THE SIX OF SCUISM 89 



unchurch another. No church dignitary 

 would pretend, in the pupal sense, to bind 

 or to loose. 



Some model like this, it seems to me, 

 oucrht denominationalism to hold before 

 itself, as the goal for its advance. To a 

 goodly extent we realize it already, and if 

 the great commonalty of Protestant Chris- 

 tians were free to act out its best spirit 

 we should realize it perfectly. But there 

 still remains in the government of all 

 denominations a certain thought of author- 

 ity, an unvoiced but potent claim to the 

 power of the keys, an unclear yet positive 

 assumption of special ecclesiastical legiti- 

 macy, winch makes impossible that useful 

 harmony and co-operation which but for 

 tins we could so easily effect. More than 

 for all else do I blame Rome for ending 

 that beautiful old ecclesiastical develop- 

 ment to which I have alluded, introducing 

 the exercise of ecclesiastical power, and 

 so familiarizing the Church with it that 

 no denomination yet, however ultra its 

 Protestantism, has felt free to renounce 

 the assumption of it. 



I believe, no less than a papist, in the 

 organic unity of God's people ; for faith 



