The San Francisco call., 1896-02-13
clamored for the expulsion of the Roman Cath

and the growth of enlightened opinion and q
secular state have greatly modified II not alto
gether abolished such intolerant displays. The
Protestant world is however, still divided into
innumerable sects and parties, all more or less
in conflict with each other and often carrying
the principle of indiyidualism to an absurd ex-
treme. But there is this fundamental distinc-
tion between the Catholic and the Protestant
idea of Christian unity-the former seeks to OBJ
tain IL by establishing here on earth great
external visible church, whose creed and
ritual shall be the same for all and be accepted
by all. The Protestant principle, on the other
hand, seeks to found the invisible and spiritual
church of Christ on earth--a church which
shall preserve unity of spirit amidst great diff
ferences and operations.
From the Protestant point of view, therefore,
the existing division into denominations, the
great variety of rights and forms, symbols and
ceremonies and modes of church government
are not only allowable, but zeal help to the
intellectual and religious life. so long as they
do not violate the essential spirit OF Chris
tianity, the spirit of truth. love and charity.
As James freeman Clarke wen said: "The
strength of Professionalism lies in its sects; its
weakness in its seetarianism." And in a
similar vein DR.. Charming tells us: 1.-THE
dissensious of Protestantism go far to oonsti-
tute its strength BY the..i the spirit of liberty,
the only spirit Rome cannot conquer, is kept
alive" 1t is because the Protestant churches
have so often violated the great central prin-
ciple of true Christianity that they have failed
to realize their idea of unity among Chris
tians. They have sought to identity their
especial creed, or form, OF fellowship with the
church universal, instead OF ignoring d3nomi-
national differences and seeking for a religion
of the spirit and fellowship based on char ac-
ter, piety and faith.
A few years since I attended church con-
gress in one of our Eastern cities whose special
purpose was TO discuss the true way of arriv-
ing ct religious and church unity. 1t was an
admirable and representative gathering.
There were present leading Baptists, Method
lists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Swed-
enborglans, Episcopalians, Unitarians and
others. Each in turn gave his solution of the
question. The Presbyterian thought the
Westminster confession offered the true basis
OF union; the New Churchman found it in
the revelations OF Swedenborg; the Episco-
palian thought his prayer-book the broadest
foundation that could be offered Thus each,
although in the most beautiful spirit, identi-
fed his particular church or creed with the
church universal. AS l came away it was
with the feeling that these excellent men were
as yet far from that simple bond OF union
which Jesus declared over and over again to
be all-sutficient and all-essential: "By this
shall all men know that ye. are nay disciples,
that ye love one another" "He who doeth
the Will OF my Father in heaven is my sister,
my brother, my father and my mother. Or,
again, as he, prays in the Gospel of John,
That they all may be one as thou, Father, art
in me and in thee, that they also may be one
IN us. Love, righteousness and faith-the
beautiful fruits of the spirit-this is the true,
the only way to Christian unity.
CREEDs INADEQUATE.
This review of church history has been un-
dertaken to little purpose If it has not shown
that unity is not possible by the way of intel
gether Christians; they cannot unite them"
The growth of the human mind, the progress
OF truth forbid it. Human minds are as differ
ent as human faces. The statement of truth
which attracts one repels another. John Ward,
preacher, can ind a solemn joy in the thought
OF a sinner brought to judgment, thought
which to Helen, his wife, is exquisite anguish.
The view that satisfied the intellect of a former
generation no longer contents the thinking
mind OF to-day. The statement that expressed
the knowledge or trust OF a previous age fails
to utter the larger information or meet the
altered needs of the present time. Restless
ness, doubt, disaffection, unbeiief dissension
and strife are the consequences of all such
attempts to cramp and fetter the mind of man
with dogmas and creeds.
Furthermore, the great topics of religious
faith are in themselves too vast too exalted to
be compressed into a single statement or series
OF statements. 1t is easy to say 81 believe in
God, but who shall dare TO analyze and define
his majesty and power and goodnessY "Such
wisdom is too great for me-" declares the an
cient seer. alt is toohigh, cannot attain to it,"
What presumption on the part of fallen man
to peer into the mystery of the divine exist
ence, TO express the attributes of Deity in
phrase, and declare that he must needs desire
this or do that. He-the life and source the
beginning and end OF ail-is not only greater
than our heart, he is infinitely greater than
our thought. He is above our comprehension,
and TO set up binding dogma concerning him
is worse than folly-it is impiety. And so il is
with every one of the dogmas by which theolo-
gians have thought TO solve in their way the
mysteries OF life and death, of good and evil,
". "A
porary statements of our conceptions of truth
they have their value and use, but the sub
Jects they deal with are too far above our COM
prehenslon to authorize US to claim any infal-
libility Tor our opinions or to lay them down
basis of Christian union.
LIKE FORMS INSUFFICIENT.
Christian unity is not possible on the basis of
dogmas. said. Neither is ii on the ground of
a similar church administration and like forms
OF worship. The temperaments, tasks and
antecedents of men are too various to permit
1nh IfCrFr sv.1,,
tropical so 18th demand different form of
worship from the men of the somber north.
Some races OF men, like the Greeks, Italians,
Spaniards and French possess native and in
born love OF color, display and sensuous i'm
preston, and desire it in their worship. They
would not be content or feel inspired with the
simple, bare, lntroSpective worship which sat-
isfies most Protestants. The Roman Catholic
demands many ceremonies and forms; the
Quaker disdalns them all Are they not both
children OF God, disciples of Christ, fellow
Christians? And shall we deny them the title
unless they will all alike adopt some one par
ticular form OF worship?
To the Episcopalian his beautiful order of
prayer is the central attraction of the Sunday
service-a complete church in itself. To others
1t may be formal and uninspiring-aw WEAKNESS
to the flesh. Let each be fully persuaded III his
own mind. The Catholic Christian finds his
favorite symbol in the crucifix. To the Puri-
tan,s religious consciousness the cross was an
bJect OF holy horror. He destroyed it in the
English cath2drals, and even cut the Cross of
ST. George out OF the British flag, and kept it
out Tor many years. To mark his contempt for
the symbolism OF the papist altar-service the
Puritan dragged the communion table-after
the Lords Supper had been partaken from it,
down into the body of the church and con-
yerted it into seat for the lowliest of the audi
ence. Some of the noblest and most deyout
spirits that have ever lived have cared the least
for religious observances and customs St
Paul, Calvin and Luther thought the Sabba th
OF little account. Paul warns the Galatians
that they are in danger of sinking back into
paganism by esteeming one day holier than an
other Luther and Calvin even proposed to
change the Sabbath to Monday or Friday to
mark their unbelief in 1t as a divine institu-
tion
1t may matter to us, but does it matter to the
Infinite One whether we pray with set form of
words or on our knees, or standing, or looking
into our hat, or telling our beads, or making
the sign of the cross? The only Question with
him is, whether the heart prays, whether our
thoughts are with him, thrilling with the sense
OF his majesty and mercy, and attentive to his
holy will and service.
SPIRITUAL UNION.
I Now, If all this be true, we shall understand
why the Christian world has heretof failed
in its attempts to attain to a union of all fol-
lowers of Christ. Not by way of dogma or rite
or church administration is this union to be
obtained-but "by one spiritare we all baptized
TO one body"
The Christian virtues, the love of truth and