Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-17

tied. Impatience and doubt were theirs as
the days passed by without sign OF the
promised Paraclete eager desire spurred
them on 10 Immediate activity; yet they
waited and prayed. having done only that
which they were taught TO do. and at last
came the rushing wind Of conquest. Men
and brethren, let us initiate their exam
ple We have done all We dare to do:
we hold fast to the essential principles
OF the Kingdom. we dare not let them go.
All else. all else--religious opinion, theo-
logical theory. liturgicai wealth. and ritu-
al beauty. solemn custom and ancestral
practice. disciplinary methods. even the
very pcculiarities Of government-we have
inherited from our fathers. everything OF
merely human choice or ordering we will
give up. But these thlngs-the Bible. the
creeds. the sacraments and the ministry.
In their essential cbaracter-these are
not ours TO surrender. We will walt and
pray. We will love all who love our Lord
Jesus Christ. We will pray for them that
His grace may be theirs. We VIII strive
to Increase the spiritual unity already by
Gods grace existing among all Christian
men. that by and by 1t may compel its
own naturalization. that the expanding
soul Of the redeemed humanity may ouiid
for itself more stately chambers.
Adaptation there must be. ana adapta-
there has been Sometimes In visions OF
the night TO the soul weary with the din
of controversy IN Senerai
about matters Of mere opinion, wary
with the thought OF disaster caused by
division Of the slow progress OF tne King
dom because OF the lack OF unity OF move
ment OF the waste and weakness III the
administration of Christian truth ny red-
son Of the jealous maintenance OF opih-
ions as principles Of practices ana me
thods as the very essentials OF the Cos.
pel--to such a soul comes the VISION Vi
reunion, even here in America, OF diner
ing administrations by the same spirit
aud IN one body The Roman BishoP
who has learned that his refinements oi
doctrine are "noveltes,' possibly es'"-
mate opinions, but no part OF the ohe
faith and that the primacy OF Feter "a'
one of honor and not OF so'tih'i,o"'
the Presbyterian Bishop. with MS body
of Presbyter- Bishops closer about MN
n hon Leases. than his neighbors OF the
Episcopal communion stand ABOUT thenl'
content with liberty 10 think with Ge-
neva. II only n believe with Nicaea; the
Methodist Bishop, with his conference OF
elders, TO whom he gives command, say
ing to this man 20 and he goeth,' rejoicing
in miraculous experiences such as Pauls.
but not denying other paths Of approach
TO God: the Baptist Bishop. claiming au-
thority over but the one congregation.
and insisting upon immersion as the only
mode OF baptism; vet all united In one
body. meeting at long intervals in great
council! to determine questions not OF
faith which are settled. nor yet Of wor-
ship. which are local and to be deter
mined by local authority. nor yet OF
Order. for IL cannot be changed; but
questions of practical moment how to
bring the power OF Chrstendom To bear
upon the enemy II would destroy. without
wasteful division and competition and
failure.
OF DIFFERENT RITUALS.
In every town the church OF high ritual,
and OF low ritual. and Of no ritual. but
all Of the one Church. one in the faith If
not In doctrine. and surely one in charlty.
Why not? Is II not already true Of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, that In the
one communion are men holding differing
theories OF the ministry Of the sacra-
ments Of the church. Of methods OF ope-
ration. and worshipping with every diff
ferent degree of ritual. ornament. and
ceremony.
Nay, more. IL IL not true that the I'M
changing, the interchangeable Church OF
Rome permitted seats in the great Nat-
can Council to Bishops representing the
Armenian. the Coptic, and the Chaldean
rites, and that one most interesting fea-
lures Of that great occasion TO the visitor
at Rome was the representation Of all
the various rites in one OF the churches.
I mention these things but as evidence Of
adaptations" which have been made In
the past as the pledge and guarantee OF
"adaptations'' in methods OF admins
tration which may be made in the future.
But asks the editor Of the Living Church
in the issue OF last week. why not
churches Of the Unitarian rite and OF the
I'niversalist rite" Because the historic
Episcopate is only one principle of unity.
and the others precedent, notably The
Nicene creed as the sufficient statement
Of the Christian faith" stands an inn
movable barrier against the entrance ~
any churches of the Unitarian rite" Uni
~ Of spirit with unity Of body, his we
seek but II must be first and chief unity
in the truth. Methods OF administration
may he adapted 10 secure the unity,
but there can be- no compromise, no SUR
ring of any truth to secure IL, for the
quickening spirit will not dwell in II body
which lie has created, and such body
must be dead. however ii be garlanded
with the flowers Of eloquence and brother
" love and crowned with the jewels OF
popular success.
word let me speak TO you ere we, thy
brethren, shall stand about thee TO give
unto thee part OF this ministry and apOS-
.leship from which Judas. by transgres-
sion, fell. II has seemed fit 10 me on this
solemn occasion TO speak to our country
men Of the declaration whcih the fathers
Of the Church published in appeal TO
Christian men 10 at least consider what
we can do to accomplish the Lords de-
III. l,. hnx dnctr AI -
what to me seems wrapped up in those
words that offer adaptation of our his
toric Episcopate to the needs Of different
nations and peoples, and TO point to the
past as the pledge Of possible adaptation
in the years to come. But, dear brother |
for you and for me this day let the chief
est thought be this: In one respect there
can be no adaptation of the method OF
our administration, no matter for clamor
or Establishment. i'll favor or applause
THE Bishop must be blameless. as the
steward Of God. not self-willed. not soon
angry. not given to wine, no striker, not
given to filthy lucre but lover Of hospl- |
tality, lover of good men, sober, just.
holy, temperate; holding fast the faith |
full word as he hath been taught that he
may be able by sound doctrine both 10
exhort and to convince the gainsayers."
LOYAL TO CHRIST AND CHURCH.
Does your thought run back you
stand in this venerable. this historic |
church to-day to Richard Charming Moore |
the man who came TO be It's first rector, |
and at the same time the Bishop OF the |
then struggling Church in Virginia? |
can remember. or fancy that remember. |
his stopping in his walk along one OF |
your streets to pat on their heads some |
little boys busy with their marbles. and |
by his voice. his look, his manner to i'm |
press them that he was all that st. Paul |
did bid Titus to be. | can remember as |
you can, the rugged simplicity. the stall |
wart manhood the courage inlexible and |
the unfailing tenderness Of William |
Meade. who mourned In his youth over |
Virgnia's Church as lost" and lived TO |
see it, largely by his own wise and fear |
less and tireless leadership. a power for |
God in Virginia and in the whole land |
] am thinking, too. as you are OF Johns. |
the matchless pleader with men for God |
the genial companion. the charm OF the |
social circle. the fiery champion Of what |
he believed true and yet the tolerant, |
loving spirit which did rejoice that in |
any manner and by any agency Christ |
was preached.
l am thinking. too. Of our Father, who |
still lives TO guide Virginia's Church, to |