The comprehensive church: or, Christian unity and ecclesiastical union

Front matter

THE COMPREHENSIVE CHURCH.

" O GOD, THE CREATOR AND PRESERVER OF ALL MANKIND, MOjRfe ESPECIALLY WE-PRAY FOR THY HOLY CHURCH UNIVERSAL ; THAT IT MAY BE SO GUIDED AND GOVERNED BY THY GOOD SPIRIT, THAT ALL, WHO PROFESS AND CALL THEMSELVES CHRIS- TIANS, MAY BE LED INTO THE WAY OF TRUTH, AND HOLD THE FAITH IN UNITY OF SPIRIT, IN THE BOND OF PEACE, AND IN RIGHTEOUSNESS OF LIFE.

AND THIS WE BEG FOR JESUS CHRIST'S SAKE.

Chapter I

No Christian Union without Ecclesiastical Unity— a Comprehensive Church apparently impracticable— desired by all — one to be proposed in this volume — principles of unity in the Apostolical and Primitive Church — Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches all consolidated— not comprehensive—ought to return to primitive principles— a bad habit of the public mind — the true idea of a Church. 25

Chapter V

Evils of Sectarism — it disobeys a divine command — involves the consequences charged upon unity — produces a false idea of the Church — extends and perpetuates error — wastes the energies of the Church — prevents the conversion of the world— is the most efficient obstacle to Christian Union. 40

XVlli CONTENTS .

Chapter VI

There must be a Comprehensive Church — its fundamental principlesdetermined by the nature and objects of the Church — universality and unity — liberty and law — compromise and conformity — contrast between the Comprehensive Church and sectarism. 47

Chapter VII

Notice of certain denominational peculiarities — a Comprehensive Church for our age and country practicable^ digression-Mmportance of considering the subject— a state of division a state of sin— indifference the cause of its continuance — Christians should be in earnest to do their duty— return from digression— no existing Christian denominations should be excluded from the Comprehensive Church, neither Dissenters nor Protestant Episcopalians—a question for pious Dissenters. 51

Chapter VIII

Is there now in the United States a Comprehensive Church, combining into one harmonious system the " distinctive peculiarities" of all the denominations 1 — Is it any Church of Dissenters 1 — Is if the Protestant Episcopal Church i — a plan of unity proposed — the writer's apology for his proposition —the existing system of the Protestant Episcopal Church, proposed as a basis of Christian and Ecclesiastical Unity — may appear strange — a candid judgment solicited. 57

Chapter IX. Examination Of The Protestant Episcopal Church As It Is

The Protestant Episcopal Church proposed as the Comprehensive Church —proposition explicit— to be sustained by facts — Christian and ecclesiastical unity a solemn subject — the truth sought — all love the truth — the partizan in religion the enemy of God and man — the reader invited to look at the outlines of the system of the Protestant Episcopal Church as a system for Christian and ecclesiastical unity — examination to be distributed through twenty-one Sections. 02

Section I. — Definition of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. It is not the Church of Rome— it is not the Church of England— it is a Christian and Protestant American Church — at Unity with the ancient and universal Church of Christ. 65

Section II. — Members. Clergy and laity — always connected in ecclesiastical legislation and in divine worship — Bishops commonly distinguished from the other clergy by their title of office— all Christians may be members of the Protestant Episcopal Church. 79

Section III. — Territorial Divisions. The Protestant Episcopal Church co-extensive with the United States — all one Church— its unity represented in the General Convention— Dioceses the sub-divisions of the whole Church— represented in Diocesan Conventions— combination, formation,

CONTENTS. XIX

sUze, and Episcopal charge, of Dioceses — independence of Dioceses — present number and names of Dioceses and theirBishops — Parishes the sub-divisions of Dioceses — independence and rights of Parishes — parochial officers — the territorial divisions of the Protestant Episcopal Church convenient for unity. 80

Section IV. — Laws. All written — made by the whole Church— laws of the General Convention — laws of the Dioceses — the election of wardens and vestry, and the use of the clerical dress common customs — liberty in every thing not defined by law — clear laws advantageous for unity. 87

