CHRISTIAN UNITY.
Very few men have more earnestly desired and
longed for Christian unity than the writer of this
article. For years it has been with me an object
of prayer and effort.' I seldom fail, in-the public
worship of God’s house to confess the sin of God’s
Church and people in the manifold divisions of
Christendom, and to unite with our Lord himself
in a petition for unity. I deplore the existence
of sects as a hinderance to the spread of the Gos
pel, and hold that their origin, and continuance
ate to be repented of as sins against God; I have j
no faith in the theory that the different sects are
specially suited to different classes of men, and
are therefore a blessing. Mr. Thorn, an English
Unitarian preacher, in his commentary on Corin
thiaus; says that St. Paul speaks of three classes
of men- —carnal men, natural or animal men, and
Spiritual men —-and that , the various .denominar
tions adapt themselves to these various closes;
that the Romanists and Methodists adapt them-'
selves to the carnal men. He does not '.carry his
specification further, but leaves it to be inferred
that Unitarianism is- suited- to spiritual men, and
the remaining sects—say Presbyterians and Epis
copalians—gather up the natural men. This
sounds, indeed, like a joke, but is put forth by
the author in all seriousness, and is really quite
as tenable as any theory of adaptation of sects to
classes of men.
Presbyterianism, properly worked and consis
tently carried out, is adapted to the conversion
and spiritual training of all classes of men, and is
capable of conforming to all circumstances and
to the necessities of all sorts of minds and all
social classes, so far. as it is at all right for any
Christian denomination to undergo such adapta
tion.
Looking, then, upon division as a sin, I ear
nestly desire unity, and am prepared to make all
concessions of personal feeling, that it is not wrong
to make, in order to reach unity either of spirit
or of organization, and am always on the look-out
for any straws which show :a wind blowing in that
direction.
The new paper called The Church Union, is &
sign that, among Christian people, there is a very
strong desire for union or unity of Christ’s fol
lowers, and that some very wide : awake efforts are
to be made to secure au advance towards one or
the other of these desirable things.
The doctrinal basis proposed is in the Apostles’
and Nicene Creeds, and the immediate practical
object aimed at is “to secure, under God, an open
communion, and the recognition of one evangelical
ministty, by the interchange of pulpits, and,thus to
make visible the- unity of the. Church.” This is
the very least that any such movement could aim
at, and I cannot help asking myself, “ What
stands in the way of so much of unity as this
calls for?” ■
The answer is plain. The Episcopalian and
Baptist sects alone hinder any such unity as
this. This degree of unity already exists among
all other Protestant Christians, with trifling ex
ceptions. All that is necessary for those leading
this movement to do, is to persuade these two sects
to come into their scheme. All the rest of us are
already converted.
So far as there is any inherent and organic dif
ficulty in the case, it may be narrowed down to
that which the Baptist heresy occasions. With
the Episcopal Church, after all that has been said
about a certain obnoxious Canon, it is a matter of
personal opinion and practice among Episcopa
lian ministers, and not of laws and canons. To
one who knows the origin and history of that
canon, which has been made to carry so much
heavier shot than it was ever intended to, it is
difficult to believe that the high-church artillery
men who use it are quite honest in what they say
of its power; but, at any rate, the General Con
vention is quite as competent to erase it as it was
formerly to insert it.
The writer has frequently communed with
Episcopal clergymen, within the chancel, at the
altar, and the invitation was on the ground that,
as a minister of Christ, he had a right to be thus
recognized. He was once invited to do so when
a Bishop was present, if his memory rightly
serves him for the fifteen years since passed.
He once preached in an Episcopal church, for an
Episcopal minister, and the rector read the ser
vice before the sermon, in his usual way. The
writer has not heard that the “ Canon ” ever hurt
his Episcopal friend, who has since become a
Doctor of Divinity and rector of a prominent
church in a Southern city.
Besides this personal experience, I know a
Congregational clergyman, who preached in the
church where a Bishop, since dead, alas! usually
worshipped; the Bishop himself reading the ser
vice before the sermon and exhorting after it.
