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NINTH THOUSAND.

FOND DU LAC TRACTS.

3STo. 1.

The Church of the

New Testament

BY THE

BISHOP OF FOND DU LAC

MILWAUKEE, WIS.:

THE YOUNG CHURCHMAN CO.

5 CENTS EACH: $3.60 PER HUNDRED.





At CL32. Gb

FOND DU LAC TRACTS.

No. 1.

The Church of the

New Testament.

BY THE

BISHOP OF FOND DU LAC.

MILWAUKEE, WIS.:

THE YOUNG CHURCHMAN CC.





WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

BY THE BISHOP OF FOND DU LAC.

GOOD many earnest Christians are asking
themselves the question: What is the

Church? They know they must have some

better reason for belonging to a religious

body than that they were brought up in it.

They keenly feel the inexpediency of trying to

sustain in small towns so many places of

worship, and the expensive burden it imposes

upon the people. They try to meet the bur-

den, perhaps, by theunion meeting-houseplan,

but it has not been very successful. Some

may possibly feel the hindrances caused to

Christ’swork by these sad divisions. Touched

by the Holy Spirit they ask, on their bended

knees, and with their Bibles in their hands

:

What does God’s Word say about this mat-

ter? They humbly ask for light to know

God’s Will, and grace and courage to embrace

it. Make one such utterance to Him, dear

reader, thatyoumaybe so guided; for “This,”

says Canon Hammond, “is a pivot question,



4 TKttbat ts tbe Gburcb?

The Church is

a Kingdom.

A Visible
Society

spiritually

endowed*

and lies at the root of nearly all our schisms

and differences. Amongst all the questions of

the hour it stands first in importance.”

What is the Church ?

I. The Scripture record about it is this

:

The Gospelwas given to man by Christ in the

form of an Institution. The Gospel Christ

preached was not an abstract Gospel. It was

not a revelation of truth only. It was not a

rule of life. It was not the giving to us of a

great example. It was not a redemption

effected by Calvary’s sacrifice, and a mere

proclamation of pardon to penitent believers,

but it was “the Gospel of the Kingdom.”

How constantly this is recorded: “Jesus
went about all Galilee, teaching in their syna-

gogues, and preaching the Gospel of the King-

dom.”1 This is the pure Gospel, the Gospel

that Christ preached. Christianity came into

the world (this is the first great truth), not

as a doctrine, an idea, but as an institution*

It was a Kingdom.

II. Christ’s Kingdom, we next observe,

was not a kingdom of this world . 2 It was

not like an earthlykingdom founded by a son

of earth, because Christ was not of this

world .3 Nevertheless it was a kingdom. And

1 S. Matt. iv. 23. See also S. Matt. ix. 35; xxiv. 14.
2 S. John xviii. 36. 3 S. John iii. 13.



Wbat is tbe Cburcb? 5

like other of God’s works, it was double. It

had an outward and visible form, and an

inward and invisible spirit. It had the out-

ward form of a visible society, and an inward

life. Its outward form would be the product

ofhuman action and Divine power. It would

be both like a “net
”1 constructed by human

skill, and it would be like a “great tree,”2

the product of Divine power. It would also

have an inward invisible spirit. It would be

a new life-power sown within a man, like a

^seed,”3 or like “leaven
”4 hidden in the

measures of meal. “The Kingdom of God is

within you.”5 Though visible and having

outward form, it would be hidden in the

world like a treasure that must be sought

for
;

6 and as an invisible spiritual power to be

gained by man, it was like a pearl of great

price, more valuable than all man’s other

possessions .7

III. This visible Society or Kingdom, pos-

sessed of a spiritual power, Christ called His

Church. “I will build,” He said, “My
Church.”8 We read, “Christ also loved the
Church, and gave Himself for it.”9 It was to

1 S. Matt. xiii. 47.
2 S. Matt. xiii. 31.
3 S. Mark iv. 26.
4 S. Luke xiii. 20.
5 S. Luke xvii. 21.

6 S. Matt. xiii. 44.
7 S. Matt. xiii. 45.
8 S. Matt. xvi. 18.
9 Eph. y. 25.

It was so

formed by

Christ.



6 Wbat i

8

tbe Gbutcb?

It was so de-

clared by the

Holy Ghost.

be a “ City set on an bill.”1 A “ Temple ”2 of
“lively stones .”

3

“The Family”4, of Jesus

Christ. “The household of God.”5 It was

to be a City set on a hill, not only visible, like

a modern city, but like one of the ancient

cities, set on high; a city surrounded by

walls, a protected dwelling-place for human

habitation, entrance into which was only

through a guarded gateway. It was to be a

Temple, one in design, purpose, structure; a

unit in itself, yet composed of thousands of

living souls, like stones builded together into

one Temple. It was to be the Family of

Jesus Christ, organically one
,

6 because sharers

in His Nature
,

7 like brothers and sisters of a

human family who are one as descendants of

acommon parentage. Itwas to be the house-

hold of God; for over those thus gathered

into God in Christ, God would be the abiding

Householder and Head. It was to be like a

city, a temple, a family, a visible society filled

with Divine life .8

IV. To this truth of the double aspect of

the Church, the Holy Ghost speaking by the

mouth of S. Paul bears witness. The Church.

