Till: SIN OF SCHISM 97 



many intelligent writers seem to me to ex- 

 press themselves rashly. All have read 

 utterances to the effect that one sole ex- 

 ternal church organization ought to have 

 absolutely ecumenical application. I can- 

 not view it so. The United States need 

 not be bound together with Europe in 

 church organization. The spirit of true 

 catholicity must of course reach to the 

 ends of the earth; but nothing is to be 

 gained, and perhaps much would be lost, 

 by placing the whole Christian earth under 

 one ecclesiastical government, however sim- 

 ple and unauthoritative. Nor is it neces- 

 sary that your outer regime should be strin- 

 gently universal even within a given land 

 or State. If the visible union involves the 

 great majority of Christians ; if it is only 

 comprehensive enough to give the word 

 " Church " a clear and emphatic meaning 

 in the minds of all ; powerful enough to 

 form a hold for Christian thought and to 

 organize Christian work, — then a thin 

 fringe of schismatic growth about the great 

 ecclesiastical field can occasion no harm. 

 I feel that distinct provision should be made 

 for a liberty like this ; for there will always 

 be some whom the general church adminis- 



7 



