The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-19
BY REV. ALEXANDER MANN

common grounds for Christian action,
that there are common evils TO be
opposed. common social and moral
reforms 10 be advanced and that upon
the ground Of common Christian
ethical standard the various bodies OF
Christ can and should unite and
thereby bring to bear upon these
great questions OF the day the force
OF united Christian public opinion.
We have hardly touched the frinses
OF the possibilities OF this work Of
federation and we can scarcely be-
iteye in the future reunion of the
church II we are not willing to be at
the pains to unite with our brethren
where we can with no compromise
OF principle of either faith or order)
to do common work. Next to prayer
believe that the common work OF
the Christian churches federation to-
gether for common ethical purposes is
going to do most toward creating an
atmosphere OF mutual respect and
sympathy and affection. without which
any worldwide conference upon the
things in which we differ would be
hopeless from The outset.
And now let me come down 20 the
subject more directly assigned to me.
am sure you will pardon me. as your
just little exception to the wording
OF the subject upon which / am to
speak: What can the Episcopal
/ church sacrifice and what retain In
the interests OF Christian unity?
| should like IL / might--and / have
| his gracious permission TO do sol
should like 10 put that in little
| nsore positive way. Somehow the
| wording of the subject In that way
| puts us in the mental attitude OF
| asking, How much is 1t that our
| own communion must give up in
| order that we may come together
| Isn't IL perhaps a little better II we
| put II the other way and ask our
sel.-e s. what essential thing has our
! communion to contribute toward this
! future reunited church,"
| My friends, I believe that the great
Catholic church OF the future is not
| going to come together on the basis
| OF any irreducibIe minimufns on the
| part Of the various great Christian
| communiona | do not beIievs that
! we can go back In history to the
| fourth century. or to the fourteenth
and fi1d there the model OF what the
/ great omprehensive church of Jesus
| Christ Ia to be on this earth In tins
ages to come. I cannot believe thai
the long and glorious history or these
| various Christian communions liz, al
II were, to be wiped out. On tht
, contrary. / think OF the church OF
the future as St. Jehn thought OF tht
Holy City, when he said that all tht
nations were TO bring their distinctive
glory and excellency into IT. so
| love to think OF the church OF the
| future that It ss to be q church no
| of minir1unis, AZ some one has said
but OF maximuYns; that IL IL to o'
the church into which every grea
Christian communion shall bring III
own distinguishing glory. Ito own pc
cul,ar excellence, make Its own con
trtbution. which in the providence O
God and under the guidance OF Hi
spirit II has wrought out through vi
separate existence as an indepenoen
body. Let us think OF 1t, then, II
that way. II you will. Let US ash
ourselves what 1t is, what ARE shf
things which In the providence o
God the various communions MAJ
contribute towards this great ant
- richly varied and comprehensfVi
eatholieity of the future reuhites
chit rch. =,
!, 30 thinking from the standpoint Of
INV ewn communion, ask myseir -
for I am bringing the question dowf
now within the limits of the Suhjec'
assigned what are the outstahotnt
distinguished characteristics OF ths
Episcopal Church?
-Four E,,a,opar characteristics.
Perhaps, In the first place. yot
would tell me that there Ia the snst,.
tuition of the Christian year. Ano
then you would tell me that there u
fhp sinpla faith as expressed In the
Apostles creed. And then you wouic
undoubtedly tell me that another Gus
ttnuuiahins Characteristic of this com
u,,nion IN its iiturgieal service as SCI
forth In the Boob OF Common Prayer
Then you would tell rae that another
characteristics OF 1t In is tnreeIoto
ministry of bishops priests ana aea
cons There may be other oistihs
aishing characteristics, but we nave
time for only these four and they are
perhaps the chief. .-...-. =.
Now LEI us think for moment OF
tha f,rst one. let us think OF the Chris
t,an year. my friends, I suppose tht
farst thought that comes into your
ninds IN the thought that comes intS
mine: WHY, the Christian year u
ours, Just as much as yours ARC
you are perfectly right.
suppose Ii is fair to say that the
Ep,~copaI Church In these United
states was Entrusted with that insti
tuition OF the Christian year until ths
time came when other great Chrisual
commanders .teft tffat' frey cs,aia uss
II to their own spfrituai aoV@ntasS- 4
In not tina work of the Episcopa
church. -exceut simply that she nele
TO 1t In days when 1t was not aito
gether easy perhaps for her In tne
United states to- hold to IL. But sne
kept II a. sacred trust and toda!
one might say that almost withou
exception the great Proteseai'
churches OF the United States are re
tcicing to keep Easter and christ
mas and many OF them Good FRIDAY
ana that little BY little they are az,
sorting the right that they always nae
; 10 this institution Of the Christian
year. And how mighty force 1t u
toward preserving the proportion o.
the Christian faith, toward brinsins
before US In dramatic form the grea
Il facts Of the incarnate life, you al
know AS we'll as Il
Let us look for 4 moment at tn'
; second, at the Apostles Greed. e.
that simplest, Oldest mcst universe
statement of the baptis1nal faith O
Father, Son and Holy Spirit As on
goes about from ono great communion
/ to another. ono hnds practically in al
| of them a consensus today that tn
great doctrinal standards OF the six
! teertf and seventeenth centuries
4 - nvtt