What Is the Church? Author(s): F. A. S. Reviewed work(s): Source: The Sewanee Review, Vol. 1, No. 4 (Aug., 1893), pp.

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WHAT
long

IS THE

CHURCH?
pro newspaper religious is the Church? and re

NOT quested

to say in what spirit the in much made?not, seriousness?but, request perhaps, us with an air of from such a quarter, it struck coming we Is it possible, that after more than sixty said, novelty. of Christians lived and died in the faith, have generations and sixty generations of the most in the world learned men was thought what question felt that the and written the Church on the is? But subject, after have what it is still some been an open we reflection, in all se ought to

ago, a well-known the question: What posed an answer. It is impossible

have

Mystical Kingdom Body we replied at once; of Christ," of and, "The visible Church a congregation men in which of faithful is the pure Christ is preached, and the sacraments be duly admin word of God a cloud of to Christ's ordinance,"?while according rose forth under varying other answers, put circumstances, needed up before us; but each and all evidently definition, istered feel ourselves greatly helped. of Qur cogitation was, that, trite as the question on its face, we felt it to be one of the gravest seemed import ?one in this day of upheavals, for an that, really presses and we determined to do our best to make answer; explicit answers. in the above is implied think what we This we The result now in this con fact that arrests attention great There would be no place for the Church if is sin. then there were no sin in the world. is sin, and how What did it come into the world? there can be no For the faithful whatever Adam the came story as of to to the answer. Holy Scripture uprightness; as the recital tells us and of an lose his personal the fall be regarded proceed The first to do. and we did not

riousness; be. "The

well question might and we asked ourselves of God

put the answer "The

on earth;"

nection

doubt how whether

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What actual doubt dience

his race.

is

the Church?

439

fact, or that the of Adam let the

as

an

point

pure and simple, no one can allegory, of the story is to show that the disobe the calamity of sin upon him and

brought neo-critics

Now,

or other date, authorship, affirm that no scientific statement direful the moral did fail have truth notion it discloses. of a recognized There

as to the say what they may facts of this story, it is safe to can give better can be no good, and no form apart to the from and

evil, except in the beginning,

obligation; to such in disobedience whenever

personal

been, just as he is failing to be forbidden him ; and he knew or knows ing that which so sin came into the world, a daily fact in the and remains disobedience. of men, consciousness through on Whatever may be indulged metaphysical speculations ex in man, the subject of freedom the indisputable fact of us our to admit that, at least, we think to govern our own purposes, of the power in the daily exercise of such power. We

Man obligation. and wherever that may or accept to-day, by seizing

compels perience in possession selves and feel ourselves

that we are self-determining, have, thus, the same certainty as we have to be de that there is any self, or anything
termined.

of obligation, either self-im or compelled to from without, is absolutely necessary posed for one to commit the idea of good and evil, it is impossible a sinner, without the conscious violation sin, and so become Then since the consciousness of a recognized and so become, to be a right-doer, law; and it is impossible in so far, righteous, without the conscious such with Actual sin recognized obligation. of things, cannot be be forced upon any; and The bestowed

any. upon or of sin by another, sinner may be saved from the penalties of virtue, not the benefits he may have bestowed upon him his own, but in either case he remains what he was before. and defend the prerogative In short, if we are to recognize of freedom in man's nature, it is inconceivable that anyone

compliance in the nature cannot, or holiness rightness

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440
can become active But whose There word. evil,

The

Sewanee

Review. righteous, except frefe activity. therefore Then in which which moral. what we through the

or be made of his own are not senses

cooperation all free activities ends are We

are "good" two obvious mean

are moral.

those Only is "good"? may use this

may anything or development of "thing"?as causes or which any economic

the growth promotes the building up of tissue, or in aesthetic resulting change,

of good health, for-' We food, good good pleasure. speak and in general has value ; that is, min which tune, anything and general well-being of man. isters to the happiness These one or other of two heads?the or all fall under pleasurable the useful. human effort rise of these; system giving as its most in with Hobbes notable advocate Hedonism, as its most modern and Utilitarianism, with Bentham times; a number of notable Both systems, exponent. together with head? other philosophies, may be classed under the general selfism. The This seen of and others. other is moral sense good, and of "good" finds is synonymous with virtue. never in the fore its essence, to self, but in the betterment Attempts in each have of been made to find the end of all to the