So, the difficulty with that denomination is not
denominational but personal,and so large a number
of its ministers might be brought to the practice
aimed at by this movement, as to leave the Bap
tists alone in their schism.
The difficulty, however, with this latter sect is
quite insuperable. It is in the very essential na
ture of the Baptist heresy. Open communion is
an absurdity, when it means communion with the
unbaptized. I would hot for a moment consider a
proposal to admit an unbaptized person to the
communion, and can I ask a Baptist so to stul
tify himself and ignore his own doctrine as to
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1867.
invite me to commune with him, while he be
lieves lam unbaptized ? I want no sham union
and no sham unify, and if I held the Baptist no
tion about immersion, I would no more receive a
PresbyteriaiPW the communion than I would now
receive a Quaker; and I would no more acknowl
edge Presbyterian or Episcopalian clergymen as
ordained, ministers than I would now invite Lucre
tia Mott to fill my pulpit.
Let us have unity indeed, but not at the ex
pense of principle, and let us not ask the Baptist
to ignore or be inconsistent with his own doc
trine. Let us not, either, make an outcry at his
“close Communion,” which is but faithfulness
to principle, until we are prepared to be “ open
coinmuhionists” ourselves; from which stupidity
may we be forever preserved! Let us war, not
with his close communion, but with his doctrine,
that immersion is baptism.
It has been quite the fashion, of late years, for
commentators who were ambitious to be thought
candid and liberal, tb concede to the Baptists that
baptism is immersion. The volumes, thus far
issued, of Lange’s Commentary, assume this or
assert it wherever the subj ect is presented. Dean
Stanley, in his charming books, does the same;
and so with others;..and yet these men continue
to practice both sprinkling and infant baptism.
Such inconsistencies T adi utterly unable’to com
prehend. If I believed what they teach, I would
be under the-water before a week should pass by.
My faith in such men is shaken—men who do
not follow their beliefs.
No, let us have’no unity—and strive to have
none—that cannot be in consistency with our
doctrine. How can two walk' together unless
they are agreed? ' Let the unity stop where the
agreement ends. But with the Baptists our end
must be at the beginning. We cannot go oiie step
together.
I have often rejoiced in the Catholic basis on
which our own Church stands. It is the very
position which is sought for so eagerly by this
new‘movement and new paper. ,We stretch out
our hands to all Christians with notheory to hinder
us, and no doctrine to be ignored,’arid no preju
dice to be overcome. In the town whbre I min
ister, Presbyterianism, ' Episcbpacy, 'Methodism,
and Baptism are each represented by a single
church. ■ The Episcopafiarrrrejects my orders, the
Baptist my baptism, and, if he is -consistent, the
Methodist denies my conversion. But, without
any inconsistency, and in perfect accordance with
Presbyterian principles, I can recognize the con
version,, the baptism, and the ordination of all. I
have nothing to change under this call for a
unity which shall show Christ’s Church to be
one.
The communion table is a test of true unity,
and. every thing short of that which brings clergy
and laity of the various names together, there is
a sham. One of the pleasantest incidents of my
life was a Christmas communion, in which Old
School and New School Presbyterian, German
Reformed, and Lutheran congregations, with
their pastors, participated. . '
Oh, that God would give us grace to begin this
work of spiritual and visible unity by uniting all
those denominations which can thus walk together
without inconsistency. Of course, it can never
be done on the basis of any system of philosophy,
or philosophical theology. It must be on the
basis of the Catholic Creeds, or of some sim
ple Gospel catechism, such as the Heidelberg,
leaving all the theological speculations to indi
vidual preference; with wide room to differ.
With such simple basis of unity, a wide union
might be formed, but with any more theological
foundation, even approaches to such union must
fail; as any body can see that the late movement
towards a re-union of divided Presbyterianism
must fail because the doctrine of the Extent of
the Atonement will be made a test.