Section V. — Government. Democratical — representative— parish meetings — the original sources of government — their various powers — how composed — elect wardens and vestry — powers and duties of these officers — an instituted rector is chairman — elect Jay delegates to the Diocesan Conventions. Diocesan Conventions — their duties and powers — meet annually — composed of clergy and laity — mode of conducting business — the Bishop the Chairman — elect standing committees — duiies of these committees — elect clerical and lay deputies to the General Convention — General Convention — its duties and powers to provide general legislation and promote unity — composed of bishops, clergy and laity — meets triennially — is in two houses, each has a veto on the other, each equal — House of Bishops — how composed — senior Bishop presides — mode of conducting business — House of Clerical and Lay Deputies — how composed — mode of conducting business — the vote by a division of orders — by this the clergy and laity have a veto upon each other — the next General Convention — comments — analogy between the ecclesiastical institutions of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States and the civil institutions of the United States — government of the Protestant Episcopal Church very comprehensive — primitive — combining the three elements, the Episcopal, thePresbyterial, the Congregational — a just system — broad enough to unite all Christians. 89

Section VI. — Ordination and duties of Ministers. Three orders or degrees of ministers — Deacons the lowest— Presbyters next — Bishops the highest — rules concerning ordination — Candidates for orders — testimonials of Standing Committee — preparatory steps of a Deacon — of a Presbyter — of a Bishop — all promise conformity to the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church— duties of ministers— explained in the ordinal — as commonly understood — scope anil variety of clerical influence— the judgment of all denominations here approved. 109

Section VII. — Rights of the Bishops and Clergy. Each order has a separate right in legislation — a right to fulfil its duty without restraint — ordinary rights — those of the clergy well understood — those of the Bishops misun derstood — proper to explain — their rights all defined by the laws of the Church — no arbitrary official power of Bishops — they cannot be oppressive — for several reasons — from the organization of the Church — they are subjects of discipline — under public opinion — depend on the clergy and laity — are elected by the Diocesan Conventions — subject to their control — the Bishops are good and trust worthy men — elected for this reason — we appeal to their character — are thankful for them — the system of the Protestant Episcopal Church a medium between extremes— invites to unity. 115

Section VIII — Admission to the Sacraments. Principles of Church membership important— two sacraments — admission to Baptism — requisites — Belief in the Scriptures — and earnest self-consecration to the service of Christ — no requisites beyond the spiritual character of a Christian — admission to the Lord's Supper — through Confirmation which is the resumption of the Baptismal obligation — Sacraments open to all true disciples of Christ — free as the Saviour's blood — the Church has no right to restrict them from any who love their Lord — the clergy bound to administer them — liable to punishment if arbitrary — no substitution of human traditions in place of the Divine commandments— the sacraments of the Protestant Episcopal Church open to all Christians in our land. 131

XX CONTENTS.

Section IX. — Creeds. Enumeration of the creeds of the Protestant Episcopal Church— in what respects the creeds are obligatory upon the members of the Church— the laity — the clergy — the Apostles' creed only to be believed and confessed, ex animo— the creeds may be changed by the majority of the whole Church in the General Convention— the benefit of the creeds — why the Church requires any creed — no other more minute and explicit than the Apostles' creed, ought to be required for admission to the sacraments — the system of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in regard to creeds, favorable to the discovery and the security of Christian truth — the Protestant Episcopal Church fitted for the union of all Christians who love their Lord supremely, and each other affectionately and forbearingly. 127

Section X. — Doctrine. The doctrine of the Protestant Episcopal Church scriptural and practical — enumeration of some prominent doctrines— reference to standards — the position of the Protestant Episcopal Church in relation to doctrines connected with the philosophy of religion — the thirty-nine articles — especially the seventeenth article— controversies concerning them — formerly — now ceased — benefit of the controversy — history of the articles — their sense in the English Church — to be literally and liberally interpreted — quotations from Bishop Burnet and Bishop White— both Calvinists and Arminians always in the English Church— subscriptions of the clergy — history of the articles of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States — established in 1801 — are articles of peace — both Calvinists and Arminians in the Protestant Episcopal Church — members of this Church free to be either, and to discuss their opinions — both clergy and laity — but the pulpit is protected from both — the clergy to preach only scripture — these, if they please, as scripture — but not as a system — neither Calvinism nor Arminianism, as such, may be advocated or be condemned in the pulpit — only the word of God to be preached— proved — the Protestant Episcopal Church well arranged to unite all Christians of all opposing views on these subjects. 133