1 S. Matt. y. 14. 6 Eph. ii. 19.
2 Eph. ii. 21. 6 Gal. iii. 28 ; Eph. iv. 5*
8 I Peter ii. 5. 7 II Peter i. 4.
4 Eph. iii. 15. 8 Eph. i. 23,



XKDlbat is tbe Cburcb? 7

is called by him “ TheBody of Christ.” 1 Now
a human body is something visible, material,

substantial. The term “ body,” applied to the

Church
,

3 signifies, therefore, that the Church

is an organized, visible community. Theword

body which S. Paul so applied “had come

into recent use to describe the guilds ofwork-

men, the trades union ofthe Roman Empire.”3

They were visible and organized societies.

From this word “ corpus,” or body, our word

corporation comes. But then the Church is

something more than a legal corporation.

It is endowed with a spiritual life. It may

therefore be called a Spiritual Body. This

does not mean a body which would be like

pure spirit, for this would be nonsense, and no

body at all. The term, Spiritual Body, signi-

fies a real, visible, tangible body like our

Lord’s Risen Body, which is called a Spiritual

Body. A Spiritual Body means a real, true
body

,

4 but one controlled by the Spirit. And

this Body, Holy Scripture calls the “ Church

of God,” 5 the “Church of the Living God.” 6

V. The Church, then, though possessed of

a latent spiritual power, is a visible society

founded by Jesus Christ. Any society which

cannot trace its origin to Him as its Founder

Of this Church

Christ is the

Founder.

1 1 Cor. xii. 27.
2 Col. i. 24.

3 Canon Hammond.

4 Vide S. Luke xxiv. 39.
5 Acts xx. 28.
6 1 Tim. iii. 15.



8 Wbat is tbe Cburcb?

And there is

but one

Church.

cannot be His Church, or part of His Church.

Bodies which have a man for their founder,

like Calvin
,

1 or Luther
,

2 or Wesley
,

3 or Roger

Williams
,

4 are not the Church of Christ, nor

are their organizations parts of the Church of

Christ. Moreover, Christfounded one Church.

He did not found many churches. Hefounded

only one. This is a fact patent on the face of

Holy Scripture. As there is one Lord, one

faith, one baptism, so there is but one

Church . 5 The Bride is one . 6 Within the

Church Christians may associate themselves

together for pious and religious purposes, and

Christ will be in the midst of them
,

7 but the

association will not be a Church. The asso-

ciation together of a number of Christians

does not make a Church; it only makes a

congregation. There are within the one or-

ganization of the Christian Church, local ones,

which are in Holy Scripture called the Church

in such a place : the Church of the Thessalon-

ians
,

8 the Church at Philippi .9 But to be

iThe founder of a system called Calvinism. A.D.
1509-1564.

2 The founder of Lutheranism. A.D. 1529.
3 The founder of the Methodists. A.D. 1784.
4 The founder of the Baptists. A.D. 1639.
5 Eph. iv. 5.
6 Rev. xxi. 2; see also II. Cor. xi. 2; Eph. v. 32.
7 S. Matt, xviii. 19, 20.
si Thess. i. 1. 9 Phil. i. 1.



Mbat is tbe Gburcb? 9

part of the one organization Christ founded,

the local one must be a subordinate organi-

zation within the Church, and not be as the

sects are, independent organizations separate

and apart from it. The denominations, being

of late origin, and having men, however

learned and eminent, for their founders, are

societies separated from the original organi-

zation founded by Christ. Their members, as

baptized believers, are Christians, but their

organizations are mere congregations,human

and man-made societies, and not the Church

or part of the Church, which is the visible

Body founded by Christ and endowed with

invisible and spiritual life.

VI. Now let us consider a further truth, in this Church

The Church, then, we have seen, is a society
Chnstabldes*

which has for its Founder 1 and Head 2 the

God-Man, Jesus Christ. But unlike all human

founders of religions who have died and

passed away, Jesus Christ has risen from the

dead and ascended, and dwells in the midst of

His Church. When He ascended He did not

go away to a distant star. He transported

His Humanity into the Divine Glory, and a

cloud hid Him from sight. But He remained,

though invisible, surrounded by His Apostles

II Cor. iii. 11. 2 Col. i. 18.



10 TKflbat is tbe Gburcb?

He is the

source oftruth

and grace.

He acts

through His

Ministers.

and disciples .1 Hewas in the midst of them

—

the centre of the new organization, or Church

He had begun—the source of life to the new
creation He was forming. He dwells in the

midst of this new creation, which is His

Church, just as Almighty God is present in

the natural creation. Just as God sustains

every created thing in the material universe

by His power, so does the God-Man sustain

all the members of the new creation by His

Life. Out from His Humanity life and grace

flow to its members through the Sacraments

and means of grace, which He personally, or

through His Apostles, ordained. No Christ-

ian can therefore rightly or for his soul’s

good, neglect Confirmation or the Eucharist

or any other means of grace. If he does, he

does two bad things—he wrongs Christ and
injures himself. Christ did not leave any

means ofgrace His followers do not need.

VII. The Church which Christ founded,

He, as its High Priest, Prophet and King,

directs and administers. He did this primar-

ily by His Apostles, whom He made sharers
in His prophetical

,

2 priestly 3 and ruling

powers
,

4 and subsequently by others whom
the Apostles gathered by prayer and laying

*S. Matt, xxviii. 19.
2 S. Matt. x. 7.

