THE SIN OF SCHISM 85 



tian denominations should entirely cease 

 claiming the power of the keys ; leave off 

 being sects, and come up to their ideal as 

 only so many facets of the Holy Catholic 

 Church. I do not say that this renewed 

 sense of church is all that is needed in the 

 direction of church unity. I allege only 

 that this is our prime and generic necessity. 

 Denominational federation, or the exten- 

 sion of the historic episcopate, may follow ; 

 nay, something in the way of fuller organi- 

 zation will be sure to follow. But it is 

 useless to attempt reform in external or- 

 ganization among the churches till a 

 healthy ecclesiastical consciousness is born 

 again. Christendom needs once more the 

 old sense of love for all God's people by 

 all God's people. We are not enemies, 

 but friends. What unites us is far more 

 important than what divides. 



Nor is there necessarily any incompati- 

 bility between the fact of denominations 

 and the sense of catholicity. I would not 

 have denominations cease to be ; an at- 

 tempt to abolish them were equally foolish 

 and vain. But I would have each see it- 

 self in its right relations to the rest, lay 

 aside all arrogance and sense of superior- 



