78 QUAKER ASPECTS OF TRUTH 



unprejudiced observer can see at a glance that what they 

 have really built has not been in the least degree like a 

 sheep-fold* Rather has it been like a village pound for 

 the collection of stray animals, and in these pens or 

 pounds they have collected a few stray sheep to be sure, 

 but also many goats and not a few stray donkeys ♦ But 

 the true sheep will always fight shy of these artificial 

 sheep-pens, for ** where the Spirit of God is, there is 

 liberty,** and there can never be any true liberty within 

 high walls of creed and dogma ♦ And if men really 

 want to find a bond of union, which will once more re- 

 unite Christendom, they must look for it where the 

 Apostolic Church found it, in the Universal Fatherhood 

 of God, and the universal brotherhood of man* The 

 primitive Church was bound together as one because 

 its members were all loyal to Christ, and translated His 

 law of loving self-sacrifice into the language of everyday 

 life* We have had many translations of the Gospel 

 lately, but the translation which is most needed to-day, 

 is its translation into everyday life* 



Far be it from me to help to build another sheep-pen 

 or village pound* Indeed, after what I have already 

 said, it would ill-become me to do so* And yet my 

 address would seem very incomplete were I not to 

 conclude it by a little gentle advocacy of our Quaker 

 methods* If we remember what true fellowship is; 

 that it has nothing whatever to do with uniformity 

 either of belief or practice, but that it consists of unity of 

 spirit in the bond of peace, then I feel sure that however 

 strongly we hold our opinions, and however earnestly 

 we advocate them, we shall find that we have been 

 helping to build no mere sheep pen, but the Universal 

 Church of God* Let us then bear this in mind whilst 

 we ask ourselves the question, ** to what extent does 

 a Friends* meeting help us to realise the ideal of 

 worship ? ** 