3 S. Luke xxii. 19.
4 S. Matt, xxviii. 20.



Mbat is tbe Gburcb? 11

on of hands, into fellowship with themselves .1 by

In this way they were made partakers in dif-

ferent degrees in the Apostles prerogatives

and office, and became ministers of Christ.

Unless persons have been so gathered into the

Apostolic fellowship by the Apostles or the

Bishops who now represent them they are

not rightly ordained .2 They have no share in

the Apostolic commission, they are not au-

thorized ministers of Christ, through whom,

as His agents or representatives, He has

pledged Himself to act .3 They may be good Or those He

persons, but they are not his legal ambassa-
to™ppotot.

ned

dors. Here we note a difference between the

Law and the Gospel. Under the Law, the
Prophets

,

4 the Priests
,

5 and the Kings
,

6 were

representatives ofJehovah, the Invisible God.

But the Christian ministry does not represent

the Invisible God. The Christian minister is

not anambassadorfrom the Court of Heaven.

He is an ambassador of the Incarnate God, of

God made visible, of the Man Christ Jesus.
He must therefore receive his commission

either directly from Him, as the Apostles did 7

and as S. Paul 8 did to whom He appeared,

1 II Tim. i. 6. 5 Heb. y. 4.
2 Acts i. 26. 6 1 Sam. xvi. 13.
8 Gal. i. 7, 8, 19. 7 S. John xx. 22.
4 Heb. i. 1. 8 Gal. i. 1, 12.



12 Mbat is tbe Church?

By Baptism

Christ makes

us members of

His Church.

or through the Apostles 1 whom alone He au-
thorized to act in His name, and with whom
He promised to be to the world’s end .2

VIII. The Church is a visible Society like a

city set on a hill, and the gate through which

we enter into it, is Baptism .3 It is a temple

of living stones, and we are by Baptism made

a part of it. It is the family of Jesus Christ,

and we are made His when we are taken into

it by Baptism We are made His members,
by being gathered into union with Him, who

unseen, is yet in the midst of His Church. By

Baptism the passive infant and the believing

and penitent adult (who thereby puts himself

in the same receptive condition as the little

child) receive a seminal or seed principle of

new life .4 This gift is bestowed by the action

of the Holy Spirit .5 Our humanity is quick-

ened by contact with the Humanity of Christ.

We are made members of Him
,

6 and so be-

come united to one another 7—this makes all
the baptized, brothers and sisters. Is not

this that “generation
” 8 which shall not pass

away until all be fulfilled; for it is written,

His “seed ” 9 shallbe counted as ageneration?

Persons not baptized, however they may pro-

1 Acts i. 26; vi. 6. 6 1 Cor. vi. 15.
2 S. Matt, xxviii. 20. 7 1 Cor. xii. 12, 27; S.
8 S. John iii. 3-5. Matt, xxiii. 8.
4 1 S. Peter i. 23. 8 S. Luke xxi. 32.
6 Acts xix. 3; Titus iii. 5. 9 Psalm xxii. 30.



Mbat is tbe Cburcb? 13

fess to take Christ for their example, are not

yet Christians. To be a Christian you must

do something more than trust in Him, or fol-

low Him, or take Him for your example . 1

You must be a member of Jesus Christ
;
and

Baptism is the only way of becoming a mem-

ber of Him. To be a member means you

must be a part of Him, as really as the hand

is part of the body.

IX. Now let us consider the difference be-
tween Baptism and Conversion. The Church

requires both. The Church is known in Holy

Scripture as a society ofthe “elect,”2 or those
‘

‘called .
”3 Theword Church means the called.

We are called by Holy Baptism. By it also
the seed of the Christ-life is implanted within

us, but without our cooperation, it lies dor-

mant. It becomes active at our conversion.

Then the soul becomes conscious of its regen-

erate condition. For in the spiritual, as in

the natural order, life precedes consciousness.

The gift comes before the knowledge of it.

So the regenerating gift in Holy Baptism is

one thing, and conversion is another. Both

are equally necessary. Our Lord says: “Ex-

cept a man be bom of water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.”4

The Baptismal

gift must he

corresponded

with.

iGal. iii. 27
;
S. John xiv. 15.

2 Col. iii. 12; I Pet. v. 13.
8 1 Cor. i. 26; II Tim, i. 9.

4 S. John iii. 3.



14 Wbat is tbe Gburcb?

And with equal emphasis He declares, “ Ex-

cept ye be converted, and become as little

children, ye shall not enter into the King-

dom of Heaven .” 1 Consequently, if bap-

tized in infancy, you must be converted subse-

quently .2 If, as an adult you have been con-

verted, you must subsequently be baptized . 3

But conversion may be a longer or a shorter

process—gradual or instantaneous—calm or
convulsed. If baptized in infancy, by your

conversion you will come to realize your re-

generate condition. If, as an adult you have

been converted before Baptism, you will by

your conversion realize indeed Christ’s mar-

vellous mercy in accepting you; but when

baptized you will realize that you are by a

new Divine gift united to Him also. Note,

you were God’s child by your birth and crea-

tion .4 “We are His offspring.” Though de-
serving ofpunishment as “children of wrath,”

we are nevertheless by the act of creation His

children. Baptism does not proclaim that

fact. It is not like the coronation of a king,

who is a king by descent and before he is

crowned. By creation we are all God’s child-

ren
,

5 but by Baptism we become God’s child-

^S. Matt, xviii. 3.
2 Acts viii. 13. Simon Magns, an example of adult

Baptism before Conversion.
3 Acts ix. 17, 18. S. Paul, an example of Baptism

after Conversion. 4 Mai. ii. 10. 5 Acts xvii. 28.



mbat Is tbe Gburcb? 15

ren 1 by adoption and grace. We become by
Baptism members of the God-Man, Jesus

Christ, who is the SecondAdam and the Head

of the new Creation.

