The Comprehensive Church: Or, Christian Unity and Ecclesiastical Union in ... - Thomas Hubbard Vail - Google Llibres

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CONTENTS.

No Christian Union without Ecclesiastical Unity-a Comprehensive

Church apparently impracticable-desired by all-one to be pro-

posed in this volume-principles of unity in the Apostolical and

Primitive Church-Roman Catholic and Protestant non-Episcopal

Churches all consolidated-not comprehensive-ought to return to

primitive principles-a bad habit of the public mind-the true idea

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The Church described in the New Testament as one-proved by Ephe-

Definition of Sectarism-what it is not-what it is-essentially hostile

No necessity for divisions in our day-apology for the Continental Re-

formers-reply to several alleged advantages of divisions and ob-

jections to unity-the Word of God decisive-importance of con-

sidering the subject-state of division a state of sin-indifference

the cause of its continuance-Christians should be in earnest to do

Evils of Sectarism-it disobeys a divine command-involves the con-

sequences 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 ob-

stacle to Christian Union

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There must be a Comprehensive Church-its fundamental principles-

determined by the nature and objects of the Church-universality

and unity-liberty and law-compromise and conformity-contrast

between the Comprehensive Church and sectarism,

Notice of certain denominational peculiarities- a Comprehensive

Church for our age and country practicable—no existing Christian

denominations should be excluded from the Comprehensive Church,

neither Protestant Episcopalians nor non-Episcopalians—a question

for pious non-Episcopalians,

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Is there now in the United States a Comprehensive Church, combin-

ing into one harmonious system the "distinctive peculiarities" of

all the denominations ?-Is it any Church of non-Episcopalians?—

Is it the Protestant Episcopal Church?—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

EXAMINATION OF THE PROTESTANT EFISCOPAL CHURCH, AS IT IS.

The Protestant Episcopal Church proposed as the Comprehensive

Church-proposition explicit-to be sustained by facts-the reader

invited to look at the outlines of the system of the Protestant Epis-

copal Church as a system for Christian and ecclesiastical unity-

examination to be distributed through twenty-one sections,

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,

SEC. II.-Members. Clergy and laity-always connected in ecclesias-

tical legislation and divine worship-Bishops commonly distin-

guished from the other clergy by their title of office-all Christians

may be members of the Protestant Episcopal Church,

SEO. III.-Territorial Divisions. The Protestant Episcopal Church

co-extensive with the United States-all one Church-its unity

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represented in the General Convention-DIOCESES the subdivisions

of the whole Church-represented in Diocesan Conventions-com-

bination, formation, size, and Episcopal charge of Dioceses-inde-

pendence of Dioceses-present number of Dioceses and Bishops-

PARISHES the subdivisions of Dioceses-independence and rights

of parishes-parochial officers--the territorial divisions of the

Protestant Episcopal Church convenient for unity, .

SEC. 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 cus-

toms-liberty in everything not defined by law-clear laws advan-

tageous for unity,

SEC. V.-Government. Democratical-representative. PARISH MEET-

INGS-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 lay delegates

to the Diocesan Conventions. DIOCESAN CONVENTIONS-their du-

ties and powers-meet annually-composed of clergy and laity-

mode of conducting business-the Bishop the chairman-elect

standing committees-duties of these committees-elect clerical

and lay deputies to the General Convention. GENERAL CONVEN-

TION-its duties and powers to provide general legislation and pro-

mote unity-composed of bishops, clergy, and laity-meets trien-

nially-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.

COMMENTS-analogy between the ecclesiastical institutions of the

Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States and the civil in-

stitutions of the United States-government of the Protestant

Episcopal Church very comprehensive-primitive-combines the

three elements, the Episcopal, the Presbyterial, the Congrega-

tional-a just system-broad enough to unite all Christians, .

SEO. VI.-Ordination and Duties of Ministers. Three orders or de-

grees 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 doc-

trine, discipline, and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church

-duties of ministers-explained in the ordinals-as commonly un-

derstood-scope and variety of clerical influence-the judgment of

all denominations here approved,

SEC. VII. Rights of the Bishops and Clergy. Each order has a sep-

arate right in legislation-a right to fulfil its duty without restraint

-ordinary rights-those of the clergy well understood-those of

the bishops misunderstood-proper to explain-their rights all de-

fined 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 trustworthy men-elected for this reason-we appeal

to their character-are thankful for them-the system of the Prot-

estant Episcopal Church a medium between extremes-invites to

SEC. VIII.-Admission to the Sacraments. Principles of Church mem-

bership important-two sacraments-admission to baptism-re-

quisites-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 confir-

mation, which is the resumption of the baptismal obligation-sac-

raments 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 pun-

ishment 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,

SEC. IX.-Creeds. Enumeration of the creeds of the Protestant Epis-

copal 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

are adopted by the majority of the whole Church in the Gen-

eral Convention-the benefit of the creeds-why the Church re-

quires any creed-no other, more minute and explicit than the

Apostles' Creed, ought to be required for admission to the sacra-

ments-the system of the Protestant Episcopal Church in regard to

her 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 affec-

tionately and forbearingly,

SEC. 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 ar-

ticle-controversies concerning them-formerly-now ceased-ben-

efit of the controversy-history of the Articles-their sense in the

English Church-to be literally and liberally interpreted-quota-

tions 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 Epis-

copal Church well arranged to unite all Christians of all opposing

views on these subjects,

SEC. 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-Occa-

sions 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-de-

fended-open to improvement-present principles just-proper to

an all-embracing Church, .

SEC. XII.-Public Worship. In the Protestant Episcopal Church by

precomposed 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 many of the pious

and intelligent non-Episcopal clergy, and by many of their lay-

men, in our country-the festivals and fasts of the Protestant Epis-

copal Church observed in many denominations-the reading of the

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