Section XI. — Discipline. The Discipline of the Protestant Episcopal Church not arbitrary — regulated by law — the occasions defined by the General Convention — the modes by the Diocesan Conventions — the subjects — The Ministry — degrees of discipline — enumeration of offences liable to discipline — prosecutors — candidates for orders liable as laymen — mode of trial of ministers — each order tried by peers — sentence pronounced by the Bishop — The Laity — occasions and mode of Discipline — right of appeal — first to the Bishop — then to a special Ecclesiastical Diocesan court — Discipline of the Protestant Episcopal Church rather merciful than austere — defended — open to improvement — present principles just — proper to an all-embracing Church.

Section XII. — Public Worship. In the Protestant Episcopal Church by precumposed formularies — shall not discuss their propriety — the substance of them generally approved and admired— reference to an answer to some objections — generally used by dissenters in England — not in this country — but preferred by most of the pious and intelligent dissenting clergy, and by many laymen in our country — the festivals and fasts of the Protestant Episcopal Church observed in many denominations — the reading of the Bible without note or comment in public worship becoming more common in other denominations—also the responsive reading of the Scriptures and responsive worship better understood — the Liturgies of the Protestant Episcopal Church under the control of the Church — may be changed by a majority — in the General Convention — to any extent— even to abrogation — subject of changes sometimes discussed — when necessary or generally desired will be accomplished — those who love uniformity or order of some sort in public worship, may be united in the Protestant Episcopal Church. 148

Section XIII. — Rights of the Laity. Arrangement under a single view of previous observations — the Laity an order in the Protestant Episcopal Church— their rights in parishes — rights in Diocesan Conventions — rights in the standing committees— rights in the General Convention— rights of

CONTENTS. XXI

Church membership— rights in ecclesiastical trials of discipline — rights of full and perpetual self-protection — their peculiarity as a constituent order in the Church insisted upon — the Protestant Episcopal Church worthy of the approbation of all Christians. 155

Section XIV. — Baptism. The meaning of Baptism — explained in the 27th Article — the Baptismal service to be interpreted by this Article— doctrine compared with the standards of the Methodist, the Presbyterian, and the Congregational Churches — the mode of Baptism — Immersion or affusion — adults and infants — requisites for Baptism — witnesses for adults — sponsors for children — duties of witnesses and sponsors — Baptism followed by confirmation — will be shewn to meet the views of all Christians. 159

Section XV. — Confirmation the Sequel or Complement of Infant Baptism. Confirmation follows Baptism — reasons for this rule — the rite of admission to the Lord's supper — no new obligation assumed in it — the re-assumption of the Baptismal obligation— analogous in part, to the " owning of the Christian Covenant" in other denominations— some grounds on which Confirmation is defended — special consideration of the relation of Confirmation to infant Baptism — Baptism implies voluntary confession of Christ after faith— Infant Baptism imperfect without some rite attached to it, as a sequel, for adult confession— Confirmation this rite — supported by legal analogies— this the view of the P. E. Church — proved — importance — a part of a Comprehensive System— the P. E. Church differing from all Dissenting Churches on this subject — and reconciling them— the foregoing principles applied to the system of Pedo-Baptists dissenting churches — which are faulty— may be reformed by the system of the Protestant Episcopal Church — applied to the views of Baptist Dissenters— confirmation shown to be de facto adult baptism— may be by immersion— Baptists may consistently with their principles unite with the Protestant Episcopal Church— and even present their children to the Lord in the ordinance of infant baptism in the P. E. Church — objection answered—our view in perfect accordance with the Congregational system of Baptists — Confirmation, being de facto adult Baptism, is in harmony with a de facto ministry, and de facto sacraments, such as Baptists acknowledge and maintain — the Protestant Episcopal Church well qualified to unite both Pedo Baptist and Baptist Dissenters, and thus to restore the unity of the Church of Christ. 166