X. It is often objected that Christians are

inconsistent. Their faults are fruitful topics

for unbelievers. Persons say that they do not

see that Baptism does any good. Truly the

“seed” sown in Baptism will perish if it is not

properly cared for. So the next truth we

want to keep in mind is, that the Church into

which by Baptism we are called, is an educa-

tional society. It is a society wherein by

Baptism the imperfect, though converted, are

gathered for their spiritual training and de-

velopment. But it is a school wherein many

by neglect of the means of grace fail of attain-

ing their end. Thus we learn this other truth

about the Church. The Church has withinher

the tares and the wheat . 2 The wise and the

foolish virgins .3 The bad and the good fish .4

It is no reproach to her that this is so, for

her mission is an educational one. She has

her glorious martyrs, confessors, saints, her

Religious Orders and her class of perfection.

But still many walk carelessly. Some are like

the Pharisees .5 Some are worldly Herodians .6

The Church is

therefore an

educational

society.

With bad and

good in it.

tGal. lii. 27 ; vide Isa. 9, 6.
4 S. Matt. xii. 47.

2 S. Matt. xiii. 24. 5 S. Matt. xxii.
S S. Matt. xxv. 1. 6 S. Matt. xxii. 16.



16 Wbat is tbe Gburcb?

The Church

is a spiritual

organism.

Many are called by Baptism, but few chosen .

1

Only those who persevere unto the end will

be saved . 3 Are you, dear reader, if a Church-

man, earnestly striving after a closer walk

with God ? Do you mortify your body
,

3 dis-

cipline your soul
,

4 give freely of your sub-

stance
,

5 examine your conscience daily
,

6 love

your enemies ? 7 Are you striving after per-

fection and using all the means of grace the

Church offers you ? Are the interests ofJesus

and His Church your dominant ones, and do

you love Him with all your heart ? Ifyou are

a Christian, let reform begin with yourself.8

When Gideon set out to deliver Israel from

idolatry, first of all went down the idols in

his father’s house .9 If you are not a Church-

man, judge not of the Church by the lives of

the careless and indifferent, but by the lives

of the best. That consideration converted a

great French infidel, and may convert you.

XI. The Church is thus a visible society,

an educational society, and it is something

more, it is a Divine organization
;
we say

this, for it has Christ the God-Man for its

founder. And it is something more than an

organization even; it is an organism. You

know the difference. An organization man

1 S. Matt. xx. 16. 4 S. Luke xxi. 19. 7 S. Matt. v. 44.
2 S. Matt. x. 22. 5 Acts xx. 35. 8 S. Luke xv. 18.
8 1 Cor. ix. 27. e ii Cor. xiii. 5. 9Judges vi. 25-27.



Mbat is tbe Church? 17

may make. An organism is something only

God can make. There is all the difference

between the two, as between a steam engine

and a tree. An organism is something which

has life in itself. The Holy Ghost, the Life

Giver, dwells in the Church .

1

He came down

at Pentecost
,

3 and has dwelt in her ever

since. This makes the Church a living organ-

ism. It is a spiritual organism having a

reproductive power. It is the effectual instru-

mentality for the salvation and perfection of

man. It is the organism through which

Christ’s Life and Light come to us. We are
saved by the Church, or, rather, Christ saves

us through the Church .3 Thus we must be in

it, a living stone of a living temple.

We all need not only to be once converted
but to be twice converted. VJe must be con-

verted to Christ. He is the foundation. We
must turn away from the world, and turn

with all our heart to Him .4 We must surren-
der ourselves entirely to Him .5 Surrender

our mind to His mind, to believe what He

says because He says it
,

6 our heart to Him,

to hate all that He hates and love all He

loves
,

7 our will to Him, that He may have

His way and Will with us, in all things .8 In

And we

need two

conversions.

iS.Johnxiv. 16. 4 S. Markx. 21. 7 S. Matt. xi. 29;;
2 Acts ii. 1, 4. 5 Acts ix. 6. Ps. lxxxvi. 11.
3 Acts ii. 47. 6 II Cor. x. 5. 8 S. Matt. xxvi. 39„



18 Wbat is tbc Cburcb?

The Church

came into

being at

Pentecost.

this way will He be to us our Saviour, from

the world, and self, and sin.

But, ifwe would fully know His will and

have the grace to fulfil it, we must be also

converted to the Church. To the Church He

founded. The one organization founded at

Pentecost. The Church He bought with His

own precious Blood is the Church He loved.

The Church which is the organ of His Life

and Light. The Church must come to be our

Spiritual Mother as Christ is our Saviour

We need both conversions. They must both
be the work of the Holy Spirit. The man

who has only experienced one of them is only

a half converted man.

Dear reader, which are you ?

