New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-17

traditions they inherit and whose witness they have
IL s,a maintain ~ before the eyes of mankind. They be,
ueVe In no sacred claSs"no sacred order of priests
ouch Of episcopal hands they claim that their right
Who Of s p to give e' his
n9ny Tor Christ, and they are sustained by vast
bishop and who recognize that the only Substantial
cisuncton In the various classes of Chrsts servants
themselves to His Work and the power which their
self devOtion implies such men and such churches
their history and traditions ard faith. Independency
seems better to them than to be subject to historic
the priests than in the nantes of prophets. They
know but one Bishop and His diocese is the world.
as hsvo Been sfn e% ss % Z
merely formal and transient. They do not allow for
and the JOY Of its liberty And in this they fa
q the idea Of our Lord THAT they all may be one
prayer There is no unity in a unit 1t implies
manfoldness and variety The oneues. d body Is
parts. That they all may be one; as Thou, Father
art in me- aud in Thee that they also may he one In
our Lord fsre sets forth the type of the unity OF
His people. The Fater, lie himself said IS greater
was everywhere. The Father the Sender, He
was the sent. He in the body, the Father was
are one" That was the unity, but union of Will
ana o. Of love 3S % am He says again ard again
Father bids, so speak U.s. There was a win Of the
Father was not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come 10 repentance; and He loved al!
The infinite love of the Father was having its cx-
preston and outlet in His own life. This j. .hc type
templated-oneness In spirit oneness In conservation to
the Divine will oneness in ardent and passionate love
communion there came upon Christ q vision Of His
disciples in the Joy and power of unity like that Of
which all His sheep Included but hock scattered
about the meadows and upands OF the earth with
linn Tho Ghnnh nuto nfynhC nreh
dominating the whole world, all peoples confessing the
same creed and observing the same ritual before her
each with IT'S own fornulares and methods, but ali
reconcled and united through their common union
Christ with the Father. and all possessed of the
divine passion for the deiiverancc of mankind. 4
unity, In a word, of desire and of WILL and whose
characteristic is action.
TRUE UNITY GROWING OUT OF DEVOTION.
Now, If this ideal OF unity be kept ever in mind and
there be any longing such Is sGDied In the prayer
of our Lord, two things must result.
First, there will into the Christian
munites larger idea Of the nature of fellowship and
less rigid insistance on things of subordinate in
terest The religious perspective Is becoming more
truly adjusted. Those who are spiritual growing
more tolerant as to matters of opinion and whilst the
great truths embodied in Chrsts person and doctrine
exercising increasing power broader range is
being claimed for the exercise of individual judgment
Churches cannot fix what God has not fixed, without
challenge. If they withhold fellowship from those
they acknowledge as Christians, simply because some
mere inference ecclesiastical tradition is not recog
nized of equal authority with positive command
Of Master, the growth OF suc!i churches will be
by the Christian spirit Which more and more is affect
ing the thought and the lie of the age. Dogmatism
only tends to disinion. The tightly church bonds
held the more deepl Is lndi, aual opposition ex
cited Alterations and rapture viii be prevented only
as the conditions Of fellowship n each Individual
hurch are adjusted to that large that Divine IDEA OF
unity, which Is set forth In the prayer q our Lord
Turn to the epstles Of Paul. They were written for
churches in which there was strange mixture OF
supersttlons and enlightened convictions Never were
there such differences prevailed In those Christian
communities and they had reference 70 all forms OF
habit aad religious usage and feeling. But Paul does
counsel them to bring abou unity by any method
II samcness and agpcemcrt 10 was to come through
the exercise Of a generous tolerant spirit Receive
rhe bond must be more comprehensive than that OF
he same views or the same Conscience Wlthh tic
for differences of taste and opinion and culture and
as love keeps a household united, Notwithstanding It's
dssimar members, II is more central, more unify
ing, mghtler than anything else, the Apostle says.
" Let men hold together by i)vc.
Another thing will result. and II will show Itself In
TWO ways. First, the denominations viii come % re
gard one another with mutual respect, and cach
whilst maintaining its own truth. Will do II without
yews Even this xilI be great san. Platform
orators have often appauded when they have
decried Others indifferent b ruth who were at
tartan pride tends to make one incapable of recognizing
the good which Is outside rs own boundaries. II
the rebuke which came upon John when nc said OF the
one who Was casting out devils I'VE forbad him. be
cause he followeth not us; How beautiful now iuli
the nobest OF poets In memory OF MS friend
Thy own loved church In sadness read
Her solemn ritual Ger thy heal
That church, whose rites and liturgy
sublime and old. were truth to thee
Even l. Of simpler views, could feel
The beauty OF thy trust and zeal
And owning not thv creed. could see
How deep q truth IL seemed to thee
so thu Christian spirit carries with 1t mutual respect