The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-06
EVANGELICAL MINISTERS.
Rev. DIR. Dalton Discusses DR.. Briggs
Address.

Rev. DR.. Dalton Discusses DR.. Briggs
Address.
At the Evangelical Ministers confer
s0es at the Y. NJ. q. A. rooms yester.
day there Was good attendance.
DR.. Dalton reviewed DIR. Briggs' ad-
dren On church unity, and bis paper
was 81 Substantially as follows;
DR.. Briggs is a. deeply interested in
this subject as that of Biblical Criticism.
His points, briefly stated. were:
ID The unity Of the church was An
idea and fact In It's early history. Dr.
vision first occurred between the Greek
and Roman churches, and was greatly
extended by Protsstants at the Reforma-
ton. The divisions of Protestants have
multiplied, till they have made church
support oneroas and greatly lessened
their usefulness. Nevertheless, substan-
tial unity still exists In the whole Chris
.ian world In all branches of the church,
but 10 falls far short of the corporate
unity which, after all, Ia the unity to be
desired and restored.
first to unite on a basis which will be
fair to all. Terms must be offered by
one, or more, which shall be SO scriptur
al and reasonable as to secure general
aoqulescenee.
The Protestant Episcopal churchssis the
Oldest of the English speaking Protestant
churches. and has formulated terms OF
union with all others, viz: The Scrip
lures as furnishing the rule of faith, the
two creeds, called the Apostolic and the
N1oene, the two Saoraments and the
Historic Episoopate. The fist three are
acceptable to all Evangelical churches,
and are held by them as tenaoiously as
by the Protestant Episcopal churches.
1.-THE Historic Episcopate" would present
but lutte difficulty, if each church aud
each Christian were allowed to put his
own Interpretation on it. Is 1t a theory
OF the Episcopate, or only the fact of it?
The fact may be accepted, but not what
Is called the high-church theory. which
makes it essential to the validity of Or
dsrs-t. g, the ministerial office. This
was the theory which the Presbytrians
considered barrier to any progress in
the negotiations which had been begun
between the two churches and blocked
the way to all further steps in that direo-
ton. IL is much to be regretted that the
question was raised at all, for both these
denominations were sincere in their
mutual advances. and desired to meet
each other halfway. A union of these
churches would at once favorably incline
others in the same direction. Their fail
ure to unite, or even to go on, at present.
Is equally discouraging to others.
lint h~ r.nt IL
Episcopal church, Because this church
Is the only one whose constitution or
MAKE up is favorable to the ultimate
union OF Christeldom which is what we
want.
The Episcopal church is at once Protes-
tant and Catholie-has two elements on e
OF whichEis ready to .unite with Protes-
tants and the other looking toward the
Roman Catholic church. The bivh
churchmen are not anxious for church
union exclusively with Professionals And
III fact, the Roman Catholic church must
be included in the scheme. Glow is
th1s?' do you ask. I reply, because that
church is part Of the whole church.
The one central doctrine of Christianity
is Redemption in Christ Jesus and no
church holds this truth mole firmly.
''But the Pope?" Yes, ga Popen is the
very man we want. A council would
be many men of many minds. But the
Pope Is one man and has jurisdiction
over all Roman Catholics. Hence lib
20 surprise us all, and will do it, when
we get ready to meet him half way. AND
all that Professionals regard as essential
may be preserved.
In concluding this report Dr. Dalton
main chriticism was, that the preser.
Pope is almost the ideal one, as describ d
by Dr.. Briggs, and yet his terms O,
ha Mt ar,
as disclosed in mis- recent EncyclicaI
are not acceptable nr even debatable.
The English Ritualists indeed were
ready to respond aud did respond through
their leader Lord Halifax who declared
that the conditions offered by the Pope
are quite admissible. But the Ritualists
could not carry the church with them,
and they were not prepared to 60 out
alone.
On the other hand, the failure of the
proceedings of the Presby terians to meet
the advnnces of the Episcopal church is
much to be deplored, as it was the most
hopeful of all But the Presbyterians
equal standing with the Episcopalians
az church, than the Episoopalians them
selves were disposed to do in their ad-
vances to Rome.
The lesson taught is obvious. No ex-
listing denomination will get down on
us knees TO any other Protestant or
Popal and CRY "peccavi" II have
sinned in separating from thee and now
pray to be received back again on any
terms that may be imposed" Mutual
concessions are in order and must be
made by both parties to proposed
union OF churches. Only the essentials
of Christianity can be contended for in
this or the coming age.
An animated discussion followed which
Is not reported or reportable.
DIR. Dalton's paper was much enjoyed,
Rev. DR.. Kneeland was present and
gave an address on the batter observance
of the Sabbath.
A committee of three was appointed
to take Into consideration the advis-
bility of holding a ministerial con-
gress in Portland with view of awak-
sning an interest in the matter. The
committee appointed DR.. Parsons, Rows.