The morning times., 1896-08-10
CHURCH UNITY"
Eloquent Sermon Preached by Rev.
Robert P. Kerr.


A small but appreciative congregation
heard au eloquent plea for Church Unior. :"
by the Rev Robert p. Kerr, of the First
Presbyterian Church of Richmond, Va, at
the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church
last night.
The doctor took for his text Ephesians
v:23, Christ is the head of the church, v
and he developed the theme in a clear and
logical manner. He spoke in part as fol-
lows:
Il cannot understand why the leading
' question in all church discussion should be,
what is the church? II seems evident to
me, after the two thousand years OF Chris
tan teaching, that the only obvious answer
seems to be that the church is tn, Kingdom
of Christ. and the visible church is his
visible kingdom.
This view admits that the Presbyterian
Church is only branch OF the church, not
the whole church, which not even the most
radical Presbyterian could conSi silently
claim. To assert that my own denomination
is the church is virtually to declare that
every other is outside Of the visible king
dom. But by the grace of God most Chris
tians, to their credit, do not draw these
conclusions The mass OF Christians refuse
to be kept apart, and do come together
in most matters which concern the life
and work of the Church OF God on earth
Let US hope that all Christians may ult
mately show their oneness in all ways.
but some churches will not admit mem-
bers OF other churches to their communion,
or recognize their form OF baptism, or &C.
knowledge the ministerial ordination of
other churches. May God speed the day
when all alldenominations shall recognize fully
the churchship of all who confess Christ
= The Presb yteriap Church does this and
claims that all professed Christians coll
stitute the Church of God on earth-the
visible kingdom of Christ.
1.-The Presb yteriaD Church in its oonsti-
tuition puts Christ before all church ordi-
Dances and makes the only qualification
for citizenship in His kingdom the acknowl-
edgment of Him as king or course, if any
denomination protesting allegiance to Christ
sets Him aside by clothing another person
in His supreme functions, that denomination
loses its churchship. This is a plain prin-,
ciple, which needs no argument or Illus
tratioD, for it underlies all government in
which a king is head The true principle
of unity to the church is loyalty TO Christ,
and the only hope OF universal brother
hood is in rallying around His person and
In making that the one test of member
ship in the church. II we make u sacrament
or a form OF church admin istration the test
of churciiship, the church divides into num-
berless parts, because men will always
differ about such matters.
"One churchman should never say that
another man, belonging to different
denomination, is not churchman because
he does not hold to the same principles
and doctrines the one great aud glorious
fact is that We all accept Christ as king.
II thereis to be any tru> aud general church
unity it will be on the basis OF the single
fact of the kiugsbip OF Christ.
There is a difference between church
unity aud church, unification. We may
have church unity without unification.
If we treat each other in all ways as equals
in the ki ngiom of Christ, each denomination
candidiy admitting that it is only part
of the church, it is not by any means cer-
tain that the consolidation of all. denomi
nations will follow: nor is it likely that
this result would be advantageous to the
kingdom 1t would. no doubt, reduce the
number of denominations, but many would
still agree to differ about nou-essentiais
II is probable that the church will be purer
and more effici eut because thereare demon
inatious, but denominational spirit should
never go 50 far as To unchurch any portion
of the Kingdom of Christ.
This view is in keeping with the great
and true mission OF the church, that OF
preaching the Gospel to oil men and to all
nations. The administration of sacra-
nents and ordinances is part OF this
preaching, or rather, means To an end;
but the upholding of crrcified ana risen
Saviour, Jesus Christ, is the supIene mis-
sion of the Church.
The church militant, the church OF earth,
is ore, and its essential unity cannot he
destroyed. 1t may be marred, and its
unity obscured by sectionalisni and dis-
cord, but if allegiance to Christ be the
principle of unity, all who give their al
legiaDce to him, are one. He acknowl-
edges them as His, and all His people
should confess them as brethren.
1.-The church is the only.perennial organi-
zation that history has ever known, and
it stands today the most influential, for
it holds the wealth, the learning, and the
power of the civilized world"