or self-ad Self-satisfaction, or in of any sort, at the cost of another's well-being, vantage sense of one's to another, of obligation violation is evil. two are contradictories. The looks inward, and in Selfness its ultimate in its highest obligation; self cannot at nature term for no is idolatry; is worship. law can altruism In selfness looks and outward, there can be no

gain reckoned-upon is altruism. This

emanate from the self, which the action which has any time set aside. Any or personal mere ac satisfaction is purely gain as its motive, cannot and the rule of action be binding quisitive, longer is held to by the self. the foreseen advantage or altruistic In selfless, the flow is from within, volition, is a recognition of law laid upon the self There outward. and so obligation from an acknowledged emerges. authority, than The source of law with the child begins with parents and

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What masters, and rises through

is

the Church? the

441

But society and government. from of law, which is the ground of all human law, proceeding in a His laws present themselves the ultimate Lawgiver. and esoteric two-fold order?exoteric (from without), (from of determinism, the limited, One is the phase the within). fixed?the creative. Now hands voice coin: other The Nature, rewards and is the phase of freedom, the uncaused one we may call Nature, the other Spirit. in her with her fixed and rigid order, bears and punishments, and open.1 Her visible in current pay It is mercantile of a desire does

of all human law in stages one finds that there is a source

your this, and you shall have is, Do If you do it not, behold the rod! or, and mechanical. the bent One who follows it because he has an effort or another. That

makes form

in money,

of gratification. the promise One who of any sort does it because he expects return or power, in happiness in skill, in learning, in one He would and the does not, it is true, always get what mean be too much?that would saturation of his nature but he does get just what inform himself. takes he the

expects. entire satisfaction an end ises, if he be will at

to all effort: not

; it would put nature prom The plea of of arsenic, will not be Nature omnis and find no ex

ignorance under the conviction saved holds cient.

to pains One who avail.

a dose

that he is taking magnesia, on account of his ignorance. the consequences as if he were to the same account every man She gives with him to the power abundant warning into, inquire that she makes

out her ways,

ceptions. In the order using This them is the

we are but of Nature, to our own profit, rightly

the inflowing acquisitive, of the object and recipient self is consciously ence, are good, as we in a right The gifts sense, only good gifts. look from the gifts to the Giver?are good, because they are in which They
Mechanism

God's gifts? accepting or wrongly to our hurt. of man's exist phase

given.
1Cf.

bear

the

stamp

of altruism,
et passim.

God

being

the

and Personality,

p. 318,

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442
source cause not and

The

Sewanee

Review.

are good to us, be centre of their outflow. They meet and desires of our nature; the needs but they are but occasions in us, because and material of they

of morality in fault in all systems founded self-ism that they cannot rise above good in this reflected is, or borrowed sense. rest in good to man from God, They room for good in man and cannot find toward God logically a self-ordered and his neighbor outgo. through This and It outgo?this through which the lower phase is entitled of the exoteric law contradictory to us. In it the movement good alone to other?is the esoteric for phase, to reality. of Nature is outward

self-activity. The radical

is the exact

in its external from the

relation

to a recognized laid upon self, in obedience obligation in man of a free activity self. for the It is the exercise or glory of another, man being, in so far, an orig betterment a creator. less in degree, it cause, infinitely Though nature to that natural good which we have been is of kindred source. from the side of its divine considering, regarded inal That toward looked from God toward to man God and his fellow men. ; man, gives renders back to God. the prerogative God, as given him, by is the source of free and full of infinite power, absolutely all good. the image of his Creator, the prerogative Man, by And of self-activity, is the source of some good. just as all is the creative from the the world-gift, outgo good, man so the limited, is competent the little-good All-giver, is virtue; from self. This this to, is the purposive outgo is selflessness. natural In this light, we must utterly abandon the notion that man the exercise be made holy by any means of his beyond so own power of self-determinism. said nothing We have and so nothing of the one funda far of our emotive nature, can mental love. result could in the sphere of virtue? motive all-pervading mere in the world would of meaning discovery were If everything in nothing. there indifferent, and aversions must Desires be felt be no movement. and The man; God this looks from man

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What

is

the Church?

