New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-20
FALSE AND TRUE CHRISTIAN UNITY.

The Rev. Algernon S. Crapsey, rector or 81
Apdrows Episcopal Church Rochester, has pub
usbed nompblet entitled The Disappointment
of Josus" which will doubtless attract wide at
tention The author, who has always oeei
classed rs an ultra High Churchman, DISCUSSES
the cause Of the disunion Of Christendom anu
suggests n remedy therefor. Two false ana III
odeouate theories of unification. he says, have
been substituted in place of Christs ldea Oh
unity The first of these is that unity can only
be attained by absolute submission 10 the ON
cioI orqanizatlon of the Church This idea finds
It's most complete frutage In the Roman Cnu'ch'
but Il exists I'm modified form in many OF the
Protestant denominations. The office hoiders III
tho church unduly magnify their office: they
identify the Church with themselves. They be-
come q despotism from which, sooner or later,
tho conscience OF Christendom must revolt. The
scbisn, between the East and the West was only
a sordid quarrel for precedence between TWO
office holders the Roman Pontiff and the Metro
politan of Constanunople. The pre-Rerorma'ion
Church was simply a huge machine, mampu-
lated by the office bearers for plumber ana SELF
ish ends 1t Is that theory OF the Church'
whether in Catholicism or Professionalism, that
Mr. Crapsey assalls as destructive OF the CHRIS
tianity of Christ.
The second false theory. In his opinion, Is that
which makes Christian unity centre In the for
NAL doctrine of the Church According to this
theory. il is the supreme duty OF the Church or
oanization TO set in order doctrinal statements
which the members Of the Church must accept
blindly and unquestioningly. To doubt or deny
This Is in the popular Judgment to doubt or
denv the existence of the Church itself. From
"the Councils Of the fourth century down to the
"Synods OF the seventeenth and the Councils OF
1.-The nineteenth the whole Christian world mas
spent its main strength in an effort 10 secure
"qntellectual agreement concerning the most alb
"struse and difficult subjects that the human
mind can entertain" One result OF this undue
emphasis on doctrnal and intellectual uniform
itv has been n relaxation of moral discipline
For ito secure intellectual conformity 1t Is only
necessary to silence discourage or XIII the le"
thinkers. But to secure moral uniformity Oh
the high plane Of Christian morality. requires
radical change in every human heart More
over. this idea grew by what it fed upon untii
at last Everything about which man could
"think was closed question, settled by the de-
"cisions of the Christian official organization
". For ages 1t held the mind OF man ID
"thraIl For ten centuries the Western Chris
titan mind did nothing but mark time. ~ couio
"only discuss It's own discussions ana denhe
more nicely its own definitions.
Then came the renaissance of human thought
Men hogan to use their eyes and ears and brains,
and the official organization OF the Church, with
oil its unearned increment Of Inherited power.
was utterly unable TO stop them. One region OF
Thought however yet remains to the Church
the spiritual From this region the ONCE bearers
warn the common people on pain OF eternal
damnation. 1t is asserted that the one unchang-
ING and non-progressive science is that OF theol-
oov And for that reason the official organiza-
tion Of the Church claims the right In spiritual
matters to do the thinking, not only for Its own
age but for all ages TO come. In the opinion OF
Mr.. Crapsey, the attempt to enforce TINS theory
| "a foredoomed failure. No statement OF doc
tr,ne can be final The Church Itself being Wit
ness its creed has been In a continuous process
of elaboration and enlargement The Church's
body of doctrine is largely the work of the ecce-
siastical machine" and in so far as It reflects
the views of that machine, just so far is 1t
stumbling block to the Church's progress. Inc
Anglican machine" alone to-day seems friendly
to freedom. but that Is only because 1t is "out
~ order and won't work" The only unity 10 be
desired. and indeed the only unity possible, Is
| that with God, and Christians Of all names to-
dav are partakers In that unity. "The various
| christian bodies are but the keepers OF COM
"mon Christianity" and therefore 1.-THE member
"of the most obscure sect. il he be really united
"to God. has his right TO membership in that
o1arper communion of which God is the unifying
centre"