The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-01


army bear witness to the Church of Eng
lands claim to catholicity. for all Chris
tian bodies have a share in this Christ-like
work to save society.
1t pauperism is the enemy to be over.
thrown, again the ranks stand unbroken,
Tor the charity organisations all over the
country are largely q union Of all who
love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and are
endeavoring to do unto the least Of Gods
children as unto Christ himself.
Let dire pestilence like that Of yellow
lever scourge the fair cities of the South,
and the swift messengers of God Nv to tho
rescue, the humble evangelist, the heroic
sister OF charity. and the austere ritualist,
al vieing with one another not in the con-
tention of doctrine, but in the relief of the
elck and comfort for the dying, simply for
Christ's sake. When a terrible calamity
ike that which befell Johnstown q few
years ago makes the whole nation trem-
Bile with pity. offerings pour in and
prayers 60 up from all churches, and
again Christianity is united. Thus, on
the held OF duty We behold the unity of
Christendom; and what the mind by its
!aoored attempts at propositions is so tardy
In doing. the heart, thand God, has ale
ready done. It is like q vast army drawn
up in battle array, ready to strike for
the country's honor. the country's life
and glory. Think you, then, that men
stop to question each others political
viewsf No! Those who in political con-
tests may have argued by the hour in hot
debate Tor the supremacy Of opinion, now
march shoulder to shoulder ready to die
together for the higher and betteDcause of
national existence. Opinion is but the in-
dIvidual garb each man weaves. the livery
that clothes tho inner being, and, as Jesus
said. the life-the body-is more than the
raiment, SO the true Christian life lived is
Infinitely more to God than the poor gar
ments Of our theological opinion. The
differences, after all, that separate the
religious world are largely of an external
nature. We must not be too proud of our
clothing. The rose and the lily and the
violet may be equally beautiful in differ
ent way, but the value of the plant will de-
pend on its vitality. One tree may be
more symmetrical than another, its foliage
may be richer, but We test its worth by the
fruit it bears. So God discerns a deeper
life than the outer form and asks, what
fruit can you show?
When we regard the external features Of
divided Christianity, ali at first sight
seems confusion. The prospect of re-
union appears too far distant to give US
great encouragement. Many are the
gateways erected by man that offer an en-
trance to the kingdom. Each has some
exclusive principle. If We go to one We
are hidden to be immersed. Only those
may enter here who have complied with
the letter Of the Greek word for "baptize."
If We turn in another direction we are
asked ii We have experienced the peculiar
sensation Of conversion and can bear tes-
timony to a change of heart. At another
gate the special tenet is the doctrine Of
election by grace. At still another, while
the amount of water in baptism is not an
essential factor, and the promise Of Gods
help to do right is considered better test
than tho ecstatic rapture Of conversion,
yet we are told that only those may preach
the Gospel here who have had the hands of
a bishop in apostolic line laid upon their
heads. Thus there are many temples
along life's way and each has
some distinguishing mark of sep
aration from the others, A truth
belongs to each. Immersion was
probably the most general form Of bap-
tism In the early days of Christianity: but
we cannot believe the validity of
spiritual truth depends on the quantity or
mode Of that which is only . sign Of the
truth. 1t may be the best way. but surely
it cannot be the only way, for is not the
life more than the raimentf The doctrine
of election is based on verify. Christian
iry is an election to higher offlce above.
but We must not forget that every man
has q privilege to become q candidate on
J. r. a. Il
lineage back to the first days Of the church.
Apostolic succession 10 an historical fact,
but We must not confine the supply Of
Gods grace to the touch of . bishops
hand.
any one external feature. There is . grander
temple far than the fairest structure reared
by human opinion. 1t is built upon the
one foundation-the broad basis Of apos-
toic doctrine-its corner stone is Jesus
Christ. And if We ask, "Who shall dwell
in this tabernacle. or who shall rest upon
this holy hill7" the answer comes in clear,
convincing words. Even he that leadeth
an uncorrupt life and doeth tho thing
which is right and speaketh the truth
from his heart"
Here We have the surest ground for any
IedI, suUstautiaA unity. NO OiueI unity
can at present be attained; it is not GER
tain that any other can be expected. Those
who are endeavoring to lead good life.
those who are trying to do the thing
which is right, those who accept the truth
of Christ, | mean the whole truth of
Christ's divine nature, then, no matter
what name they may go by. they are
united in the spirit of Christ; they are
brethren travelling together on the heay-
emily way.
Ii we would find the one gateway where
all who call themselves Christians may en-
ter in one united body, We must give up the
work of digging trenches around our own
indiv idual domain. stop the useless task
OF trying to measure out line by line the
exact boundaries of the only church, and
go forth to the field Of duty and prove our
right and title there. Across this field is
the surest pathway to heaven.
We profess TO believe in the holy catho-
lie church. Let Us live up to this belief.
The wider our sympathies, the broader our
charity, the more abundant the fruits of
righteousness, the more will men believe
ours is the comprehensive church, the
basis of some future organic unity. The
coming of that day of the Lord when all
Christians will be one in body as we'll as
in spiri, can only be realized by con-
sciousness on the part of all that there are
great works to be achieved. great love to
be manifested. great duties to be done in
every way that tends to the moral and So
cial regeneration of mankind. Never since