443

be for effort. There would before there can be any ground no from the grace and help of a "good will" apart possibility or desire of God in the movement, for good, giving rise to sense of obligation. the The man cover most from?that from?his that one can conceive him is, helping already sinful for his divine prerogative as possible toward saving to get the better of and re nature, with, at the same time,

respect ment in modern of what, shall best promote which in the sinner by the

of freedom, is the establish an environment, is called phrase, and enable an altruistic movement

exercise of of his divine power right This is just what Christ did in setting up self-determinism. his kingdom, the Church. are quietly in all this we But upon mystery assuming we have a fact which In personality admits of no mystery. explanation. consciousness to relegate and Mover; The chasm between the is impassable in thought. of the ultimate explanation and world physical are compelled We it all to an Infinite

to the faithful to be a satisfaction to it ought know that even Herbert the recognized of Spencer, exponent is clear that there is such an ultimate agnostic philosophy, source "and science reached "I held at the of all phenomena. to hold, that the inscrutable continue in the he says, outset," existence which

as un to recognize last resort is compelled its deepest of matter, motion, by analysis thought, and feeling, stands toward our general of things conception as does the creative in substantially the same relation power asserted term not by theology." Undoubtedly in the work of this "inscrutable of how man is to be the highest possible existence" is reached saved from ; and it is that such in sin

in the problem only scrutable

but necessary to think conceivable, should toward establish power carry on the work for man the best possible for the right ing instrumentality of the supreme exercise of his nature in the upbuild element It is in this Christian Moreover, light faith?the we see that the funda Incarnation? in it the highest

ing of his personality. mental of the mystery a rational becomes fact.

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444

The

Sewanee

Review.

of the riddle of philosophy in all ages?How exemplification one many, one ? How can the Infinite is the and the many and the Finite, coexist? the Absolute the Relative and as contradictories, stand out in thought each being They the other is not; and yet there what is no object, no act of in which their harmony is not implied. Old as knowing Parmenides fled the wit and Heraclitus, in thought has baf this difficulty of man and yet no intellect with ; training to understand fails to see its practical the question, in fact. and human ele The divine everywhere Person is the doctrine of the fact fact of the of "Word made remain it must, the domain in the nature things, it is no understanding, of daily life, however far all others. we go Incarnation, as man, and the world the enter and upon a region of error. current The

enough solution ments flesh,"

in One

and while

in inexplicable more than irrational it stands in dignity

any other and wonder the came

above of into

fast, then, by Holding on to inquire why Christ he did among men; what which

and here we

thought of popular is, that the Son of God, moved teaching by com came into the world for man, to appease and satisfy passion the righteous of God the Father, come,, anger and, having to a shameful he submitted himself the pen death, paying

is full of confusion

as guilty, had no means to pay ; and man, alty which man, thus redeemed the price paid, has only to avail himself of by the benefits thereof by an act of faith, and to become holy by the transferrence to himself. is a naked form of statement, it is true, but not inten so enormously to the phase of doctrine devel of the transcendent merits of the Divine Victim This tionally oped tury. with set with

unjust cen of the sixteenth by the great upheaval religious at once how incompatible It will be perceived it is as and ethical the psychological facts of man's nature, in the outline just There Nor is it compatible given. is no foundation in the many by compassion,

forth

Holy declarations

Scripture. of our Lord that he was moved to become man. and volunteered

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What The love and

is

the Church?

445

for man of Jesus Christ is every compassion where is the prece but the love of the Father conspicuous, and fundamental dent truth of the whole gospel. Loving ever is the sole motive obedience the Divine Master which into the world. So far from coming he expressly affirms that he did not come of volunteering, "I proceeded himself: forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." he speaks Everywhere gives of himself for those error we resented become as lines sent. There is no warrant in which are of Milton, in Holy Scripture imbedded the popular the Almighty Father is rep to as a reason for his

are combating, where as calling upon the heavenly host for a volunteer as a ransom and suffer death for man. mortal

too much to say, perhaps, that this doctrine is of our day. for the wide-spread It has infidelity as necessary in the popular consciousness got itself lodged the object of attack to be believed ; and is accordingly by answerable unbelievers, Christianity direful consequences who, not being from the true which able to distinguish this pseudo in repudiating faith, it, and the follow from it, turn away from world or hate. as he He declares stu