XII. Let us now see when and how the

Christian Church came into existence. The

Church, or Spiritual Organism in which by

Baptism we are new born to God, and which

should be our Spiritual Mother, Christ began

to form during His visible ministry. The Gos-

pels only tell us of the beginnings of Christ’s

work in theformation of His Church .1 Many

persons think they can find the whole of

Christ’s revelation, in the Gospels. But this

is not so. They only tell how Christ began

to get disciples round about Him, and began

1 Acts i. 1.



Mbat is tbe Cbuccb? 19

to form His Church. He had to lead them on

little by little. There was a great deal He

did not tell even the Apostles during His pub-

lic ministry. “ I have yet many things to say

unto you, but ye cannot bear them now .”1

Neither could they understand His words

and actions fully, till after they received the

Holy Ghost .2 Everything was inchoate and

incomplete during Christ’s ministry. The

Church was in process ofconstruction.

The Church was not completed and made

a living, spiritual organism, till the day of

Pentecost .3 Pentecost is the birthday of the

Christian Church. It can no more be re-

peated than the birthday of Christ can be

repeated. On the day of Pentecost the Holy

Ghost came down, and came down once for

all to dwell in the Church. Then the Church,

which is Christ’s Mystical Body, was born.

It was complete in its structure, with Christ

for its Head, and the Holy Ghost for its

Heart, and the Apostolic priesthood for its

organs of utterance and action. It was com-

plete in its stiucture, and endowed with life,

as an infant is complete in body and soul

though it is to grow in strength and size.

iS. John xvi. 12.
2 S. Luke xviii. 34

;
S. John xiv. 26.

3 Acts i. 4.



20 Mbat is tbe Cburcb?

The four

marks of the

Church.

Apostolic.

Catholic*

XIII. The Church had four distinctive

marks upon it. It was One
,

1 Holy
,

2 Cath-

olic
,

3 and Apostolic .4 If these marks are not

to be found on any religious society calling

itself Christian, it is a further proof that it is

not a portion of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Consider now these four marks. These are

some of the things they signify: the Church

of Christ is a Society that must be Apostolic

in its government, Catholic in its doctrine,

Holy in its transforming power, and One.

She must be Apostolic. Her ministry must

be gathered, by prayerand laying-on-of-hands,

into union with the Apostles and their suc-

cessors the Bishops, and commissioned by

them. They are thus made Christ’s Ambas-

sadors, and their official acts bind Him
,

5 for

He acts through them. They are Christ’s

stewards 6 and He distributes His Sacra-

mental gifts by them.

The Churchmust be Catholic, or Universal,

because she endures throughout all ages
,

7

teaches all nations
,

8 and her doctrines (all

such as she declares essential) must bear the

iS. John xvii. 21
;
Eph. iv. 3-13.

2 S. John xvii. 17
;
Rom. xt. 16.

S S. Matt, xxviii. 19; I Tim. ii. 4.
4 Acts ii. 42. 7 S. Matt. xvi. 18.
6 S. Matt, xviii. 18. 8 S. Matt, xxviii. 19.
6 1 Cor. iv. 1.



Mbat is tbc Cburcb? 21

test of Catholicity. They must be doctrines

put forth or believed in as essential, by the

whole and undivided Church, not by any one

part, Latin, or Eastern, or Anglican. They

must bear the threefold test of Catholicity,

being held from the beginning
,

1

and by all

the Church throughout the world
,

3 and must

be corroborated by Holy Scripture .3

The Church must be Holy .4 She is Holy, Holy,

for the Holy Ghost camedown to dwell with-

in her at Pentecost, and abides in her to this

day. Holy, because the opportunity of holi-

ness for all her members, is secured within her

by the preservation of the means ofgrace : of

Orders
,

5 Confirmation
,

6 Baptism
,

7 Absolu-

tion
,

8 the HolyEucharist
,

9 HolyMatrimony
,

10

Visitation of the Sick .11 Her holiness is borne

witness to by her Religious Orders, her Mar-

tyrs, Bishops and Missionaries, and she is the

Mother of Saints.

She is One, as having One Head, Jesus One.

Christ. Her Oneness is secured by the Sacra-

mental union of all her members in Him, her

living and ever presentHead .12 For this unity

1Jude 3. 7 S. Matt, xxviii. 19.
2 1 Cor. iv. 17. 8 S. John xx. 23.
s S. John v. 39; I Thes. v. 21. 9 1 Cor. xi. 23-26.
4 Eph. v. 27. 10 Eph. y. 31, 32.
6 S. John xx. 22. 11 S. Janies y. 14.
6 Acts viii. 17. 12 Eph. iv. 25

;
v. 23.



22 Mbat is tbe Gburcb?

The Anglican

Church has

these four

marks.

Christ prayed when He prayed that His

members might be one, as He and the Father

were One .1 This prayer has been answered,

for being made members of Christ, we are one

by the participation in a nature common to

us all. This is that indestructable unity which

the gates of hell cannot prevail against .2
#

Union is, however, something differentfrom

unity, and union may be violated without

unity being broken. A family may be a dis-
united family and yet is but one family. The

Church ought to be outwardly united. Her

outward union among her members is pro-

vided for by the law which forbids the impo-

sition of any uncatholic or unscriptural doc-

trine as a term ofcommunion. Her discipline

is preserved by subordination of her members

in things spiritual to the Canons of the

Church, and to the Bishop in each Diocese as

Christ’s representative . 3 The discipline of

the Bishops is guarded by Canon Law and
their subordination to the solidarity of the

Episcopate, apart from which they cannot de-

clare doctrines authoritatively, and in whose

name they administer discipline.

