The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-25

and her visible and ideal uniformity soon ,iu.
shcd, aud sayc place to an Invisible aud real
witty
CHURCH DIVISIONS.
The carly Christians had much e. learn. aul a
! GOOD deal tN unlcarn. II required a miracle TO
| bsuish bigotry from the mind and heart Of st
| Peter and to teach him that God is no rcspcctcr
\ Of persons Aud othrr apostles were as full OF
| bgotty Us Lc. The sous OF Zebcdee would hay,
destroyed the sararitans Rad they been per
mittcd TO do II. ScctariInism began ~ manifest
itself among Chrlst's disciples. even before the
| Christian church was organized. seine II thcm
| would hot allow anybody, out Ode their circle.
to engage in the llc,sed work Of esstinr out
devils. ard their mholy conduct drcw from Christ
| well ncritcd rahuLc.
In the carly church. division aud party spirit
soon manifested themselves. Some converted
! Jews refused 10 cat with converted Gentilcs
/ False teachers became sohi,matios. In Antioch,
| where the disciples were trst called Christians,
| there was sad CVhiI iton Of intolerance. had,
| bad ds it vas ia Antioch, it was worse in Ger.
| iu,h. Corntliu Christians. initiated Coriuth.
| ian pagjrs They plJnclcd among themselves
! Paul. and Arpolo,, aud Peter. aud Chri,t, were
! each made the occasion oi most mchistian strife
| It is a sad fact tHt the divisions, and bickcr.
| iugs, and quaucls shat distgurcd the churches
! "f Antioch, and Coriath, and Ephc.us, and
Gaiatia, and EcuI", were soon carried out on u
| larger scale, aud ala. th,y alc not uni.mili1r
| to our own eyes.
| Church divisions are numerous and plans nave
been suggested for tie healing OF these divisions.
| II IL contamination dCyouly to be wished,
| and all true Christians ought 10 pray and worl;
| i1r II. But IL /, prcIt pity, that some sincere
| Christians are go welded to their own sect that
| they viii not be satisfied with any union that
| doc. NOT include an outward uniformity. Struc.
| tlral unity was the form Of the infant primitive
| church; and the church may again assume that
! form at the Millennium; but until then. stiuc.
| tuUl unity or visible aud outward uniformity
| It altogether out ut the question.
recognition Of the 'hisoric cpi.oopJtc'--
| which, Of course, means a recognition Of pre-.
lacy-is another plan that Las lccn suggested for
| tIe healing oi church divisions. But manicstly.
the path that leads 10 church unity does not lie
along that road. The doctrine of the "hstoric
| continuity Of certain class OF tho clergy -.
| qurrS one to believe that they derive their au.
| thurity "iu a direct and divine line
| from Christ, through the APOSTLES and their
| Sucrcs-ors' This claim is not now. Rut IL is
| only an irdcsprnt dream. II the cJreiul study
| Of church history has settled any disputed qucS.
| tiuu, il la. sttlrd tho question Of the un.
broken link theory oi the 'historic episcopatc -
The links were broken, aud they are lost forever.
or, rather, let me say, such liuos wholly iu.
s@inary. MJcaulcy's essay on Church and State.
| along with the writings Of other most com.
| ptcnt critics, have furnished evidence on this
point that must satisfy every mprciudccd mind.
CHURCH RIVALRY.
| Rlt instead of having 60 many divisions and
scots, would IL not be better to ba,o only ule
great Christian denomination? Ii an Christian
| churches of today, were merged into one church,
| would it not be grand spectacle, and a greet
| blessing 20 the world: So some think, but il
| may well he doubted. outward uniformity did
not prevent the Gglatiar Christians from ''hiting
and dc,ourinS one another" nor did il prevent
| tie Colu>sau Christians from adopting dreamy
| spcculalions which have charm tor some
! c-oteric friends Of today; nor did it prevent
| lphcsi,n Christians from embracing the doctrines
| Of Phygolu, aud lcruogeneS, when poisoned
words did "cat as doth canler"; nor did it
| prevent the Roman Christians from critcisng st.
| Paul and from adding affection TO his bonds
| nor did il prevent the Christians Of Corintl,
| from denying the doctrines of the resurrection,
| nor from miuiic,ting most unsccnllv party
! spirit Human nature was just the same in
! Bible times rs il il now; and ii uniformity in
| respect Of church government and forms OF
| worship did not promote either Christian unity
| or Christian strength, then. il would not do it
now. Indeed, such a scheme of uniformity has
been tried and vigorously enforced on largo
| scale. and the whole world knows the result.
| But if the Christian Socts Wcrc all united,
| would it not stop these religious controversies
| and uyIlIcs Of which We hear so much? No.
! When outward uniformity prevailed. that did
| not prevent internal ,triicS and divisions II Is
| doubtful IL religions controvcrSav "cyer ragged
! with 50 much violence ia the churches Of tho
| Reformation. as Ut did between tie Thonists
and the Scoti.,, the DonnciduS and the Fran.
! ci,cms, the Jcsuits and tie lai,euists Of tho
| church Of Rome" ami Yet tho church Of Rome
| could boast or hcr outward uniformity
liut such qnalTcl> are un,crmly, no matter in
! what church they occur 1t is a thousand pitics
| that Christian, should ever quarrel. But they
do they always have done 80, and they always
WILL until sin loses its power and Paradise /, re-
! Gained
TOO MANY SEClS
Eut religious rivalry has not been .u m.
mixed evil Religious scots, like political parties,
| seem TO he desirable. and even, necessary. Church
| rivalry has been powerful promoter Of church
| ,'tru>ion But, nevertheless, thc mulupici-
! tior OF religious denominations to the number
oi tWo hundred, more loss, CaIrot be justified.
| Any Christian who is 80 hidcbouud that 10 cln-
| loi hrd u church home. M one, out OF dozen
or ntI"rn denominations uIgt to be ashamed
/ Of himself. And yet, there are protesting Chris
Ijau,. who, like birds of passage, are frequently
| "u the wing, and the lookout Tor a chInsn.
Like the AthcniauS, they spend their time tina.
ought to be devoted To RELIGIOUS meditation and
, dury-in telling or in hearing some new thing.
! Such persons are unwisc. They have no &c.
lirous stability. They are iaddats ON the sub.
jrrt Of religion. lik" some sick folk. who arc
ready to try every patent medicine, they ne
ready 10 give hospitality to floating religion.
bubble, to declare HAT they aro q perfect cure
for all the ills II which the flesh is heir imt,
lv and ty. when the bubble hulats. and ,yu,n
I 1 HItf-t M,