Untitled - Rore Sanctifica

The True Basis of Re-union. 295
ledging the blessings which an Union with the
Orthodox Church would confer, they must at
the same time ever indicate the only basis which
could possibly be accepted. What was received
by Christendom as Divine and unalterable,
when all Christians, in the sight of men as well
/ ^^
as of angels, were One, must be accepted on
every side before any section of Christendom
can propose with a chance of success, that all
Christians should become One once more. The
decisions of national Churches cannot bind the
conscience, and every national Church may
commit itself to theological error or inade
quately-stated
truth.* Their anchor is that
w^hich was anciently true, given by GOD,
accepted by the Orthodox everywhere, and
which can never be less than it was during the
session of the seventh most Holy Council.
This, as regards a basis for dogmatical agree
ment, is the first step towards inter-communion.
As to the active policy by which such a basis
could be mutually agreed upon, the golden pre
cedent of the Florentine Meeting stands out as
a beacon light in starless nights and rough
<_7 f_j ^3
weather, by which the storm-tossed may be
guided aright. Here the Latins come to our
aid. They agreed to meet the Orthodox on
equal terms, both from their own points of view,
needing to have and to give explanations. Each
* Vide Appendix II.