Success, however, to all efforts to familiarize
the minds of the people with the idea of unity
or of union, and to lead men to feel how sad and
wicked a thing our divisions are, while we pre
pare ourselves to reject all mere shams which
make a show of union where there is no unity.
OUR CHURCH IN NEVADA.
[The following letter from Rev. Wm. M. Mar
tin, of Virginia City, Nevada, will be read with
profound interest and gratification.]
Virginia, Nevada, Jan. 19, 1867.
God has favored us, indeed. We have com
pleted and dedicated a most admirable and invit
ing church edifice, in the most central and beau
tiful pointof this city, opposite “ Wells & Fargo’s”
office—acknowledged by all that in situation,
adaptation, attraction, and success, there has been
no Church enterprise to compare with it this side
of the Sierras.
What is best of all, it is fully paid for —not a
dollar from beginning to ending lacking to fulfil
the contract. So popular an effort does not exist
on this coast. In San Francisco and Virginia,
the business men have given us their hands,
hearts, money, and gratitude. As we have had
the drawing of all the plans, the collection of all
the funds, the oversight of all the work and the
payment of all the bills, it has been a work of
extraordinary tax to body, mind, and time. But
it has won for us and the Master the minds and
hearts of so many —the change already wrought
in this community is so great, that we are paid a
thousand times. And yet God has done it all.
Bis blessing has followed our every step, —Ms
guidance has led us wholly. The most ungodly
men have said daily that God was in every thing
we did. He has so disposed the hearts of men
that those of all classes who have disregarded
everything religious, are now coming to church,
not only, hW; There is a radical change coming
over the entire population. People of all classes
speak of the transition. We have never seen the
like in this city. There is a great blessing in
store for this people, and all say that this effort
hfts been; the means, tinder God, of producing it.
There is a marked evidence at this time that
the Holy Spirit is moving the people of all classes
to a special attention to divine things. We have
kept the week of prayer and are following it up
with union meetings every evening. Our efforts
have begun to show their effects upon other
churches, and we look for a general revival in
this whole'region.
Although the people have had such a strain to
pay for the erection, they will be free and self
sustaining after the first of April.
Now, too, the Comstock [mining property] is
developing better than at any former period. The
companies are sinking d.eep shafts, and finding
immense bodies of valuable ore at great depths.
The leading Mining Boards are eohtibuting'bne
hundred thousand each to the Siitro Tunnel which
will now be constructed, it is supposed, draining
the lode at 1800 fbet from B.'street.
Thus, you see, our church and city are, as
suming all the importance we suggested they
would. A great future is before this city and
State. All we need is the Pacific Railroad; which
will soon he completed. With Virginia and
Austin self-sustaining, the Home Missionary
Committee will be so relieved that we trust they
will give brother White a commission as Presby
terial Missionary to go to the Philadelphia dis
trict, Paranagat, and other points where unmis
takably permanent lodes, like the Comstock, are
gathering large and stable populations. His
thorough search and experience fit him for this
work. Besides, his influence with those engaged
in these enterprises, with all its geographical and
other characteristics and interests is: unequalled,
He eatt be substituted at Carson-, and do a work
in the State which will-secure the future of Ne
vada to us. ■
: The money and the men needed—the interest
of the churches East and of the General Assem
bly in this vast coast—our present status and
future importance , the voice of our Synod and
State must be objects tef special moment NOW, if
our branch: of the-Church is to reap the:fruits:of
what has been and -may yet be: sown. .
TFe are having a -Pentecostal blessing on the
coast. Brother Earle’s labors are every where
blessed. We hope to get him here, also.
The want, of some provision for bringing into
activity as,speakers for Christ, and -clothing with
status in the church, a class of laymen well quali T
fied in heart, knowledge and gifts, who may still
rely upon their regular secular vocations for sup
port, is becoming more and more felt. An illus
trative case is now in hand. An effort, so far
successful, has been made to gather afternoon
Sabbath congregations from the masses, in a hall
at the corner of Fourth and George Streets. The
preaching must, necessarily be gratuitous—so, at
least, I understand; and. the.services of ministers
of different evangelical denominations are invoked.