It is not

obeyed in the ; and he only could have fulfilled, which of that mission, execution over against obedience the dis and complete he put perfect came and continues in the sin which obedience through of man nature the of man. We find to be thus the foundation a sound principle psychology of gospel as to sin and holiness. teaches But he tells us, not only of Christ just what that

the gospel altogether. The Son of Man was sent into the over and over again ; and specifically, was not anger mission love, pendous and love love of God love, through

the motive

of his

sent, but that he : "I must work of him that the work was sent to do a work it was his mission But what was the work which sent me." to submit himself not primarily ? Certainly to accomplish The and death death. to a shameful as a victim suffering of his work. as the awful came lay They consequences

he was

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446

The

Sewanee of as

Review. he was of his commanded to was

in the way necessarily do, and he submitted "obedient Then to be the unto what end death." was

the work a part

obedience?he

the work?

for which

he declared that which Surely he actu he was born?that which

ally accomplished?the addressed himself

of which quence of his tablishment

he systematically thing to which his whole life, and in conse throughout to death?namely, he was brought the es

one

on earth. "Art thou a king kingdom am a king. To this Thou then? it, because sayest (on) I end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the

to the truth." that I should bear witness world, of the work clear in the history of If there is anything and his kingdom. of his kingship it is the reality Jesus, Think of the facts. of heaven kingdom the multitude sion. As dient Son came declaring "The the Baptist John before Our Lord is at hand." appears to begin his mis about the Baptist, gathered

so he is the obe he is the obedient Son of God, his public work by sub and so he begins of Man, as man, to the divinely author constituted himself mitting an act of obedience to this last and great in ity among men, est prophet and under the law. a visible his that, He submits himself of baptism, and an audible He ness, comes and we receives from and on anointing of his mission to John's the Holy Ghost, out of heaven. in the wilder forth Jesus be of heaven for the first

certification

forth

solemn "From

are told

preparation that time

gan to preach, is at hand." In the Sermon time his

say, Repent, the Mount,

for the kingdom Christ discloses

are of the first words His authority. form of speech ; the absolutely imperative kingdom. not to destroy, but to fulfil that he comes warns the world and who shall be first who the multitude the law ; tells for the king them pray shall be last in his kingdom ; bids sovereign He uses to seek dom; one who cries will of it above unto him all that not every things, declaring do the shall enter it, but they who

the Father.

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What In his theme.1 tudes Of

is

the Church?

447

was his constant the kingdom subsequent teachings are express More simili than half of the parables of the kingdom, and all bear upon it directly. course it will be objected?and such is the unfortunate

of many all this is figurative, doctors?that that he teaching was speaking not a reality. of a spiritual kingdom, it was; and just for that reason real ; the more Spiritual from what it was not, as clearly appears followed. figurative In him David which the out came to which place, apart from the authority of heaven, Christ was the lineal son of King Jesus ; and so king of the Jews by hereditary right?a right at the close of his labors. he openly claimed first

If now we follow his acts, we shall see how systematically to the all-absorbing he gave objective conviction expression He gathers him. which about him, and possessed disciples out certain to whom of them he is to commit full singles them as he was sent, "to preach the king authority, sending and if he taught with he does not address dom;" authority, himself
personal

less

imperatively
He

to
uses

those
no

from Follow and

whom

he and them and

expects
entreaty.

obedience.

He

and Andrew, says to Peter He selects the Twelve the others. tles." them We into he appoints Afterward, forth to do his will. cannot We imitation mistake cannot of

"

persuasion?no

me," names seventy,"

so with "Apos sends

"other

numbers.

the significance of these acts and these think that the Son of Man would fall

the Jewish twelve tribes and polity?the so characteristic in Jewish the Sanhedrim, things history? the deepest without ; and surely we are not to think purpose in appointing of royalty prerogative a mere mimetic through spirit. But the time draws near when he is to bring his work on as to the reality must There be no doubt earth to a close. He is going to the royal city for the of his kingship. up He enters it now, not as a subject, but as a king. last time. that "ambassadors"
1 Cf. The Church Eclectic for January and February, 1892.

he

exercised

the

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448
With himself though ments the dreadful takes it be.

