UNITY WITHOUT UNIFORMITY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4874, 12 November 1894, Page 3

UNITY WITHOUT UNIFORMITY.

Masterton iftesleyan Church. Notwithstanding tho rain, there was a large congregation at tho Wesleyan Church last night, when the Rov. J. Dukes dealt with the above subject. He based his remarks upon Ephesians, 4th Chap,, 3rd verse, I contending that tho unity enjoined [was something deeper and more j lasting than mere superficiality of I organic or mechanical union. It was spiritual nud divine. The apostle did not aim at" sqnaring heads "so that each might bear to tho other the same relation as wooden blocks, but 'at tho practical idea of the unity of the Spirit, when all truo members of the Church of Christ, baptised into tho one Spirit, are brought into ■ tho closest fellowship with their Lord and with such other. The preacher claimed that tho existence of the various denominations, saved men from the intellectual degradation of playing traitor to their deepest convictions by remaining in connection with any church one day longer than they could conscientiously approve of her tenets,

The present apparent divisions of, not in, the Church of Christ, were the inevitable outcome of freedom of thought, If ecclesiasticism could have impressed religious thought wc should have had to the end, one universal church; but it would have been universal stagnation.

The Itev. gentlemen went on to say that in the various sections of the Church, working amicably together, we have averynearapproach to the mind and method of God, everywhere wo look we see that unity and not uniformity, is God's method in nature, It is a mere stretch of the imagination, altogether chimerical, oven tosnppose the nonexistence of denpminationalism. Wo can no more retrograde to that elate than we cau go back to the old coaching days. This narrow minded spirit, which would compel every man to see alike is condemned by the word of God, and by no less an authority than the Master Himself, (see Mark 9th Oh., 38th verse). Tlio presentorder of things in tho Church of God is good, because it promotes a healthy rivalry among the various Christian communities, By it they are provoked to love and to good works. What was the state of religion and morals prior to the rising of the Bcfomiation's morning] star? Unrelatablo in a mixed assembly. What was the slate of religion when an intolerant ecclesiastical system earned thp Conventicles Act and the Five Mile Act through both Houses of the legislature ? Sad indeed! These were the days when those who dissented from the State Church wero hardly suffered to live, ~ -. 0 bo a sorry day for the 1 V , -nd for the world if any Church a. ..„ (wml i dora £ section becam. p J f human nature—that no ~, ~ could be safely entrusted v WIWI

power. The various Churches find work for all classes of workers to do, and by these means many- moro are reached. It may as well be conceded by all tho Churches at once—for it is true—that no one Church in Christendom can adapt itself to all the mental idiosyncrasies of men, It is not then foranybody of Christians to look askanco at another, because its summary ot doctrine somewhat differs, but it is for all, standing on a New Testament platform, actuated by,a common love to Christ and each other, to go out into the world seeking the lost. ; . '

Denoininationalism kept within certain rational limits, is promotive of real Christian unity, In John 17th chaptoi',2o verse,Ohrist did not pray for mechanical union, as though all men's minds were cast in the same mould, but as Dean Alford has well and wisely said:—" This unity has its true and only ground in faith iu Christ, through the word of God as delivered by the Apostles, and is therefore then mere outward uniformity, nor can such uniformity produce it, At the samo time its efforts are to be real audvisible,such as the world may see them," And this real spiritual unity does not involve the abandonment of any distinctive principles held by the various Churches, but an understanding suggosted by Christian love and courtesy, that we will put our differences—which are few-in a bag behind our backs, and our points of agreement—which are many-in a conspicuous place bofore our eyes, The preacher deeply deplored the exceeding follies of ultra-denomina-tionalism, and in conclusion quoted the noble words of Archdeacon Farrar, in Westminster Abbey : " The articles which I accepted at my ordination taught me that the visiblo church of Christ is a congie gation of faithful men, wherein the pure word of God is preached, and the Sacraments are duly administered, and I for one even if I were to stand alone, would still repudiato and protest! against the un-catholio teaching: which would pretend to do what it cannot do, by un-churching any who love the Lord Jesus Christ iu sincerity and in truth."