But one thing is certain. No plan of re-union can succeed which is not based upon the clear teaching of Holy Scripture. “The Kingdom of Heaven” is there clearly described. First by the King Himself in His parables and discourses, before the Kingdom was yet founded; and then in the history of the Acts of the Apostles, which tells how the Kingdom or Church of Christ, which had been purchased with His own Blood, was set up under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. And inasmuch as no man, nor any body of men, can form a new “Kingdom of Heaven,” the only position which a Christian can hold, in agreement with Holy Scripture, is the position of a subject of that Kingdom which was so founded.
And when we call to mind that “The Kingdom of Heaven” extended to our own land, by the Providence of God, in early days, we see at once that our aim, as loyal subjects of the Lord Jesus Christ, must be to win back those who have separated from us, to act as fellow-soldiers with us in the one great army of our King, serving under the same flag and the same officers, and fighting with united energy for the glory of God.
But as in an earthly kingdom various opinions may be held by different persons and parties, and yet all may be loyal subjects of the same King, and earnestly advancing the well-being of the kingdom, so in the spiritual Kingdom of Messiah unity does not mean that all must think alike[21]. But there is one necessary condition, namely this,—the essential unity of the Kingdom must be kept in view. There can be but one “Kingdom of Heaven.” Consequently, to form separate and independent bodies cannot fail to cause confusion and weakness. To act in the Name of the King men must be united. If we, who call ourselves by the Name of Christ, desire to spread His Kingdom with the irresistible force which belongs to it, we must show to the world that we are all one in interests—in the common hope of Heaven; all one in faith—in the common belief in the love of God, as it is expressed in the work of redemption, through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; all one in Baptism into the great Name of the ever-Blessed Trinity; and, above all other bonds of union, all one in loyal devotion to the one Lord and King, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
FOOTNOTES:
[18] Let me beg every reader of these lines to pause here, and shoot up an arrow of prayer that God may lead men to think of the blessedness of being united, as sons of one Father, brethren of one family, subjects of one Kingdom. And I would ask those readers who may be, at present, living in outward separation from the Ancient Branch of Christ’s Church in this land, to consider with themselves what cause there is in their own case to justify, before God, such a separation from their Brethren in Christ.
[19] Consider also S. Paul’s earnest words, “Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, that there are contentions among you” (1 Cor. i. 2, 10, 11).
[20] A caution is perhaps needed here to prevent the reader from supposing that any re-union is advocated which would involve union with error. On the one hand, we must “stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free” (Gal. v. 1). We must firmly refuse to accept any other foundation than that of the Creeds, settled by an undivided Christendom. And on the other hand, we must set ourselves with equal firmness against allowing any “Shibboleth” (Judges xii. 6), made out of exaggerated views of particular doctrines, to cut off those who should be brethren, not only in name but in life.
[21] Truths are many-sided. Men may agree in their belief in truths, and yet hold different opinions concerning those truths. Just as men, who live on different sides of a mountain, all look upon the same mountain, and yet see different views of it; so men see different sides of a truth. To know a truth perfectly men must see it from every point of view. And the power of taking such comprehensive views of truths is granted to few, if any, here on earth. Probably this perfect knowledge is reserved for us in Heaven; when all, who have loved their Lord in sincerity, will find that their controversies with one another here on earth have been due to their imperfect knowledge and limited views of the truths of God.