New-York tribune., 1891-05-04
DIR. RAINSFORUS POSITION.
DENoUNCING THE ATTACK ON HIM.
AN EARNEST SERMON AT ST. GEORGES CHURCH
on CHRISTIAN UNITY.

AN EARNEST SERMON AT ST. GEORGES CHURCH
on CHRISTIAN UNITY.
The Rev. DR.. W. S. Ranso.G, rector Of st. Georges
Protestant Episcopal Church, In Suyvesant Square,
gave his congregation account Of his stewardship
yesterday morning lie explained his position with
regard to the alleged uncanonca acts which brought
forth the recent remonstrance against him. he also
gave his views church uniOn incidentally setting
forth and defending his Broad Church beliefs. DR..
Ransford spoke with great earnesness and force and
his audience hung atentively every word he uttered
His text was Isaiah XXI, 8: "The liberal soul de
viseth liberal things and by liberal things shall he
sando and he said in part:
"Those who TO this church regularly will bear
witness that in the nine years have been WITH you
have not often dwet on matters ecclesiastical one
of the points of modern Christianity III which it fails
to reach men is its lack Of proper idea Of proper
ton. Because Church contains much cap
italized experience she has tendency TO turn her
eyes to the past which has yielded her ruch 10 the
overlooking of the future. TO which she should Yield
much Some Of us feel this danger Of seeing things
out of focus too much, perhaps and 1T may be that
do not dwell enough the ecclesiastical side of the
Church. 1t is very hard for who is brought into
immediate contact with the great masses OF the
people, who rapidly losing faith in the Gospel of
Christ, as given by the Church, to pay much attcn-
ton to purely ecclesiastical matters.
at is necessary and right, however for me TO turn
for a moment TO take noce-from general, not per-
sona. point OF viewof the charge publicly made that
in asking OF true Christian character to speak the
words of God at unusual and extra services of our
Church Of us have broken the rubrics and orders
OF the Church. which ought TO obey, both in letter
and spirit, because these have not received the
orders of Church. This charge is made without
argument. IL is right that should give brief but
hope adequate, explanation of my course. These men
who made the complaint, whom respect and honor
had right to judge to appeal TO the public. to in
troduce question already prejudced, to make dec
laraon which the Church has not made to condemn in
advance those whose actions they call into question.
This is what OF business would say is peifOusly
approaching the boIderland OF Hbel
"There is an ordinary course TO pursue known to
the members Of Church, by which the legality Of
the acts OF any presbyter be decided. These men
have not taken this Instead OF making the
prescribed appeal they have judged the question them
selves. They have laid their before the public
and have laid down law which is not laid down IN the
rules OF the Church. know Of church in this do
cese where the laws OF the Church are obeyed more
faithfully than in this am perfectly willing 70
render prompt obedience when competent authority
pronounces my acts illegal, but until such declaration
is by competent authority shall continue in my
course. The action of these men was unfair unlesned
unwlse and unnecessary.
at would be easy to quote precedent after precedent
| to confirm what ] have said and done. Among the
hundreds of available authorities, quote the late Rev.
DR.. Muhenberg, who declared that the principles Of
our Church. explained implied in the prayerbook
and elsewhere, do not prohibit the preaching of the
Gospel in her places and churches by regularly ordained
members of other denominations Many Will agree
with me in saying that DR.. Muhlcnberg was more truly
a rel giOus genius than any other produced by our
Church in this land Here is where we Broad Church
sand-we hold that the Church is destined TO make
complete the incomplete lives of men. When we plead
4la chi n
summer for good schools, for kndergartens for baths
for the poor for clean streets. dealing not with
things the outskirts Of Christianity but with that
which appeals to the very heart of the Christian life
We hold that Christianity is the only thing that can
complete the incomplete lives OF men.
a man whose voice we love TO hear ana WHOSE
brain respect for its learning said recently that
Christian union is bubble. The union conceived by
the ecclesiastical mind is bubble-t is neither posi-
Bile desirable. We don't want uniformity-it Is
contrary to the will and laws of GOD There should
be many folds, but only flock, because one great
shepherd leads all the sheep Christian union is not
| bubble and it will certainly come in the evolution
uniformy iIS and union You viii not see Uniformity
anywhere in the vast globe-nO two maple leaves are
tn ae Se SeG truth Of GOd Nature doe not s believe
history does not portray it and experience does not
unity Of the family came the unity Of the tribe then
the unity Of the nation and the unity of groups Of
nations. 1t requires no larger historic vision tlan
! we possess to men clasp hands across the boul
DIARIES between nations and trample them down, and
are there any blind, supersttous, 50 lost to the
larger music Of God, that they canot see this principle
| In that higher life which We call religion Every
where the world speaks for unity, the calls for
| il, the heart of man longs for il.
l. the doctrine that supports IL illegal, heretcal in
the Protestant Episcopal Church God forbid!
am not able nor is IL my business, to measure the
approach of the incoming tide IN favor OF this unity
Let us strive for The truth and leave the results TO
Cod There not lacking signs, however, that the
| in this matter. That is gratifying news from the
diocese of MassachusettSthe election 10 be bishop OF
| tle man who with his steady ZEAL commanding power
and melting love has stood for all that is most pro
| sfraid that they would not elect him. and now
reverently thank God that he was chosen. / am glad
| 10 know that Broad Churchman is not hereto
| "It Is nonsense and an insult to say 10 other
Christian churches that this pulpit for union There
iS not much fear OF that kind of unions coming.
do NOT believe that American Christianity Is the work
of the Protestant Episcopal Church In the south IT
| was the Baptist Church, in the West the Methodist
| Vprl the Protestant Episcopal Church think our
| Church has made the mistake OF being so active not
to lose tOuch with the past TO the prejudice Of its
| dnties to the present If the Protestant Episcopal
Church spoke today through the majority OF It's clergy
mfn and bishops II would, think, say there can be
my the Cburch without bishops. don't believe that
thai Statement Ia tenable. won't say that you do
not belong to the Church Of my Christ because your
! clergy are not Epscopally oIdalned. Christ never
lans6t that there Is no Church without bishop In
tbe frst two and half centuries after Christ that
nrSnrine was not taught, and stand With some OF the
pp dnd most learned men OF our Church, such
| SrcbhiShop Whitley, Arnold ana LlddOl, wnen say
~ do not believe it, Let us come before Him TO
Olau w % ~" must render an account. lie says that
where two or three are gathered In His name there
| shall He be-"
THE MONK REVIEWS THE ATTACK