10 CHURCH UNITY 



rarily, from the very civilization to which 

 it has itself given birth ; surrounded by a 

 sceptical philosophy, a licentious art, and 

 a politic wholly of the earth earthy. Not 

 only thus surrounded by agnosticism, im- 

 morality, anarchism; but internally rent 

 and torn with sectarianism, rationalism, 

 formalism. Never before was there such 

 need of an organic consolidation of the 

 conservative forces of Chistianity. Never 

 before was there such need of an organic 

 compact of its aggressive forces. Never 

 before was there such need of presenting a 

 united Church to heathenism abroad and 

 to irreligion at home. In this light unity 

 appears simply indispensable to the Church 

 to enable it to accomplish its final earthly 

 mission as a teacher, conservator, and re- 

 generator of human society. 



These are some explanations of the unity 

 movement. There is truth in each of 

 them. All of them may be combined con- 

 sistently. We may view the movement as \ 

 at once a reconciliation of Christian tern- \ 

 peraments, a completion of Christian doc- \ 

 trine, a reaction from the sectarian results | 

 of the Reformation, and a necessity of 

 Chistian civilization; or we may attempt 