Section XVI. — The Supper of the Lord. The meaning of the Lord's Supper in the Protestant Episcopal Church — a commemoration of the love of Christ — proved from standards — Qualifications for the Lord's Supper — whatsoever may be included in a worthy discipleship of Christ — proved from standards — the views of the Protestant Episcopal Church commend themselves to all Christian people of every denomination. 180

Section XVII. — Literary, Educational, Benevolent, and Missionary Associations. Literary Institutions — enumeration of some — for Males and Females — no General Education Society — Diocesan Education Societies — subject of Christian Education under the consideration of the General Convention — General Sunday School Union— Diocesan and Local S. S. Societies — General Theological Seminary — Diocesan Theological Seminaries — no General Bible and Tract Societies — various Diocesan Bible and Tract and Common Prayer Book Societies — American Bible and Tract Societies — various Diocesan Benevolent Societies — various Diocesan Missionary Societies— City Mission Societies — the General Missionary Society — notice of its constitution — great Evangelical principles asserted in it — its operationsmoney collected and expended by it — its principles such as to win the assent of all Christians. 190

Section XVIII. — Liberty. Replies to several enquiries — liberty in the Protestant Episcopal Church — to join voluntary and benevolent societies — to form associations for religious improvement — to offer extemporaneous prayers — to engage in social meetings for religious purposes — to make special efforts for the good of souls— statement of a grand principle of liberty in the Protestant Episcopal Church— this Church therefore dear to all friends of religious liberty. 199

XX11 CONTENTS.

Section XLX.— Adaptiveness. The Protestant Episcopal Church adaptive to all circumstances of society, and all the temperaments and habitudes of men — thus proved a true Church — accordant with the design of the Church — importance of adaptiveness — folly of establishing a Church on different principles — necessity of adaptiveness illustrated — the opposite of adaptiveness a fundamental error in sectarism — lessons from the history of the past — the Church may not forbid any thing, and may use every thing, but sin — objections answered — no evils resulting from adaptiveness in the Protestant Episcopal Church — such evils cannot exist in it — illustrated — the writer's advice to his Christian brethren — a word to Episcopalians — the Protestant Episcopal Church founded on the most expansive principles. 202

Section XX. — Religious Devotion and Action. Two tests of a Church — Religious Devotion — formularies of the Protestant Episcopal Church — high spirituality — order of services — holy men of the Church — distinction between the system of the Protestant Episcopal Church and other systems for the production of devotion— Religious Action — variety and arrangement of evangelical subjects — in connexion with liberty— and with adaptiveness— the Protestant Episcopal Church the revival Church of the United States — working of the system — such a Church should be dear to all true Christians.

Section XXL — Comprehensive Traits. If the Protestant Episcopal Church be the Comprehensive Church, it becomes the duty of all Christians to unite themselves with it — extent of this duty — a recapitulation of the various comprehensive traits elucidated in the preceding Sections — the Protestant Episcopal Church proved to be the Comprehensive Church — the only Church founded successfully and completely upon the maxim of the primitive and Apostolical Church — there are few even of its own members who understand its comprehensiveness — this Church not originated by human wisdom or accident — it is a system provided by the gracious providence of the Lord, for the Christian and Ecclesiastical unity of all His disciples. 222

Chapter X

Conclusion — mode in which our subject has been treated— the Protestant Episcopal Church comprehensive — none other like it — duty of uniting with it — another aspect of this Church — enumeration of certain principles preliminary to the exhibition of it — the Protestant Episcopal Church a platform on which Christians may meet and perfect a plan of unity — this proved — the means of unity are provided if Christians will use them — the Protestant Episcopal Church capable of infinite modification — invites all Christians to unite in it and modify it as they please — objection answered— the system of the Protestant Episcopal Church further opened — a beautiful and grand scheme— argument concluded — sin of negligence on this subject — a call to unity — true unity — deprecation of false unity— advantages of true unitycall upon the laity — call upon the clergy— necessity of effort and of self-denial in the matter— these the evidences of Christian character — our plan submitted to the candid judgment and honest decisions of the Christian public. 227

CHRISTIAN UNITY

ECCLESIASTICAL UNION.