XIV. The Anglican Church is an integral

part ofthe One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic

Church. It is not like one of the Sects. It is

iS. John xvii. 21. 2 S. Matt. xvi. 18. 3 II Cor. v. 20.



mbat is tbe Gburcb? 23

not a society founded by man. It is con-

nected with the Apostolic Order. The Church

of Christ founded at Jerusalem, having there

its three orders of ministry and Sacraments,

extended itself in early times to the British

Isles. Thus it is part ofthe organization Christ

founded. It is a branch of the Vine of which

Christ said : “I am the Vine, and ye,” includ-

ing Peter (as only one) “are the branches .” 1

It is built on the Rock 2 which Holy Scripture

declares is Christ
,

3 and upon which Peter was

to be laid as one of the twelve foundation

stones .4 The continuity of the Churches or-

ganization was never broken. At the time of

the Reformation, it did not break away from

the other Churches, Canon XXX. declares

:

“ So far was it from the purpose of the Church

of England to forsake and reject the Churches

of Italy, France, Spain, Germany,” it “only

departed from them in those particular points

wherein they were fallen both from them-

selves in their ancient integrity and from the

Apostolical Churches which were their first

founders.” It was because the Church of

England would not have what was unscrip-

tural and uncatholic, theRoman Church broke

away from it .5 As Mr. Gladstone says : “The

iS. John xv. 5.
2 S. Matt. xvi. 18.
8 1 Cor. x. 4.

4 Rev. xxi. 14
;
Eph. ii. 20.

8 In 1570.



24 Mbat is tbe Gburcb?

Church of England is the same Church that

existed from the beginning. There was no

new Church created in the reign of Henry

And now this Anglican Church pos-

sessed of an Apostolic ministry extends

throughout the world.

It holds the ancient faith as contained in

the ancient Creeds and as declared by the

consent of Christendom, but does not force

on the laity a human-made scheme of doc-

trine. The Church teaches with authority

but allows diversity of opinions in things

unessential. It preserves all the means of

grace, as the Sects unfortunately do not. It

is full of missionary zeal for Christ. It points

to the highest sanctity, and develops saints.

It is, however, a field where are the tares and

wheat, where are the careless and zealous,

the beginners and proficients, the spiritual

and the worldly. Within the Church are

schools of opinion, like the High and Low

—

which are complementary one to the other.

They are like the two sides of a man’s face,

and as needful for its perfection. They are

like the waves which look divided, but are

one as the sea. It is very easy to find points

to criticise, but the sober wisdom of the

Church, the dignity of her worship, and her

real worth, Christians separated from her

have often acknowledged.



Mbat is tbe Cburcb? 25

Even if her claims are exaggerated, yet she

is not a wicked Church, who would say that ?
She does not force anyone to accept what the

Bible does not warrant, or antiquity does not

witness to. If so, may she not ask Non-Con-

formists in England and their spiritual de-

scendants in this country, Was it right to

leave her? Was it right for Christians to

break away from their Mother, and set up

societies of their own manufacture ? This is

what the Methodists
,

1 Presbyterians
,

2 Con-

gregationalists
,

3 Baptists 4 and others have

done. It is wise in our day to keep up these

divisions and this multiplicity of Sect life ? 5

Is it well for Christians thus to hinder the

more effectual work of the Holy Spirit ? It is

this which grieves Christ and hinders His

work, which makes infidels sneer, which places

such a heavy burden on the laity to support

the gospel. The continuance of divisions by

Sect-building is not the way to union. The

way to union and to bring God’s blessing, is

to unite and return to the Church He founded.

1 Founded by John Wesley, 1748.
2 Founded by John Knox, 1520-60.
3 Founded by Robert Brown, 1583.
4 Founded by Roger Williams, 1639.
5 From statistics in The World Almanac (N. Y.) it

may be seen that there are 138 sects, and sect divisions,
among Protestant Christians in this country.

The appeal of

the Anglican

Church.



26 Wbat is tbe Cburcb?

Objections.

Too much like

Rome,

XV. Let us now consider some popular

objections to the Church. It is sometimes

said you are too much like theRoman Church.

Now we differ from Rome in five particulars.
In Church government, in our rule of faith, in

doctrine, in Church discipline, and worship.