The

Sewanee

Review.

of death clearly before certainty him, he for a royal progress, order rude and simple The multitude themselves of their gar strip

to spread them in his way; while they cry, "Blessed be the King in the name of the Lord that cometh ! Hosanna to the Son of David!" But what and humility, he, the teacher of meekness really the cry is that comes from the people? There some that day who heard it with They indignation. rebuke but he answered, "Master, thy disciples;" should does

know were

hold their peace, imme the stones would out." And he had come near the when cry diately again, the priests and scribes, hearing this cry, called his Temple, a withering to it ; and, with attention rebuke, he again ac it. The had openly proclaimed him lowly Nazarene cepted and, as king; sion of the Temple He is, therefore, self the Great of God ! High Priest, he takes posses

said, "If these

a double had offense?he charged with made he had made himself himself Both God; King. are true; and he is to the truth!" In charges "witnessing he is invested with the Pretorium the royal purple, indeed, but He it is in scorn In derision thorns. and mockery. He is crowned ; but with a reed sceptre is thrust into his hands.

is anointed, but with knees bend spittle. Contemptuous to do him homage, and ribald hail him king. lips They wiser than they knew. wrought scene changes, The and he stands before the Roman Gov ernor. cannot to his death, Pilate believe that he will go self-confessed upon of denial will

the charge of making himself One king. word the desired% ground for his release. give He Pilate seeks it earnestly. asks him flatly, "Art thou a king answer The clear and distinct, then?" comes, "I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came
truth."

I into is sent

the world." forth

He

is bearing

"witness

unto

the

He him,

in Hebrew,

to Golgotha and Greek,

; and his confession goes with and Latin; and that title has

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What stood "Jesus After out before his the world

is

the Church?

449
stands, touch he had

of Nazareth

the ages, and still through of the Jews!" the King he resumes his instructions resurrection, He is risen had sent hath forth the Father from ambassadors; so send sent me,

ing the kingdom. said to them, "As and now giving that he them

them, his them last injunction in lays upon "All authority these mighty words, (e^ootrta) hath been given me in heaven and make and on earth ; go ye therefore, dis of all the nations, them into the name of the ciples baptizing he Father them and world!" of M!an, beginning his mission on earth by committing in divine obedience, ended his work that mission in the same into the hands of chosen men, who, were to continue his authority of obedience, in the spirit in s cula s culorum. kingdom, Thus that the Son Thus and far we have been of objective phase at the mystical for the strumentality the invisible phase with the external chiefly concerned of Christ: let us now the kingdom and subjective in factor of the divine salvation of the world. we In of are it was and of the Son and to observe all things I am with you alway, the Holy Ghost: teaching I commanded whatsover you, even unto the end of the of

pertaining meet him, when Galilee,

commandment, to the kingdom of God. as he had commanded

the dead, he appears to them and speaking And

I you;" to them, of things

finally the Apostles on a mountain in

lo,

glance of

even deeper mystery bered that a mystery

speaking to deal with the kingdom, than heretofore ; and let it be remem sense is not simply a in the theological though revealed In in explication. we must bear

but a truth which truth hard to understand, as a fact, is impossible of final and complete of mysteries, the Incarnation, that mystery mind

not the individual that Christ took up into his divinity, and thus, in of any one man, but the nature of all men; ity as in the beginning, a sense, he was all men?that, the whole so the second race was potentially in the first Adam, human the whole Adam human up into oneness again gathered 5

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450
race, Now, in essentia,

The and

Sewanee

Review. with the Divine Per

united

it forever

sonality. as a in the first place, Jesus his kingdom represents man must into which be born. A ruler of the living entity a member comes of the Sanhedrim, to him privately to Jews, about his doctrine. at once to speak of Christ begins inquire the kingdom. He tells this learned Jew that he must be born The answer to the same is a more declaration effect? specific " a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can Except not enter the kingdom of God." The Master then tells him that it is not a birth after the flesh, but of the Spirit ; and not wonder, him to the bids him pointing inexplicable his eyes every day; but for all that, this emi things before nent Jew cannot his amazement. He wonderingly repress can these things be?" "How But instead of soft exclaims, on to add the Master goes declarations, to what he has already said on the subject emphasis of the gospel. "new birth" ening his Again, dom with the Divine his own Master special of this again, or he cannot is astonished?how enter the kingdom of God. can a man be born when he Nicodemus is old ?

