The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-15
PEOPLES FORUM
written for The Richmond yirginian)

. tNrltten Tor The Richmond Ntrginian.)
Preached in Tabb Street church more than
fifteen years now passed by the pastor OF that
date, giving his Idea of the Catholic Church.
says term implies Divine creation of the Sa-
Niour. Plea for Christian unity.
large congregation assembled in the First
Presbyterian church last night to hear the pas
tor preach on the Catholic Church, According
to Christ the text was. Whom do We say that
am" Peter saith unto him, Thou art the
Christ the Son of the living God Jesus saith
unto him. Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas,
for flesh and blood hath not revealed II unto
thee. bat my Father which is In heaven Verify
say unto thee. thou art Peter, and upon the
rock l will build my church and the gates of
he'll shall not prevail against it.-St Matthew
xvi, ll-ls. The meaning of the name, the
fession of Faith and Book OF Church Order
Is simply general or universal church. not con-
ment. but extended to all Said the pastor.
Worldwide ia. perhaps, the best synonym 1t
is what Christ referred to when he spoke of
my church,
The Catholic universal church is not a
human institution, but divine. My church
Will build. means that 1t is not a voluntary
association permissivey ordained, but direct
creation OF Christ. 1t is his church, because
purchased with his blood.
He defends and rules II and makes it's laws
He died to save it, and viii present it to
| himself glorious church at last.
AS 70 its membership: Who are members of
| the church according to Christ?
! Simon Peters creed the creed OF the disci-
lples. Thou art the Christ, the of the living
/ No. upon what Peter said No. but upon what
Peters creed designated. upon Christ himself.
So Peter in one of his own epistles after
wards quoted, Behold. lay Zion corner
stone elect precious, and whatsoever believeth
! in him shall not be confounded." And Paul
speaks of Christ himself being the chief
ner- stone"
This is in keeping with all Chrsts teaching.
| that he himself is the foundation of all faith.
nope and salvation, and the of life to
every believer. Christ meant that he would
/ build his church upon himself the Messiah
and Son Of God,
This shows that churchship depends upon re-
Iation to Christ.
Churchship does not grow out of creed.
though creeds good and necessary. Peter
announced his creed in the text A creed is
I d mans denominations statement of re-
lgious belief, bat this statement, however true.
4 Is not the foundation OF faith or churchshp; it
Is Christ.
Nor does ohurchship depenr upon forms of
government There are several forms OF gov
ernmentrin the church OF God--the Presoyte-
rian. the Episcopal and the Congregational
bat no particular church government IL neces-
sary To chNrchshtp in the Holy Catholic or uni
jNersal church OF Christ.
Membership in the invisible church depends
upon our being united To Christ by faith Mem
bershp in the visible church depends upon a
confession of Christ. Many confess Christ who
are not Christians and members Of the
- visible church. without being members of the
invisible church. There are not two universal
churches, the visible and the invisible There
are but aspects OF the one great church
Of Christ. At last all false professions shall
be purSed out and the church visible And IN.
VISIBLE VIII be Identical.
1 which the church church confesses him
as Saviour Son Of God and King.
Any denomination that believes Jesus 10 he
); the Christ. this son Of God and makes confes
- sion thereof through the sacraments is q par
Of the great church of Christ.
Il u viii build my church. He has been build
ing 1t from the time OF the first promise OF
salvation through the seed OF the woman
tor find Abel offering sacrifice which wa.
sacramental confession OF his faith in tn,
; saviour 10 come. We read of the church IT
l. the Wilderness. And when Christ came VI
hear Of no new church. but of the church o
y the ages being extended to all the world. Chris
h mad a great plan, and he commanded tn
church TO go and make disciples OF all ma
Y lions
The plan shall he carried ont to triuinp han
success, for Christ says OF his church: ",rh
gates of hell shall not prevail against IT." tn
a church is the only immortal organization, ii
everlasting, 1t Is the most glorious of all thing
y because It Is founded upon Christ and
= bnided by him. The church is one now; II
~ unity growing out At the relation OF It's part
n not to one another, but to Christ. Let u
manifest its unity TO another and to a
= mankind. If all branches of the church coul
come together for IA united communion sci
vice in every city earth it would be tn
occasion of such pentecostal outpourng
,r the Holy Ghost would shake the world.
THOMAS II. BOISSEAU
10 Petersburg, Va, Sept, ia.