In Church governmentwe repudiate the claim

of the Pope to supremacy
,

1 and to be the sole

source of jurisdiction, and that to be in com-

munion with the Roman See is the test of

orthodoxy. In respect of our rule of faith, we

believe in the Holy Catholic Apostolic Church

as the appointed guardian and teacher of the

Faith once for all delivered
,

2 verified asitisb}r

Holy Scripture, safe-guarded by the Creeds,

witnessed by the Sacraments; but we deny

that the Pope’s dogmatic utterances apart

from any Council and by virtue of his sup-

posed infallibility are to be received and be-

lieved under peril of damnation. In regard

to doctrinewe accept all the doctrines, believe

in all the means of grace, the Church in her

(Ecumenical Councils has ever declared and

which are witnessed to by the common con-

sent of Christendom
;

3 but we reject those

modern additions to the Faith, which were

not put forth by (Ecumenical authority and

cannot be proved by the Holy Scriptures and

1 Gal. ii. 11. 2Jude 3. 3 S. Matt, xviii. 17.



Mbat is tbe Cburcb? 27

the Fathers—viz., the infallibility of the Pope,

or the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

And there are other popular Roman teachings

we do not hold, such as the penal fires ofpur-

gatory and the system of indulgences. In the

matter of Church discipline, we allow of the

marriage of the clergy and do not make con-

fession to a Priest obligatory before commun-

ion. In our worshipwe continue the Apostolic

order ofhaving the service in a tongue under-

stood by the people and according to the com-

mand of the Lord and the practice of the un-

divided and ancient Church give the Blessed

Sacrament in both kinds to the people. And

in all these matters the Anglican Church is

one with the Orthodox Russian and Eastern

Churches in opposition to Rome. You io
XVI. But it is said, if you are thus radi- Rome,

cally different from Rome,why do your clergy

wear cassocks and surplices and stoles and

other vestments just as the Roman Priests

do, and why do you often adorn your Altars

with flowers and have on it a cross and some-

times lights ? We have these things because
they are Scriptural and ancient, are part of

our Church heritage andshow our continuity

with the past. These things, differing of

course somewhat with changing fashions,

have always been in the Church of Christ



28 Mbat is tbe Cburcb?

Objection that

she is worldly.

since the time our Lord took S. John up into

heaven and showed him the pattern of the

Church’s worship . 1

But are you not going to Rome? Have

not a number of persons joined that Church?

Yes. There is always some drift -wood, going

one way and another. But, as a matter of

fact, no persons of any marked distinction

and learning have gone from us to the Church

ofRome for a great many years, while on the

continent of Europe, a large number of very

learned priests have left Rome and taken up

our position towards her, and in America

more have come to us than have gone to

them. Instead of our tendency being towards

Rome it is just the reverse We are, as the
Sects cannot be, abulwark against Rome. We
have the Catholic Faith withoutRome’s addi-

tions. We preserve to the Laity their rights
as Rome does not. We are a harbor of refuge
for a number of dissatisfied Romans, who

desire to be Americans and Catholics, but are

too intelligent to be longer papists. Should

our Church ever become, what it ought to be-

come, in holiness and worship, itwould attract

a large number ofRomans within its fold.

XVII. Another objection is this : Sectari-

ans say, sometimes, that the Church is world-

1 Rev. i. 1.

—

—



mbat is tbe Gburcb? 29

ly—because it does not forbid its members to
dance or play cards. Now the Church has her
own discipline and standard of life set forth

in the Prayer Book, which involves far greater

self-denial. But she does not forbid these par-

ticular things because we are not now under

thelaw, but under the Gospel .1 And under the

Gospel Christ gives us principles to act on,

and leaves the individual to apply them, each

for himself. The great principle is, that the

evil world is to each man whatever he finds

comes in between his soul and God, and sepa-

rates them. But each man must apply that

principle conscientiously for himself.

“ But you Church people are so illiberal,”

the sects say. “We are willing to recognize
you as Christians, but you do not recognize

us. We are willing to recognize your clergy,
but you do not recognize ours.” Now, dear

friends, you make a huge mistake. We do
recognize every baptized believer as a Christ-

ian, though we think he is depriving himself

ofmany means of Grace—Confirmation 2 and
others, by remaining where he is. And about

your ministers, we do recognize them to be,

what they themselves claim to be. They

claim to be Christian preachers—and so they
are. But they do not claim to be part of the

Illiberal.

1 Gal. y. 1 ; Rom. xiv. * Acts viii. 17, xiv. 6.



30 Wbat is tbe Gburcb?

Close

Communion.

threefold Order of Bishops, Priests and Dea-

cons, which have existed from Apostolic times,

or to have the powers of a Priest. Is it illib-

eral, then, to deny these ministers to be what

they themselves repudiate ?

“But if you Church people acknowledge

that we are Christians, why do you forbid

us to receive Communion in your Churches ?”

We do not. We should be glad if you came
always and received the Sacrament from us,

and were prepared for it by previously

receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost in Con-

firmation. But we should do a harm to your

souls if we allowed you to come, and did not

let you know that there is a difference be-

tween your communion and ours. Yours is

only a memorial service—this is what you
claim it to be, and we admit that it is so. It

is a memorial of a past event—the death of
Christ. In ours, by the Priest’s consecration

of the elements, and the power of the Holy

Spirit, Christ is really and truly present. We
receive His Body and Blood . 1 To come and

not discern that Body would do you a great

harm .2 It is out of love to you that we

would have you prepare by receiving Confir-

mation. Is that illiberal ? We have received

great spiritual gifts from Christ, and we must

1 S. Matt. xxvi. 26-29. 2 1 Cor. xi. 27.



Mbat is tbe Cbutcb? 31

guardthem for His sakeand yours. “ Liberal”

means “to make free with.” Aman maymake
free with what belongs to him. But the min-

istry and faith and the Sacraments do not

belong to us. They belong to Christ, and we

cannot make free with what is not our own.

