catholics, Protestants, and
Greek Church followers would be an admira-
BILE thing. But such union OF Christian de-
nominations" even with such learned and
respected leader of Christian thought as DR..
Schaif to stand its sponsor. is. we fear. a con-
summation to be devoutly wished for, but not
to be exuected 1t will never come to pass.
Tho revision movement In the Presbyte-
rian Church has reused thinkers to entertain
pleasing thought OF closer union between
the various Protestant denominations. In
deed. the venerable DIR. McOosh hopes that
the Presbyterian churches, as they view the
substantial agreement of the creed, will look
with more favor on other evangelical divisions
OF the churches, such as the Epscopalian, Re-
formed. Methodist. and Baptist, to ISSUE as
he seems to think. In union that shall be
wider still in its blessed consequences"
This may come to pass. Still there can never
be better condition between the three great
Christian churches than that Of armed neu-
trality. with warriors standing to their guns.
with even lighted fuses in their hands.
That the Protestant division Is split into
sects Is a great source Of its weakness AS to
the divisions In the Catholic camp we hear less
OF them, thanks to the rare discipline OF that
Church. But that there are divisions We are
yividly reminded by the death Of the famous
DIR. D0llinger. the great leader OF the old
Catholic party. These "old Catholics re-
Gently met In convention at Utrecht, Holland.
The Independent states that the formula agreed
upon includes condemnation OF the infalli-
biIity of the Pope and his universal episcopacy;
the encyclcal OF Plus IX. 1854 as to the i'm
maculate conception OF Mary, the Unigeni-
tus." the syllabus Of 1884, &c.
In view OF these things, we repeat there
cannot be union in the whole Christian camp.
Moreoyer IL Ia n uuestion yvheth ar Wa naed
take any concern about 1t.
And for a reason which Milton very suf-
flciently expresses in his Areopsgitica" when
he remarks upon the men cried out against
as for schismatics and sectartes as II. while
the temple was building. soma cutting. some
sQuaring the marble, others hewing the ce-
dars, there should be a sort Of irrational men
who could not consider there must be many
schisms and dissectons made in the quarry
and In the timber ere the house can be
built: neither can every piece Of the build
ing be OF one form: nay, rather the perfec-
tion consists In this. that out Of many
moderate varieties and brothery dissimili-
tudes that are not vastly disproportional
arises the goodly and the graceful symmetry
that commends the whole pile and struc-
ture." This gives us the hint which we may
not neglect. And nature adds her lesson when
We observe that her law is variety in shape
and color. similarity in action. The cedar OF
Lebanon and the hyssop on the wall alike per-
form the same duty OF purifying the atmos-
phere: for all vegetable life has to do this in
the great economic scheme of nature.
There may be diversities in the color Of
creeds. in the shapes OF doctrines They should.
however be united in their practical useful
ness in purifying the social atmosphere around
them. Such union between Catholics and Prot
I.
And there are signs OF n better understanding
in this direction between Protestants and
Catholics. The Christian Union says. During
the forty years OF its existence prior to 1886
the Evangelical Alliance had chiefly represent
ed Protestant interests as opposed to Romanist.
In 1856 the Alliance officially recorded its con-
viction that our Christian civilization is pass
ing through a grave but ill-appreciated crisis.
and its recognition of the case thus presented
for united Christian effort to avert the immi-
nent peril. The precise nature of the
new interests espoused by the Alliance appears
In the programmes OF the last two conferences.
In total OF thirty-three topics we notice only
one which reminds US Of the anti-Romanist
activity of the Alliance during Its first forty
years. All the present lines converge upon the
one idea Of united Christian effort for the
Christianization Of society. The drink evil the
social vice. illiteracy, immigration. the divorce
evil. the misuse Of wealth the capital and labor
question. the needs and perlls Of great cities.
moral legislation. and cognate topics receive
great prominence"
We have only to remember In connection
with this the platform formally adopted at the
recent great Catholic Convention at Baltimore:
I'VE condemn nihillsm. socialism. and COM
munism. and we equally condemn the heart
less greed of capital. -" We disapprove
OF the employment of very young minors.
whether male or female. In factories." ="
Then follow pledges to cooperate with the
clergy in those great economic. educational.
and social questions which affect the Church.
the country. and society: to assist the needy:
instruct the ignorant: reform criminals. Cath
olics or not: to secure proper Sunday observ-
ance. stop Sunday liquor SALE" &c.
Do We not see now where Catholics and
Proestants can unite? Let the Catholic
Church or on a or othar of thaaa 90