The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-27

10 himself. regardless OF consequences 10 de-
nominational interests, plead for the Kingdom
OF God, plead, with strong crying and tears.
for the healing Of the rent body Of Jesus Christi
II seems nothing short OF burlesnue for war
| ring scots to stand up together and Join IN
singing.
Besi he the tie tina, binds
our hearts In Christian love.
while they refuse to sing.
Blcst be The Tie that binds
our hands In Christian work
II our protested Christian love" i, TO prove
itself worthy OF His recognition Who Himself
broke Town the partition wall between jew and
Gentle. and recognize no distinction among
men save that of righteousness, We mus, 40 and
do likewise Christianity did not come 10 erect
barriers between men, but 10 break them down.
" hen il l. blr>sedly rrue that all men The world
over, who labor and who suffer for that in
behalf of which Jesus Christ laborcd and suf-
lerrrd. src one with Him and with one another
in n common law. a common purpose and =
common service, what good reason is there for
them refusing to be one in body?
IN the third pluc-. it viii b. remembered
that, in my dream, the Anglican Is represented
H. the ~uuifying medium for the tive religious
extremes Is the Anglican platform, then,
destined to De the meeting place for the unfit
cation Of ,lristrndom? j. the Episcopalian to
be the Church oi the future? If my friend, DR..
Bridges, were to become the means Of securing
TINS consuIumation. on which his heart Is
dovoutly set. be- would surely have won for
himself the right to say: Vow Lord. lettest
Thou Thy servant depart IN peace for mine
eyes have seen Thy salvation
Certainly, If the Roman Pontifr should ever bs
disposed 10 make any material concession. with
n view to the reunion of Christendonl, Dissent
ING Professionalism should be chivalrous enough
to meet him half way. viz, at the door Of our
Anglican sister. providing. OF course, that we
be received "a member in good and regular
standing" Of the Household Of Faith. and not
treated rs aliens. Nothing more and nothing
less than this could be expected from either
party.
II may be objected that this is making an I'M
due acknowledgements of the truth and tena-
bility OF the Anglican position. without max
ing any attempt TO answer that objection let us
ask ourselves honestly. Is there anything vital
TO the fun salvation OF the individual, body,
soul and spirit, is there anything that is essen
iial to the final triumph Of the Christian religion
that is not represented in the teachings Of the
Anglican Communion? Dr. is there anything
from Episcopalians which is accounted
by Dissenters? II. then. Dissent
ing Protestantism were TO consolidate
with Anglicanism would anything essential
be lost? Have We not, as a matter
Of fact, the same Father. the same Saviour. the
'nme Gospel, the same Holy Spirit, the same
Holy Scriptures, the same Christian liberty, the
n mo Thrnnn nf Grupa tho . p,a nnnnrfi, nitia. |
.or service. the same call to worship? Would
lot a union with the Anglican Church preserve
Ill these to MS, Would anything be lost to US
hat warrants a separate organization? There
nay have been burning issues at one time. but,
hank God. these in the main have burnt them
elves out One says | am OF Luther; another, |
m Of Calvin, a third, | am Of Wesley, without
aving to-day the reasons that required Luther
nd Calvin and Wesley TO protest Ms they did.
he question at the final assize will b" what sort
# character. manhood. did this or that Church
oster and build?
| have suggested consolidation with the
'~ngltcan Communion. not because Episco-
ahans have something essential which we lack,
because the Episcopal Church has the good
ortune to occupy the central ecclesiastical |
where II might be possible for the two
eligtous extremes to meet and form a re-
ni,edChristendom without losing either power
n self-respect.
As far as Dissenting Professionalism Is con-
II the changes in our church services.
10Th in forueS md in spirit, should be as marked
uring the frat quarter Of the next century as
hey have been marked during the last quarter
( the present century. by 1925 We will have
cry little concession to make. at least in the
natter of liturgy Even now, were an Episco-
allan to enter many OF our more fashionable
Nv churches and be present during the morn
lg service, he might find ii difficult to believe
hat he was not in a church Of his own order
am not criticising this tendency Of our re-
gious evolution; | am simply stating a we'll
nown fact and a fact which, among us Dis
enters, is every day becoming less distasteful.
or it is believed that this trend toward the
.piscopalian forms Il only meeting a reasonable
emand OF the times, enriching our services
nd removing a badness that was painful
But while the trend Of events In all directions
romises much for a reunited Christendom, the
accomplishment OF this most desirable end is
ever likely TO be a realized fact, unless both
~ Roman Catholic and the Anglican are will
TX to adopt the basis on which 81. Paul POUNDS
is claim TO recognition as an Apostle of Jesus
hrist. The basis Is clearly stated in I Corin-
hans, tx. ? The seal 1.-THE proof Of
nine apostleship are We in the Lord" All
lain TO Apostolic authority without Apos-
fruits il a worthless fiction, even
hough accompanied by the most indispr-
able historic guarantee. Elsewhere also
Galatians. t., II, -, ~ st, Paul emphaticalv
nirms that he did not receive his Gospel, nor
il authority to preach ths~Gospel. from man,
OF even from ST. Peter, but. as Spur
Moody and manv others, directly from
esus Christ Himself. Any Church that
iys. Because You have not your ritual, your
rders and your ordination from us, you are
OF a properly accredited Church of Jesus
hrist, could not have recognized the Saviour
Iimself Bs being properly authorized to preach
he Gospel, since lie did not belong TO the
aronic priesthood Such is Judaism over
gain. ever ~iealously asking who gave the
his authority But the Lord of the Church
onfrms 81, Paul's contention, that true Apos-
,lic succession depends on a spiritual rather
nan on a tac'ual qualification tsee Rev. H., i-5D.
'siis Christ Himself regards the fitness o. the
hurches Of Asia Minor to survive and to receive
ivine recognition an , approval. not because
lev had been planted and fostered by the
postle' themselves. but By being fruitful in
postoliC works and virtues.
Now, il the right 10 recognition, as a Church
Jesus Christ, and if the validity of her orders
still he determined by personal loyalty to
10 Son of God, by z'al in promoting the king
Dm Of God. by purity Of life and ~loftiness of
l%aracter. then let the test be applied 10 Dis
'nting Professionalism. and we will be glad 10
otde the closest scrutiny by unbiased brethren.