In saying that the effort is so far successful, I have
regard to the readiness of people to attend, and the
encouragement to expect great good'. But I am
told that there is fear of failure from the difficul
ty of procuring a steady supply of preaching from
the regular ministry, and that, a few Sabbaths
since, in the face of a. congregation of several
hundred, the question-of disco'htmuance, for that
cause alone, was seriously discussed. This dif
ficulty does not surprise me. Ministers fitted
for that peculiar work are not so very scarce;
but they are almost all overworked now. • Their
regular duties, with the'many extra ones immedi
ately connected, fill their hands, and with all
their willingness of spirit to accept more, they
find that there are limits to time and strength.
The city of Philadelphia is largely'blessed
with Christian laymen of just the standing, char
acter, talents and devotion, to go to such places,
and preach the gospel—not merely conduct the
devotional service, and “ say a few words,” but
formally preach Christ to the world. Half a
dozen or less of them could easily arrange for the
constant Bupply of this new enterprise, and other
half-dozens could find other just as good locations,
and go and do likewise.
Beverly.
It may be said there is nothing to hinder them
from doing it now—no constitutional prohibition,
and no occasion tio expect censure. True, but
there is, under our present ecclesiastical system,
no calling them to'such fields, no laying of this
responsibility upofr them, and nothing to make
them feel themselves clothed with the character
of preachers of the' Word, and men who are ex
pected to do it. further, say what we will of the
facility which unlicensed speakers have to get at
people , God does put this honor upon the ap
pointed ministry, that, as a general thing among
all classes, the word of truth from the lips of one
known as an authorized preacher of the gospel,
secures a reverence and influence which no other
speaker can impart, to it. The consciousness of
this will ever hold back from any attempt at
formal preaching niost of those Christian laymen
who are best qualified for it; and very much val
PERMANENT LICENTIATES.
uable service wifeliin easy reach will be lost to the
Church, unless there can be engrafted upon our
church polity a provision for licensing men who
are not expected to abandon their secular callings,
not as candidates for ordination, but as permanent
preachers of the Word. U. IT.
BOOKS TOR OUR S. S. LIBRARY.
WHAT SHALT. WE BUT, AND HOW FIND IT,
[Prepared under the direction of the Permanent Commit
' tee on Sabbath Schools.]
.This is a. question perpetually recurring; and
a feeling is rising of late that it needs to be more
carefully answered than it sometimes has been.
You want books that will be read, books that
will be read with profit, and books suitable to be
read on the Sabbath day.
Some books that contain much useful instruc
tion are So unattractive that they lie on' your
shelves useless lumber. Beware of the dull
books. - ,
Some books however that are quite attractive,
are very unprofitable. Some of them teach false
doctrine; many of them give false views of hu
man life; and a multitude of them are such that
one ban learn nothing useful by reading them.
Bewureof the unprofitable books.
Some books however are both interesting and
instructive which are'wot suitable for Sabbath
reading. Ifving’s works are good reading: so
are Macaujay’s essays but they are not Sabbath
reading. The children may derive instruction
from the Iloilo Books: but they are not religious
books, and of corn se are not to be read on the
Sabbath. Through our libraries we are teaching
the ehildren.what to readon/Sunday. jyWeoiyj;h|;
to teach them,.to read religious books; only on
that day.
How shall the right books be obtained? Bor
a little way the answer to this question is clear.
Look to the place where the book is published!
1. You may safely take, and will find it wi e
to take, all the juvenile list of our Publication
Committee.
2. Having exhausted that list go to that of the
Presbyterian Board of Publication. This is the
same to the Old School that our. committee is to
the New. Their list of children’s books is larger
than ours and but for a. few volumes a little
heavy perhaps, would be perfectly ’unexceptiona
ble. Our schools have not been directed much
to this source of supply but they will find 'it
worthy their attention.
