The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-11-30
CHURCH UNITY.
An Able Sermon Delivered by Rev.
Fl. L. Wood. of the Episcopal
Church, on tho 25th Sunday
After Trinity
AT the Parish Room, Clifton Forge, Va.

At the Parish Room, Clifton Forge, Va.
JOHN 10: IS. Other sheep 1Aave ,phich orc moi
| Of this foid'''S
| No one can estimate the loss Of the di
vided Christian church, and more than
that, the hostility among Christians
themselves. Unity is thing we all de-
sire, and it does not require very much
comprehension to see that a united
christendom means progress--it means a
working together heart and soul for the
achievement of one common end. To
borrow a recent illustrations: Separate
| drops of water have but little force, bat
unite them into one great volume and
they form q Niagara, whose increasing
power might quench the fires of an Etna.
Ii the time, energy and temper vast
ed in futile and often bitter eontrover-
sizes were directed to worthier ends, the
diininution of friction and the increase of
enthusiasm might add an almost incak-
cufable momentum to- efforts directed
against the real foes Of mankind
What a hindrance to Missions alone! II
Christianity faced the Heather with an
undivided front, instead of showing
half dozen and more sects working
Jeaiously of each other-to the Heather
looking for light an incomprehensible
medley. How far greater would be the
power to face deadly evils of the present
and the menancing problems of the fu-
ture, II instead of having in every little
village or town four or five different sects
branches of the Christian church sep
arated for the most part by infnitisimal
differences about minor matters. We
profess to deplore our disagreement and
opposition. We praygthat the univers
al church may be inspired continually
with tie spirit of truth, unity and con.
cord. We pray for grace seriously to lay
to heart 1.-THE great danger we are in by
our unhappy divisionsr Unless all these
prayers and professions are hypocritical
they should be followed by real effects
There is on the horizon marked signs
that the various branches yearn for
union They have my cordial sympathy,
but certain conditions are Indispensable
for success.
Unity is not uniformity. The British
army is one of many battaiions, regi-
! ments, uniforms and arms. Unity is in the
highest sense essential, nor can the army
of the Israel of God truly flourish so
long as Ephraim envies Judah and Judah
vexes Ephraim. But uniformity is not
essential, norperhaps even is it desirable.
Why it does not exist ia those commu-
Mons who are not of us! There is the
Hard and Soft-Shell Baptists; the Pres
byterian church, North and South the
III. E. church, North and South, and $50
forth along the line; while within our
own beloved Historic Church, Catholic
and Episcopal We,have Ritualists High
Church. Broad Church, Evangelical and
Low Church. The extremes almost as
far removed from each other as some
nonconforming bodies are from us at one
Of these points. So that uniformity is
not essential. II it were. begin with
in our own fold. Ii our Church can
hold together as one body in spite of
differences between its laity and clergy
which separate them more widely,
almost, from each other than some mons
Episcopal bodies are outside of our pale.
it ought not to be impossible to reunite,
not necessarily in uniformity, the various
dissenting bodies to the Episcopal
church. But this cannot be done with
out mutual concessions. Nothing but
bitterness can arise from the spirit of
.uncompromise. At the late Church Con-
Worcester nobly stood forth and showed
in the broadcast and grandest manner
how the yearning for close lines is ripen-
ing May such men long fill the
Bishops chair.
Now, take for instance, the Historic
Episcopate Apostolic Succession of the
ministry. 1t is certain that many are
convinced that without it there is no
church. Such IA view is held by the school
of Pnsey and perhaps Liddon and many
others. This is the extreme, but vast
numbers equally learned, equally de-
vout, are not less unalterably convinced
that it is not know that l am speak
ing to very many who hold these views
along with myself. and can give good
reasons for it, Listen to this and answer
it who can: If the Chnrch founded by
Christ and started by Bishops, Priests
and Deacons il. Apostolic times, set
forth as the Divine model for all future
ages, to whom the Holy Ghost was Civ
en- in all His fullness; granting that this
was the first aud only idea set forth for
spreading Christianity from the rivers
unto the ends of the earth. Are you go
ing to confine the gift of the Holy Spirit
to that one form of working? Can God
contradict himself? If Episcopacy is es-
sential for the Church why has God seen
| fit to bless and honor with such success
| those bodies Of Christians which have
no Historic Episcopate? For the simple
reason that those who had the first fruits
of the Divine guidance neglected to stir
up the gift within them. Jerusalem had
the gospel first preached to it and it
should have been the chief cornerstone
of Christianity to day; but is it !? Why
not? 1t ought to be first and foremost
ia that it was first honored and blessed
Of Christianity. Episcopacy in like man
ner had the first choiee-the only choice
the Divine choice, but did it use and
deyelore and do the work it should have
done? The Holy Ghost was given then
as now for those who ask and who be
lieve, but we know that the Holy Ghost
is not shed abroad without respect te
His receptivity. He works by sovereign
means Of law and order, and it goes
without saying that in the dark Middle