But again—

“

I do not like your forms and Hituai and

ceremonies.” Well, then, why are you per- Cer€mony '

petually copying them ? Once you said, that

it was wrong to have handsome churches,

stained glass windows; that organs were a

contrivance of Satan; chanting was rank

popery
;
forms of every kind of worship was

a quenching of the Spirit. Now you have
them all in abundance. You see that your

old Mother Church has been right all along.

Maybe she is right in other matters which

you now object to. You once thought it

wrong to have a form of prayer—as not
praying with the Spirit. Then some wise

teacher among you noticed that S. Paul said

we must “sing,” as well as pray, with the

understanding and spirit .1 Well, how could

we sing without a hymn book or form, so

that all could unite in the singing ? And how

could there be united prayer unless there was

a form of prayer, so all could unite in the

praying ? For either those who listen to an

1 I Cor. xiv. 15.



32 Wbat is tbe Cburcb?

The sin of

schism*

extemporaneous prayer of their minister, just

listen to him and so do not pray at all, or

they adopt his words and so use a given form

of prayer. If, dear friend, you are thus get-

ting over some of your prejudices, why not

get over all of them ?

XVIII. Schism is a sin .1 It is only another

form of lawlessness. It is only another mani-

festation of disobedience and self-will. It is

man’s saying “my way is better than Christ’s

way.” “ Where one Church has had exclusive

sway,” it is argued, “that Church has inva-

riably become worldly and corrupt.” Was

the Church in the Apostles’ days when it was

one, worldly and corrupt? “Competition,”

it is said, “is as necessary in Church work as

in business.” And so there must be rival

sects, one saying “lam of Luther,” and “I

am of Wesley,” and “I of Calvin,” and “I of

Campbell,” and “I of Channing,” and “I of

Joe Smith.” “ Or,” it is claimed, “ the Church

that does not reach out in the present day

will not grow.” Was not the united Church

aggressive when the great missionaries in

early times brought whole nations to Christ?

Must we not, then, in the Master’s interests

say again, that schism is a sin? What the

human heart rebels against is submission.

1 1 Cor, xii. 25.



Mbat is tbe dburcb? 33

But what brings joy and peace unspeakable,

is heart surrender to Christ as our Saviour,

and to His Church as the organ in which He

lives, and through which He acts.

XVII. But lastly it may be said by dis- why unite

senters: “Why do not you Episcopalians if
church?

you want union for Christ’s sake, join Rome,

or come to us ? ” One reason is, we did not

go out from either of you; you in England

went out from us, and we ask you to come

home. And another reason is :—We can give
Romans all they have, and sectarians some-

thing more than they have
;
but you cannot

give us any divine and gospel gift that we do

not now possess.

We make no hard terms of Communion.
We say : Here is the ancient order of Church
government, and the Sacraments, and the

ancient Creeds. Accept them, and then you

can hold your own private opinion in things

unessential. Such opinions should not sepa-

rate Christians, and make them break up into

expensive and burdensome sects. If a number

of Methodist brethren come to the Church

and want to keep up their class meetings

—

why not ? They are at liberty to do so. A
good Congregationalist believes in conver-

sion. Thank God he does—so does the
Church, and would have all her children



34 Mbat is tbe Cburcb?

Conclusion.

know what vital piety is. A Baptist wants
to be immersed. Why should that lead to a
sect, and schism? The Church provides for

that mode of administering Baptism to any

who so desire. A Presbyterian believes him-
self to be one of the predestinated—well, so
long as it is a comfort to him and does not

separate him from another, who, like S. Paul,

fears that he may be a castaway
,

1 let him

hold hisown opinion. High and Low Church-
men kneel at the same altar, and emphasize

different aspects of the same truth, but are

brethren ofone household. Why should these
schismatic and expensive separate organiza-

tions continue, and so grieve Christ and

hinder His work? What, reader, God asks

you, are you going to do ? What prejudice,

and feeling, and old association will you not

lay as an offering at his feet ?

XVIII. Place again before you the fact

that Christcreated a spiritual organism which

is His Church. It is the New Creation .2 It is

being evolved out of the old order of nature.

It is to endure for Eternity. It is the sphere

of light and bliss and progressive union with

the Divine Life. This organism, One, Holy,

Catholic, and Apostolic, is in three different

II Cor. ix. 27. 2 II Cor. v. 17.



Mbat is tbe Gbutcb? 35

conditions. It is militant here on earth .1

It is progressive in its condition of rest and

purification .2 It is reigning in heaven with

Christ . 3 The spiritual organism has for its

Head Christ, who is not separate from her

but dwells in His Church, and who manifests

Himself in glory to His Saints in Paradise,

and to us on earth under the sacramental

veils which hide that glory in the Blessed

Eucharist. Christ is thus the living and ever-

present Head of His Church, which is His

Mystical Body and which will be His future

Bride.

Lift yourheart above the strife of tongues,

and let the vision of this wonderful organism

become real to you, and live in it. It is not

by living in the natural order your nature

will attain its happiness. It is not simply by

believing and trusting in Christ you attain

perfection. It is by becoming a stone of the

Living Temple, a member of the Church He

founded. Christ and the Holy Spirit dwell

within it. Enter it, ifyou do not now belong

to it
;
ifyou do, be amore true, loving, devoted

Churchman.

1 1 Tim. vi. 12.
2 Philip, i. 6 ; IS. Johti iii. 2.

3 Rev. xiv. 5.