" 1 BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHUKCE | I BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS."

Book of Common Prayer.

The Apostles* Creed*

THE

COMPREHENSIVE CHURCH.

Chapter I

No Christian union without ecclesiastical unity — a Comprehensive Church apparently impracticable — desired by all— one to be proposed in this volume — principles of unity in the apostolical and primitive Church — Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches all consolidated, not comprehensive — ought to return to primitive principles — a bad habit of the public mind — the true idea of a Church.

The little work here addressed to the Christian public, proposes a plan of union to the various denominations of Christians in our country. The writer is convinced that Christian union can never be effected except upon some plan of ecclesiastical unity — some system of a Church broad enough to allow all sincere and humble-hearted disciples of our Lord to unite upon it, a comprehensive system, which shall combine naturally and harmoniously the chief peculiarities of the various denominations in our land.

At first sight, it seems impossible, that a model of a Church can be proposed, which shall bring together into one the systems which now conflict — the very "distinctive peculiarities" which have hitherto separated sects. If however a model like this referred to can be found, it will commend itself, of course, to the consideration and approval of all Christian people ; for we are fain to believe, none are desirous to perpetuate the unhappy dissensions of the religious community, and all would be glad to further any plan which warrants a reasonable expectation of unity. Such a model will, in due time, be proposed in this volume.

The grand principles upon which the apostolical and primitive Church was organized, seem to have been all embodied in that familiar but noble maxim : "In necessariis unitas ; in non necessariis libertas ; in omnibus caritas — unity in essentials ; liberty in non-essentials ; love in every thing." As far as we can learn from the history of the New Testament, and from the topics discussed in the writings of the earliest fathers, and from the few historical records of the first centuries, this maxim appears to have been very fully and beautifully illustrated.

But the desire of power so natural to man, began directly to manifest itself, and the principles embodied in that maxim were soon departed from, and the long history of the Christian Church, from a very early period, has proved the folly and the danger of leaving the true principles of its organization. From that period to the present, there has been a valuable lesson taught to them who will receive it. Would that the lesson may be profitably learned ! It is, that there must be a unity in the Christian Church, and this must be unity in essentials ; and that to attempt to go beyond this and accomplish unity in non-essentials, is inevitably to destroy the purity and the glory of the Church, and to introduce the most lamentable evils.

The lesson has been exemplified most clearly x although differently in the two great epochs of ecclesiastical history — that which preceded the Protestant Reformation, and that which has followed the Reformation, it has been exemplified first in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, and next in that of Protestant Christendom, as we will briefly elucidate.

It is evidently a scriptural truth, that the Church must be " one body," both in respect of its external unity, and of its internal unity ; and this truth has been acknowledged as a practical and necessary principle, by Christians of every name and in every age, the present as well as the past. But the fault, in the case of Protestants and Roman Catholics, alike, has been, that their idea of unity has been erroneous and excessive ; that they all have aimed at too much unity ; that in their conceptions they have substituted consolidation for unity ; and instead of striving to form simply an united Church, that they have been continually striving to make a consolidated Church. Thus if the mind of Christendom had always adhered to its first principles, and had never forgotten that, in order to have ' unity in essentials,' there must always be allowed ' liberty in non-essentials,' the monstrous and long continued scheme connected with the Papacy, would never have been originated, or if it had been possibly originated, it could never have been consummated. The whole scheme of the Roman Catholic Church was a legitimate creation, a gradual result,, of the false conception of unity. The Roman Catholic Church was not an united, but a consolidated Church. I So, too, if Protestants (at least in the second genera^ tion after the reformation) had gone back to primitive principles, and had never persisted in their attempts, each to compel the others into an exact agreement with itself, upon points not indispensable to the great end of the Church — the preservation and extension of gospel truth, and the conforming of Christ's disciples to his image — there never would have been the divisions which have sullied the lustre of Protestantism. The countless and conflicting sects of an age in other respects free, are the immediate products of the same false conception of unity. Each sect is not an united, but a consolidated Church.