his king identifies everywhere so that we are born into him. ; person This is especially out in organic union with himself brought am the vine, ye are the branches: the parable of the vine?"I in me and I in him, the same beareth much he that abideth fruit." insists upon this mystical St. Paul everywhere union: " are one body in Christ." "As the body We who are many, and all the members is one, and hath many members, of the are one body; so also is Christ." Noth many, body, being than the identity of the person of ing could be more definite Christ and his kingdom. of the unity of Christ and his Church mystery brings once more with us face to face the wonder which underlies This all possible knowing?the to start back not avail committed its manifold "one" under and the "many;" but it the delusion that we are

will

not

to it in every way. How the self is one with and mechanical and organs functions psychic

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What

is the Church?

451

no one pre St. Paul uses in this connection), (the illustration How it is that the Son tends to know, nor yet to question. we cannot of Man and we are the "branches," is the "Vine" is; and that we shall fully know until we know what a vine not know until we know what is, and that can be "being" known We to the Ultimate are then made Knower members alone. of the kingdom of God, and and in that

so members in holy baptism; of Christ's Body, in some real though mystical sense; act, are born into Christ and we live in him, and he in us. But as men are born into to the order of nature of Adam, the humanity according (a so they for experience), belief mystery beyond except quite must ing It be born into to the order is not the divinity of grace. of the second Adam, accord

to be born into the natural however, enough, world live and grow in it; and so it is in the Body ; we must to its suste food is necessary of Christ. Life being given, our Lord nance tells us and sustenance is bread. ; Now, that Son such The he is the "true scene and before concourse Bread." This carries us back to that tremendous confounds as never at Capernaum, in which the multitude offends ears. fell upon human had been of people and had there the Carpenter's by declarations with the Master of

in again, He tells them that they follow their professed discipleship. but for what him not for himself, they think they can get do ; and he answers ask what from him. they must They on him, who had been "sent is to believe that their first work is that which cometh down that "the bread of God of God;" unto the world." and giveth life from heaven are thoroughly to this time the people with him, but a Up He goes on to say, " I is now to take place. change mighty am "not The They the bread of life"?"I but such and am a come down of him arrests not from that their to do my own will the will claim "Is ask heaven," sent me." attention. the son

great in the wilderness, the day before, had gathered the loaves. They

seen

the miracle enthusiastic

of magnitude to murmur, begin

this Jesus,

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452

The

Sewanee

Review. know ? How does

tells them Jesus but goes on to repeat the offense with serious came down from "I am the living bread which aggravations. eat of this bread, he shall if any man live forever: heaven; I will is my flesh, for the life yea and the bread which give not to murmur, of not that they strive the world." And tell he are now them is but the discontent there that is deep and furious. he Will reason for such excitement; such metaphorical forms of speech as is no He softens "How asking on further but nothing, can this man as give they us

we and mother of Joseph, whose father he now say, I came down out of heaven?"

using accustomed

to?

one with

his flesh

another, to eat?" he goes

I say unto you, Except ye eat and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves." knows that even his immediate The Master disciples shaken ; but the not think that he ble? and gross sense. then What he was ing where the flesh profiteth issue must be

to declare, "Verily, verily, the flesh of the Son of Man, are must

They fairly joined. in a literal speaks of his flesh and blood He this cause you to stum says: "Does the Son of Man ascend if ye should behold before? It is the that quickeneth ; Spirit words that I have spoken But they understood that

The nothing. are spirit, and are life." you the demands ; for it was then that the upon them still remained to desert him ; so much so, that, as he saw them began people "Will he said to the twelve, ye also go away?" departing, and great-hearted The Peter, who knew no better impetuous the mystery, how to explain than those who were departing unto but who believed A knew shall we go? and know few months for the Twelve, "Lord, him, answered And life. thou hast the words of eternal that the Son to whom we have

thou art the Holy One of God!" in the Twelve is with of Man later, as a servant, he has at Jerusalem. chamber the upper Arrayed the Apostles' and washed taken water feet; and now, resum tells infinite pathos, he sits down and, with ing his garments, and Lord, has set them an exam them that he, their Master should also serve, and that they whom ple of how the Master

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What he was

is

the Church?

