New-York tribune., 1895-10-13
THE CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL.

7, f. Interesting 10 compare the basis OF Chris
tian union recommended by committee OF me
congregational Council on Friday win tna'
which the Episcopal Church has adopted. 1t
will be remembered that the so-called "q'ihdri
lateral OF the latter Church proposed fhat Ill
Christian bodies unite in accepting four Things
AS fundamental namely, the Church. the Creeds
the Sacraments and the Historic Eplscopate
The Congregational basis Of union also CONSISTS
OF four propositions, but in spirit as well as
letter they differ radically from the Episcopal
quadrllateral. They are as follows
The acceptance OF the Scriptures OF the Old
and New Testaments inspired by the Holy Ghost
10 be the only authoritative revelation OF Coo TO
man. ~, ,>,,.o
2 Discipleship of Jesus Christ. the DIVINE
Saviour and Teacher of the world.
g. The Church of Christ. which is HIS BODY,
whose great mission it is to preach His Gospel
TO the world .,
4 Liberty Of conscience in the Interpretation
OF the Scriptures and the administration OF the
Church.
II is evident that such n platform OF unity
would leave room for wide divergence not
merely OF opinion. but Of faith The point OF
view If those who framed 1t Is Numerically
different from that Of the EpiscOpalans. BY
the Church the latter mean body which can
trace its spiritual ancestry back 10 the Apostles
through the order Of bishops. They also regard
os essential the due celebration OF the two sacra-
mcnts by cpiscopally ordained clergymen But
above all else they insist on the Idea that the
faith OF the Church has been defined once Tor all
in the historic creeds Of the Church. This faith
! is Il sacred deposit which must be accepted whoie
| and entire without any addition or subtraction.
! As opposcd 10 this, the report OF the C0ngrega'
tionol COMMITTEES puts itself in line with the
! Constitution and organic declaration OF the
! \otional Congregational Council adopted at
| oherljn. In 1871, In the following statement:
I'VE as CONGREGATIONAL churches, recognize no
'crced of human origin. no matter now ven
.erable or historically honorcd by u.s. and by the
"Cbristian Church. to have authority over our
of,,th. which authority belongs only TO the Word
.of God" The only concern Of the Episcopal
Church is 70 find out what the undivided Church
in its general councls declared to be the faith
OF the Church. The Congregational lieof' l.
that the Church to-day has exactly the same
right to meet ia Council and declare us la''n
that the primitive Church possessed
There are Il great many arguments 'h't Hi!
Inc adduced for each Of these views. But Dy ho
possibility can they be harmonized Ihey are.
and must ever remain. mutually exclusive III
each other. The one regards the Church as hoia
! ing body Of beliefs handed down from the re-
nota past. whose Interpretation even Is uhai'eF-
ably fixed The other claims for all Chrisuahs
| .liherty of conscience in the Interpretation oi
"the Scriptures and the administration or me
"Church" The Episcopal Church looks forward
| ~ n corporate union OF Chrstendom on the plat
form Of the Apostles Greed and m episcopaiiy
ordained ministry: the Congregationals;s de-
clare that there is no hope Of a speedy corporate
union Of all churches. but believe that me spr''-
nal unity Of the churches may be attained IN a
| large measure 'by some form OF federation wnlch
..shall express TO the world their common pur-
.nose and confession Of faith in Jesus Christ,
sand which shall have for its object TO make
"v,sihlo their fellowship, TO remove mlsunder-
"s,andings. and to aid their consultations In
"estoblIshinc the Kingdom Of God In the world
wbether. as is claimed the Episcopal paSis
~, unity, will hest conserve the fundamental De
u,s ~ Christianity Is large question, INTO
which we cannot enter here. The POM III
,o,rod ,s whether the old dogmatlc shell. IN
u.b,cb Christianity was forced 10 enshrine Itself
in the first ages, Is an essentlal part oi H. VI
whether il may rncast It's doGmas III oruer u
mako them more in harmony with the Christian
| consciousness of the age. But, however tha'
question * finally decided. there can be no doubt
,h,t uutu thc pendulum Of religious thought
sbou swing back 10 eccesastic'sm, II 1t ever
,,o, so swing the Congregational declaration
,s likely TO be more generally accepted by 'hr'S
,ons rs rational and feasible than that pu'
forth bv the Episcopal Church.