3. The publications of the Massacbusetts^Sab
bath School .Society will be found excellent, if a
little' care be taken to avoid some dull volumes
they sometimes sell. The same may be said of
the American Tract Society. Their sin in' the
matter of children’s books is , seldom anything
more serious than stupidity. -Heavy memoirs
put up in unattractive style will not answer in
these days. .
4. The books of the American Sunday School
Union are commonly taken without question.
Their later publications are very attractive, and
if not all religious, they are at least a story with
a moral. The poor boy in the street who has
lost his mother and who becomes very good after
a while, figures pretty largely, and we advise' that
he be left tc rest awhile. If sufficient time be
taken, a good selection may be made from the
books of the Union, but they can not he recom
mended indiscriminately.
5. Books of the Baptist, Methodist, and Epis
copal Boards are sometimes suitable for our
schools, but there is very liable to he something
in them contrary to our Presbyterian faith.
Books ought not to be put into our libraries which
teach children that there is no proper mode of
baptism except immersion, nor boobs that pro
nounce all baptized children “little Christians.”
No book from these boards should go into our
schools except it has been carefully read through.
The exceptionable passage is sometimes hidden in
the corner.
6. As to the better known publishing houses,
much the same must be said. The bojks must
be thoroughly examined.
Our Committee of Publication make selections
from these various sources if desired, but unless
they have time thoroughly to examine what they
recommend, we must do it for ourselves. As soon
as our General Assembly’s Committee on Sabbath
schools gets in working order, a list of books will
be made out, on the principles above stated, for
the assistance of all who desire to purchase.
Books will be examined thoroughly, and placed
on the list if found worthy. Gradually our cat
alogue will grow: increased by additions from all
sources. Then we shall have something to be
depended on.
Meanwhile to obtain attractive, instructive, re
ligious books, for Sabbath schools, go first to our
own committee, next to the Presbyterian Board,
and for the rest examine carefully, especially if
you venture upon the publications of other de
nominations.
A great cry is going up for new books in our
libraries. Another great cry is going up against
unsuitable hooks. An immense amount of trash
is put in circulation through our Sabbath schools
—some of it useless, some positively injurious
The evil must he met. We must take it up
r
Cannot decide until Christ and
his Church are completely victorious, will
remam m doubt until the judgment arrives
Hence the neutral policy of waiting is not
recognized m the Kingdom of Christ'—
Lange s Com . on Gamaliel.— Acts 5: 88.
LET TEE FROM BTEFAFO CEBEGHINO,
Favaie, Italy, Dee., Ist, 1866
Dear Brother. —Our church, eclmolj an j
orphans, for twelve years have been, and still are.
struggling for existence in the face of the cm
mies’of the true gospel, the priests and their fol
lowers. Yet God keeps our hearts full of hope,
and daily we go and sow the good seed : and
where we cannot sow the seed, we try to enrich
the field, so that when new workers arrive in
these regions, the good fruits may soon be reaped
In 1852, when we were imprisoned, the priests
preached to the people that we, like Luther and
Calvin, were inspired byj the devil; but the truth
shines. Many converts'-are added to OHr congre
gation in Favale, at Koccatagliata, and several
other places where I preach. And those people
and children, who, at first, used to persecute us
and call ua mad men;’guided by the devil, now
come to our schools to be taught. Havirg
first learned themselv;ep, they go home with the
Bible, and” teach others the truth who become
true Christians. .
But these devoted souls are poor, and to over
come their wants and difficulties, I ought to help
them in their need, especially in winter, when
they have neither means , of subsistence Dor
work. If they had. work at the time of their
conversion, they are discharged by the influence
of the priests against them.
Thankful am I, $a well as those who have re
ceived help iu the past, from the dear American
brothers and [sisters in Jesus through you. T
hope they will not forget ns this winter, after the
desolation of war which has lately closed in this
country, and which Iwe hope will prove to be a
great blessing in promoting the cause of our
dear Saviour, in this beautiful, but ignorant ami
priest-ridden land.