453

should do to those over whom sending with authority were set as he had done to them ; ending with the sol they emn declaration: "He that receiveth I send, re whomsoever me ; and he that receiveth ceiveth him receiveth that me,
sent me."

And bers tims and were the

now

follows

the

culmination

of personal

act of his supreme union between him

obedience?the and the mem

of his kingdom. offered under

of whom the true Lamb, all vic He, were the Aaronic but types priesthood all priests who had gone before shadows ; he of whom and all who but adumbrations, have followed after are and ministers he makes oblation, The All-giver and that ; himself the Victim?himself ^one, satisfaction and sufficient full, perfect, for the sins of the whole

but missioners Priest;

sacrifice, world."

in his true manhood? gave himself our true divinity?an to the Fatherhood oblation of God; and to eat of this sacrifice, then he gives his disciples under the form of bread and wine: is my body"?"This "This is my a very true Bread The of selflessness ? blood." spirit of meat of perfect altruism?the obedience?has been commu nicated He from he command to the children makes of disobedience. by laying his and of me;" until the moment this an act of perpetual obligation "Do this in remembrance upon men, in that human is but Life his

this moment he

commends

on the cross, of obedience, upper chamber. and gospel, seals and There low before mission, gation his own

of the Father a passive real sacrifice The victim. as an act of his human will, was made in that and and death of the love are the true principles on the cross are but the event which must fol

upper chamber, life into the hands

suffering of their reality. testimonies one transcendent remains yet

the

his divine hands he has committed they, into whose the scope and power of the obli shall rightly know took of As in the beginning, laid upon them. God created elements into way, and formed Christ breathed higher it the breath Jesus of and the body of man, so now, only in life, has moulded the hii

afterward an infinitely

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454
man personalities unity

The he to be and the

Sewanee had

Review. out Body, the world, into a and now it must be of so, on the and While day of com the of in

chosen

spiritual animated, Pentecost, pletes

his Mystical

vivified, the Holy the work await of

illuminated; of God Spirit Father and

and

supplements of the Son.

the promise together disciples their ascended the Holy Ghost Lord, as of fire; and the mystical tongues minated Way, world inspired and the Truth, and with the the Spirit for Life,"

they had received descends upon them Body of Love the of Christ to be of

is illu "the the

salvation

even unto of Man, obedience ; the Son by perfect has finished the work he had been sent to accomplish. death, He has established of obedience, the kingdom the kingdom of men, love, through which and so for themselves obey, over of moved set by loving their sins of disobedience. against From that moment the Apostles understood can the Holy Ghost, in Christ obedience

the meaning the great commission ; and they went they had received forth in the power of the Spirit of God, to upbuild the Church in the salvation of men. We may now

it is that salvation see, in some sort, how and by Christ?is in and through in and through and by the as the physical two are one. The Church. Just body was the outward of the infinite principle of deter manifestation minism were the or limitation, exemplification extended principle the and his of human the no heart and mind and will less necessary and infin of determinism in the invisible and two together being the in of free

itely psychic mode of carnation activity

of actuality?these and universal of God;

men, same characteristics, is the perpetual contin exhibiting uance of the one only and ever-abiding of the Incarnation a unit by the esoteric and maintained bond Son of God, made these of the Holy Ghost. does not Space from sin serve and to point out with how any fulness is accomplished for all its penalties is Christ; but it seems which plain

in the universe

primordial principle so the Church among

salvation through

the Church,

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What enough, Eden, Adam that with it stands its "Thou

is to man shalt"

the Church? as to-day much and "Thou shalt the Garden

455
of

not," stood to in the beginning, and glorified. refined, spiritualized, in the world who have not now, and have those people With not had in the past, the Light of the Kingdom, the "Light that cometh into the world," with every man love and the sense of obligation the through the means'of what may Holy salvation, Spirit?all through be called not the less, the Natural of God?are Kingdom which the lighteth power of through Christ, makes vidual Law ther know. the Eternal which has Son. But the Revealed "Life and brought to salvation clear as of Kingdom to light," immortality

the way life, the requirements as well and the Gospel,

In the indi the day. are the same under the of God as upon know nei those who

to the best obedience and highest law they ; namely, In the kingdom of Christ the knowledge is immeas and the increased, urably responsibility proportionally to walk in the way are p?weful, and The motives greater. the all ?is end to be the new still accomplished light, and beauty, Brother"?the free, He must transcendent. and But opportunity King who has and must live a true subject his man, with for personal died for him in the

love of his

"Elder perfectly of God.

