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THE COMPREHENSIVE CHURCH. 39
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 public thought 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
| Title | The comprehensive church |
| Creator | Vail, Thomas H. (Thomas Hubbard) |
| Publisher | Appleton |
| Place of Publication | New York |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000043 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | THE COMPREHENSIVE CHURCH. 39 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 public thought 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 |
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