I am your brother,
StefanoGereuliino, pastor.
DEATH OF KEY. DE. GOODELL.
Asad bereavement has fallen upon the Church,
the sudden death of Rev. Wm. Goodell, D. IX,
late missionary of the American Board at Con
stantinople. He died on Monday evening, the
18th inst., at the residence of- his son, in Phila
delphia,'havingicompleted his seventy-fifth year
in his usual health, on Thursday last. He was
attacked with congestion of the lungs on Sunday
evening, was better on Monday and was about Ins
room. At six o’clock, P. M., he retired to liis
bed, said he felt tired and was afraid he shouhl
pass a;restless night; but in a few moments he
turned upon his side, and gently breathed out his
spirit.
Dr. Goodell was one of the most widely known
and one of the most useful and beloved of the
many eminent missionaries'of-the cross who have
gone from this to other,lands.. He was born at
Templeton, Mass., Feb. 14, 179,2, was graduated
at Dartmouth College in the class of 1817, ami
at Andover. Theological Seminary in 1820. lie
was ordained at New Haven, Conn., September
12th, 1822, and embarked, with Mrs. Goodell, at
New. York, December 9th. ....He arrived at Malta.
January 21st, 1823, where he spent nine months
studying ,the languages of the East. Leaving
Malta, he arrived at Beiroot, November 16th.
1823, and remained there about five years, where
he passed through great perils, the town being
plundered and devastated, hisown house sacked by
the Bedouin Arabs and his life threatened, lie
removed to Constantinople in 1831, where he
passed through other perils, his house and every
thing it contained being destroyed in one of the
general conflagrations, Dr. Goodell and his family
escjpiug only with their lives, .the very clothing
which they wore being several times on fire, ow
ing to the intense heat of the flames by which
they were surrounded. Often during his resi
dence im Constantinople they -passed in safety
through the dangers of the plague, at one time
as many as fifteen hundred dying daily around
them. He was spared to complete his life work
and reiurn to this country.
‘f*’ Constantinople, besides performing
all the ordinary labors of a missionary, he trans
lated the entire. Scriptures out of the original
Hebrew and Greek into: the Anneno-Turkish
language completing the old Testament Novem
ber bth, 1841, and the New Testament, within
less -than two years after: He completed a
thorough revision of this greatwork in-February.
Dr. Goodell, having become enfeebled by age
and his long residence and labors in the Kart,
his constitution never being strong, returned in
18bo to this country with the wife of his youth,
who survives him and took -up his residence with
his son, U ilhaui Goodell, M. D., at Philadelphia,
where ms lovely and beloved spirit passed from
earth to heaven.— Af T. Observer.
TEE SHEEP KNOW HIS VOICE.
JX'"* s , hlce > a in India was ae
hrfoi i Bt?a i ins a shce P- Ho was brought
. i , e judge, and the supposed owner of
the sheep was aho present/ Both claimed
the sheep and had witnesses to prove their
o+tha 0 + that I l . t was not eas >' for the judge
to decide to which the sheep belonged
customs of the shepherds,
the sheep, the judge or
i s^ee P to be brought into court,
and sent one of the two men into another
room, while he told the other to call the
sheep and see if it would come to him. Hut
the poor animal, not knowing the “voice of
a stranger," would not go to him. In the
meantime the other man, who was in-the
nrnhlKi room, - growing; impatient, and
probabiy suspecting what was going on,
n a > ° f “chuck!” upon which the
m h S, funded away toward him at once.
C™ hack was the way in which he had
“ / sed call the sheep; and it was at
once decided that he was the real owner,
thus we have a beautiful illustration of John
‘ And the sheep follow him: fcr they know
lot V W'a A^ d a ganger they will not fol
ow, hut flee from him: for they know not
Iht P^ e Q°u f Lid, “I am
. i Shepherd, and know my sheep, and
am known of mine."