The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-02-11
BASIC PRINCIPLES
OF CHURCH UNITY
Rev. J. O'Callaghan Discusses the
Question From the Catholic
View Point.
Points Out the Principles that Must
Underlie Unity When
it Comes.
Marvellous Oneness of Catholic
Church Shows the Only Road
to Church Unity.

Tho subject of Church unity is one
which of late is being given the con-
sideraton that is it's due. 1t is an
important subject, one that must ap-
peal to every person familiar with the
words OF our Lord, There shall be
one fold and one shepherd" 1t is
only by discussing it from all possible
angles that fundamental principles
can be arrived at. The following SER
mon delivered by Rev. j. O'Callaghan,
at the Church of the Immaculate Con-
ccpion, this city, last Sunday morn
ing is an analysis of the subject which
has the merit of getting back to first
principles.
The text: John xii, 20-21.
Il pray for them all who through
their word shall believe in me; that
they all may be one, as Thou Father
in Ne and i'll Thee, that they also
may be one in Us; that the world may
know that Thou has sent Me-"
The question of the unity OF the
Church of Christ is not new for it
dates from the founding of Christian
the question by tho Saviour show shat
il held a prominent place in Ills mind.
1t was u vital question with The Apos-
ties and If you search the record oil
the ages you will find that at no time
was its importance lost sight of. The
question OF unity has lost none of its
Importance today. The church would
have her members give it ample con-
sderation. That it interests those
outside her fold gives her pleasure.
She prays that their consideration be
profound and earnest, for she knows
that such consideration cannot but
work good for sOuls--for the glory OF
God--for the advancement of her mis-
sion and for the fulfillment of the
desire expressed by Jesus Christ when
he prayed for those who believed in
Him: "That they all may be one as
Thou Father in Me and l in Thee;
that they also may be one in Us,
that the world may believe that Thou
has sent Me-"
To exaggerate the Importance of
our subject would be difficult, for the
idea OF unity is of the very essence of
Christianity. There is unity in all
optl /,
moon, the planets form a unified sys-
TEN Of which the sun is the center.
The diversity in plant life, the diver
sity we behold in the leaves of the
forest, the diversity in the species and
types Of animals, the diversity in the
characters of men show the fertility
obcys the law of its own species and
there is a unified law for each species.
In the world of matter there is har-
mony and order and unity. In the
Christian system there must be har-
monI and order and unity, because
that, too, is not OF mans making but
gent mind of the Almighty.
TO determine the nature of the un-
ity that must characterize the Church
Of Christ shall be our task 1t must
be the object of anyone who sets out,
to discuss honestly the question OF
Christian unity. The presence of that
unity in any Christian organization
must constitute if not a proof GER
tainly a presumption in favor of that
organizations claim to be the Church
of Christ and certainly the absence
of that unity will disprove and justify
us in setting aside any claim of the
kind. The presence OF that unity in
one Christian denomination and it's alb
sence from all others justify us in pro-
claiming Of it's possessor that she and
she alone is the Christian Church.
Our subject is important. 1t merits
our attention and our time, but these
too may be wasted if We do not ap-
proach the matter with care. Taking
it to pieces as does the analyst that
which is submitted to him for exam
ination, pursuing it according to the
rules of right reason and guided by
Gods grace, turning neither to the