174 CHURCH UNITY 



This indicates a clear recognition of the 

 apostolic distinction between things of 

 primitive and permanent appointment and 

 tilings ahidfyopa. 



"(4) That this Church does not seek to 

 absorb other Communions, but rather, co- 

 operating with them on the basis of a common 

 Faith and Order to discountenance schism, to 

 heal the wounds of the Body of Christ, and 

 to promote the charity which is the chief of 

 Christian graces and the visible manifesta- 

 tion of Christ to the world." 



These words explicitly recognize that 

 there is such a thing as schism ; but no less 

 clearly point out that its remedy is not to 

 be found in a narrow and mechanical uni- 

 formity. And then the Declaration pro- 

 ceeds : — 



"But, furthermore, ice do hereby affirm 

 that the Christian Unity now so earnestly 

 desired by the Memorialists (i. e. , those who 

 had memorialized the General Convention on 

 the subject of Christian Unity) can be restored 

 only by the return of all Christian Commun- 

 ions to the principles of Unity exemplified by 

 the undivided Catholic Church during the 

 first ages of its existence ; which principles 

 we believe to be the substantial deposit of 