Is it too late to return to first principles ? Is there no wisdom in the history of the past, which we may apply to the benefit of the present age ? Ought not the effort at consolidating the Church to be immediately and forever abandoned, when the experience of of ten centuries of Papal supremacy, and that of three centuries of Protestant dissension have given their common and conclusive testimony, that the effort is not only abortive, but ruinous ? Cannot the Church once more have true unity, and, in its future experience, be ever warned to its safety by the two fold teachings of the past ?

In the view of the writer there is a fundamental difficulty, which, it would seem, needs only to be exposed in order to be removed ; and it is, that the idea of a Comprehensive Church, is, in our day, a new idea. We have been so much in the habit of looking at Churches through the medium of sectarian prepossessions, that the idea seems complicate and difficult of apprehension. The habit of the whole communis ty, through the influences of sectarian education, is invariably to associate contractedness with the mention of a Church, to suppose that there can be no such thing as an ecclesiastical organization, except it be exclusive and arbitrary. This is a bad habit ; and it is not one of the least evils of sectarism, that it has wrought such a mistake upon the public mind. We wish our readers to lift themselves above this habit, to form in their minds clearly the thought that there can be a Comprehensive Church.

What is a Church ? It is an association of all the true disciples of Christ, acknowledging His gospel for their rule of faith and practice, of every variety of personal opinion and talent and temperament and condition. To our mind the very name of a Church suggests the most comprehensive idea. But the habit of the great community is different, and we lament the fact. The object of a Church is the continuing and extending of the worship and service of God, according to the Gospel ; and when this, the only object of an ecclesiastical system is effected, all other things should be left in the liberty of nature. A Church founded upon these principles, is the only one, we confess, which commends itself to our sympathies ; and we cannot acknowledge one which rests upon a narrower foundation, as illustrating the true idea of a Christian Church. We believe there is truth as well as beauty in the pious philosophy (partially quoted on our title page) of the eloquent Lactantius, where he writes : " The only Catholic or universal Church is that which retains the true cultus. This is the fountain of truth, this is the home of faith, this is the temple of God.

But since there are many associations of separatists who all think that themselves are especially Christians, and each of whom thinks that his own is the Catholic Church, let it be known, that only that is the true Church, in which are confession and penitence, and which is able to cure the manifold sins and sufferings to which the imbecility of the flesh is subject."

One mark of a true Church must always be its com^ prehensiveness ; and for this characteristic, which qualifies it for the accomplishment of Christian unity, we love the ecclesiastical system to which the patient attention of the reader will be presently solicited.

Chapter II

The Church described in the New Testament as one — proved by Ephesiana 4: 4,— notice of Van Dyek's " Christian Union."

It is proper to remind the reader, in the very beginning of our reasonings, that there is but one Church recognized in the scriptures, and that, in the apostolic age, there was no such person known as a Christian, who was not a member of this one Church ; the terms were then synonymous. When at the very first, the doctrines of Christ were preached, and men became converts to his faith, we learn, that 4; the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved," (Acts 2: 47,) and, at the close of his long and laborious life, St. Paul writes to the Christian believers : " We are all baptized into one body" (I Cor., 12: 13,) and he tells us, in many passages of his epistles, that " the Church is the body of Clwist" (Eph., 1: 23. Coloss., 1:24. 1 Cor., 12: 27.)

To dwell upon only a single passage, which is decisive, and is enough, as the word of God, to compel our assent, we refer to that which is our motto : " There is one body" (Eph. 4: 4.) St. Paul was exhorting the Ephesian disciples to Christian unity : " I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." This exhortation he enforces by several powerful considerations : " there is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling ; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." There are no less than seven reasons, supposed to be familiar and admitted, for the enforcement of Christian unity. At the head of these stands, our motto, 81 there is one body"