The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1892-11-04

and are come already to time in the
memory of most of US here. The recent |
Civil war was another great crisis in our
history. 1t settled the question of slav |
cry in this country. 1t preserved the re-
public. Slavery was an industrial ques- ,
tion and political question. But more
than this. Slavery was a religious ques-
ton. Its settlement here brought out
the true teaching of Christ Himself, and
it is now settled question throughout
the civilized world.
The appeal was made finally to the
moral teaching of Christ, and while at
first both sides referred to the Scriptures
in their support, both afterward acqu.-
esced in the result of that appeal. L
have referred to six great events in our
history of wide significance. | have tried
to direct you to view them from the hui
man and also the Divine side. TO per-
ceive the two elements of each, the one
sec ular, the other religious; the one be-
longing merely to the past, the other
reaching forward 30 the future.
The result as it has been thus far work
ed out we can clearly see.
IT Is OUR COUNTRY
as it is to-day. 1t is the general social
These are best appreciated by contrast
with other nations of the world.
We have great and untold advantages
over them, but it must also be confessed
that there are evils among US and dam
gers in our midst. There are radically
different theories of government and fun
damentally variant phases of religion.
Peculiar local conditions have begotten
their own dangers and ills. How are the
many discordant elements of our time
and country to be brought into harmony!
Not merely by education, not by altru-
ism, not by simple culture, not by mere
progressive morality. a development from
beneath upward. But, my brethren, the
life of this glorious nation of ours is to
be leavened by the gospel of our Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ.
| But what phase of the gospel which
He founded? That is the important ques-
ton to the Christian world to-day. I'm
portant, too, to our very national life.
In all charity we must answer it and yet
with firmness of conviction, not the Latin
type of Christianity, that is an accretion
of the original deposit. Not the Puritan
extre me on the other hand-for that is
dilution of the original transmission.
We believe, my brethren, that the great
problem of our eountry's safety in the
long run is to be solved somehow by first
solving the
| QUESTION OF CHRISTIAN UNITY.
1t appears to US that the discordant ele-
ments of div ided Christendom must be
harmonized in some way; that extremes
must be amalgamated in some manner
and that by the reunion of existing
Christian bodies. Furthermore, that the
only practicable ground for such re-un-
ion is that proposed by our own bishops,
the fourfold basis of the historic Script
I uTGS. Tile HsSIOfIC CICcl~. ~ SnS
/ raments and the historic ministry.
This, submit, will furnish the
ONLY STABLE FOUNDATION
| for pure morality, (the greatest satisfac-
ton to the thinking world), the safe
guard against fanaticism on the one hand,
and superstition on the other. aud so the
truest, highest welfare of our country.
To us members of the Protestant Epis-
copal church in the United States OF
America, a pure branch of the Catholic
Church of Christ, which has endured
throughout the ccnturies-has not the
mantle fallen upon our shoulders! dc
not the signs of the times, amid the agi-
tation and unsettlement of the Christian
world, point to this American church OF
ours, as the child of Providence, destined
i in Gods good time-to make up The
breaches in the walls of Zion? To bring
4 the world back to the primitive and true
Christianity. to be the raliying point fol-
souls tossed on the waves of religious un
certainty, and in her comprehensive
character and by means Of her orderly
system, to present herself holy catho
licsanti apostolic church-and by worl
consistent with her name and profession
cry to this land of liberty Happy ar
thou; who is like unto thee, o people
saved by the Lord. :
In conclusion let it be remembered, the