The herald., 1894-04-09
THE SPIRITUAL BILL # FARE,
Christian Unity Discussed by
the Rev. TaNer.
Rev. Webster Talks About Some
Advantages O. Money,
While the NJ mbsn OF the Y. W
q. A. Sing and Pray In ths
Afternoon = Other
Services.

A very large AID attentive congrega-
tion listened yesterday morning TO the
sermon OF B. w. r. Tayler, rector Of St.
Johns Episcopal church, on Chriatian
U ,ity. The text was from st. John,
xgii:2l, "Tha; they all may be one as
: iou, Father art in me and in thee I;
that they also may be one in us; that
the world may believe that thou hast
sent me-" There is no question, said
the preacher, OF more practical value to-
day befors the Christian world than the
reunion OF its shattered forces and con-
ficting influences. 1t is a practical
question, inasmuch as when that happy
consummstion takes place, great deal
OF strength which is now being frittered
away by contending parties and inter-
eets will be conserved, and made
thousand fold more effective.
But the expression christian unity"
may convey different meanings to dit-
ferent persons. While all Christian men
are agreed to the necessity oil Christian
unity, the terms OF agreement afford
problems difficult OF solution. Some
men have even thought in times past
LnAL ufNlolOub HniOuk OhAAnnAhD WI
stituted a source OF strength. But il this
were true, it must logically follow that
the more the divisions the greater the
strength, And this reasoning would
lead to the statement that Christianity
would be strength when each man be-
came his own church. Our Lords
prayer taught differently. The Apostle
st. Pau, rebukes the spirit OF schism or
division.
There have been various schemes.
more or less fanciful. or OF more or less
value, to bring together again into or.
ganic unity the shattered and scattered
forces OF Christendom. The church OF
Rome holds ont one scheme OF unity,
and that scheme is absolute and unQues-
toned obedience to the Roman pontiff.
The Roman lion is willing to lie down
with the Greek lamb and the Anglican
lamb, and the various Protestant lambs
OF all sizes and fiavors, but only on con-
dition that the lambs lie down inside
the lion. The Protestant churches, on
the other hand, hold out some terms of
union, but upon close examination they
have been found to be based either upon
some party shibboleth, or upon some ex-
pedient which justifies their achism from
Catholic and apostolic Christianity.
Some indeed say that Christian unity
means unity in Christ; that those who
are in union with Christ are in union
with each other. This ie q truth, but
only partial truth, for all Christians
will say they are in Christ and Christ in
them, and yet we still see the facts OF
echisms and divisions staring Us in the
face. Unity 10 not mere agreement in
thought and communion and love, for
these are the fruits OF unity and not
desired, and which our Lord prayed for,
is an organic as well as q spiritual unity I;
n unity in one spiritual, mystical body,
the church of Christ; the church which
He purchased with His owa precious
blood that it might stand out ia all it's
perfect radiance and spiritual power. as
perpetual testimony to the fact that
Jesus Christ came forth direct from God
the Father, especially commissioned to
redeem the human race and to bring it
into harmony with the eternal God.
To accomplish this unity our branch
OF the holy Catholic church is straining
every nerve. But 1t is noticeable that
we do not ask for unity on the terms de-
manded by the Church Of Rome, which
mean absorption, nor on the various
schemes promulgated by ProteStants
which would require US to cut adrift
from apostolic Christianity. A perfect
unity can only be accomplished by Rome
giving up her despotic imperialism and
unhistoric claims 20 be the only body
possessed of genuine Catholicity, and
Protestantism giving up the claim that
any man or any body OF men have a
right to get up churches of their own.
When they do this we shall be return-
ing to the principles of the apostolic age,
and the dove of peace with the olive
branch in her mouth will dnd resting
place for the soles of her feet.
Mankind today, whether in the church
or in the state, will be governed only ac-
cording to constitutional principles. The
time has gone by when one man can
seize power in civilized country and de
clare himself dictator. Both in the state
and in the church men will refuse to
recognize despotic absolutism. They
must have constitutional government.
They will refuse to bow the knee 10 a
man who declares himself to be in
fallible, and therefore must be obeyed.
And they will also'refuse to ally them
selves to any body of men whose prin-
ciples are, at the foundation, revolution
airy and snarchical. Wise men see tba.
Professionalism is disintegrating, break
ing up, crumbling into thousands of in
dividual pieces, and its detached fraR-
ments carried away by the river OF doubt