56 CHURCII UNITY 



Methodist Episcopalians, by developing 

 an episcopate of their own. It would not 

 even be that they might secure a unifying 

 sanction to their church claims ; for such 

 a purpose other branches of the historic 

 episcopate might yet become available. 

 No ; it would simply be, because they loy- 

 ally and reverently recognize in the Anglo- 

 American episcopate the organic centre 

 and bond of American church unity ; be- 

 cause they believe that episcopate has a 

 great catholic mission, if not a scriptural 

 warrant, to promote such unity by legiti- 

 mating evangelical ministries where they 

 are not now recognized ; by giving all 

 denominations a ministry as catholic as it 

 is legitimate ; by knitting together ecclesi- 

 astical elements, Congregational, Presby- 

 terial, and Episcopal, which are now dis- 

 membered, and thus healing the wounds 

 in the body of Christ; in a word, by 

 everywhere restoring and completing the 

 one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. 



THE FEASIBLE EFFORT FOE UNITY. 



The discussion has left but little time 

 for the most practical part of the subject, 

 — the methods of promoting church unity 



