THE SOUTH CHURCH. 49 



GOYERIsTMElSfT OF THE CHURCH. 



"Ye are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built 

 upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the 

 ■chief corner stone."— ^^jA. 3: 19-30. 



The local Cliurcli holds its charter of life from Christ, its 

 head, and is competent, under Christ, to choose and induct its 

 ofiQcers, admit and dismiss its members, exercise Christian dis- 

 cipline, administer the sacraments, conduct public worship, or- 

 ganize and maintain forms of Christian service, and do all other 

 acts necessary to the attainment of the ends for which a church 

 is established. 



While thus independent of external- control, every local 

 church is bound by the law of Christian love to seek to main- 

 tain relations of mutual fellowship, communion, and cooperation 

 with other churches walking in the truth of Christ, and to re- 

 alize that unity set before us in the prayer of our blessed Lord, 

 that we all may be one, and the world may believe in Him 

 whom the Father has sent. 



This Church is, therefore, Congregational, in that, while it 

 recognizes the fellowship of the churches, and seeks the unity of 

 the kingdom of God, it assumes under Christ the sole responsi- 

 bility of its own actions, resting in the wisdom and grace which 

 shall be given by the Holy Spirit to the whole brotherhood of 

 its believing members. While it controls its own affairs ac- 

 cording to its understanding of the Word of God, it will extend 

 to sister churches and expect from them, that communion, 

 counsel, sympathy, and aid, which the law of Christ demands. 



To promote good order and efficiency in its life and work, it 

 adopts the following 