and repent past a change of mind and purpose. unfaithfulness, implies or turn away from evil?not He must be "con "convert" in the Authorized Ver verted." the mistranslation Happily and fully corrected in sion of the word Iraarpo^, is finally kingdom rebellion which about by the brought soon pass. ye converted," Except passive as little children," ex turn and become says our Lord?not or "be converted;" and so in all other cept ye be turned form is used. where the passive We may hope that places Version; form, "be must the unfortunate with In all obligation. or impulse the "new has confounded "conversion" soon be corrected. in the kingdom the work its phases, of man is of a mere Faith itself is not intellection passive mistake birth" will of the heart. It is largely under the control of which the New and the confusion

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456
the will, and a man

The

Sewanee

Review. for his the birth faith. The two and both

is answerable baptism, the Prayer, praise,

great sacraments?holy the holy eucharist, acts of obedience.

life-sustaining

sacrament, sacrament?are

self-examina meditation, and temperance are, all of tion, almsdeeds, purity, honesty, acts of pure volition. the Holy Ghost, them, in and through It is a simple fact that every man has within him his own of which he is himself inviolable kingdom king, with para thus to the sovereignty allegiance "the that the Master declares, has been said above of God kingdom in Christ. of God It is within is

mount

you."

If what

to, there seems no room oneness of the Church. and sess organic unity. as a kingdom As

is true, or in anywise assented for argument the essential touching As the Body of Christ, it must pos the kingdom, there can be no other; must come therefore, to devise primarily no man or inau

all rule and authority

its sovereign Lord?Jesus Christ?and, can have or combination of men the right

from

or order. No authority in the kingdom gurate either doctrine can be rightly of Christ exercised which has not been rightly committed. All this follows from the central truth we have been trying as the only to emphasize, the principle of obedience namely, back from sin to holiness. with this way possible Starting we have seen that the work essential of truth, psychological in conformity it was first his own obe the Son of Man with and following dience, dom of Christ which of the king the founding an imperative demand upon every lays race. To of the human individual say that there can be no in Christ and his kingdom, is only to say salvation except or righteousness of a there can be no good independently therefrom

or right will. in his To break the order of Christ or rule, is, therefore, in doctrine either to disobey, Church, from Christ. Once admit that new and, in so far, to depart not receiving in or churches?that is, churches authority good derly sequence was committed from those into whose hands by the sovereign Lord?admit, that authority we say, that

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What new churches can be

is

the Church? in

457

the world, and you at once the principle holiness is possible ; for destroy through which as to to follow one's own fancy, or one's own conclusions one would is not to obey; what and whatever origin prefer, set up ates remain But sion of in wilfulness so until it may is empty the end. of authority, ab initio, and must

be fairly asked, what is the order of transmis to a single this authority? confine our attention We us place ourselves at a period in the past, when, Let point. of all historians, the Christian by the concession priesthood or the world of three several consisted actually throughout ders, Bishops, of the fourth and Deacons, Then and century. no priest or deacon thereafter Priests, say, to be safe, at the end for more than a thousand

years him to send others. the

had never been which authority to them ? If it were committed granted (as in the light of that in the post-apostolic it cannot age, all pres history be) had equal authority to ordain, it was wholly lost through byters more cept and can never be regained than a thousand years; from the sovereign Head of committal by a new ex the

How, of authority principle an exercise teenth century

ever had authority given let us ask all those who recognize at all, could presbyters in the six

so long as the episcopal order retains its prerogative. Church, to take in the. reality of this kingdom It is from the failure finds such place in our day; and leads that mere subjectivism tiness We to the present divided and individualism return state of Christendom is called " and Broad." to that mis which

to our question, What is the Church? and can answer as at first, but it is hoped with not do better than on earth?the of God fuller meaning?The Mys kingdom Its office and use is the salvation of tical Body of Christ. men with from the disorder instrument of sin and from and the divine for the union its penalties. communion It is of man

him in the power of the Holy Ghost, Christ restoring and inspring in him the spirit of wor to spiritual soundness, the spirit of divine altruism. ship and adoration,
F. A. S.

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