Untitled - Electric Scotland

1863-67] THE REUNION OF CHRISTENDOM 485
with Rome is possible. Rome is too wise, and I think I may
say for at least ninety-nine out of every hundred of English
Churchmen, that they are too wise also. Archbishop Laud s
saying holds true still : that there can be no thought
with Rome till she becomes other than she is.
of union
"... And then as to schemes of union with the Oriental
Churches :
I am sure I wish they could come to anything. It
would be satisfactory indeed to see the Churches of the early
centuries, the venerable Patriarchates, the nurseries of great
P athers, returning to the vigour and earnestness of their youth,
and prizing that Gospel which it is the great privilege of some of
them to possess, written in the beautiful clearness of their own
ancient tongue. When we think what blessings the West has
received from the East, both of secular and religious civilisa
tion, no educated European but will desire to repay part of the
debt, and concur in any schemes by which the Christian East
may be benefited.
"
But when we come to projects of reuniting Christendom,
we are not to be hurried on by mere feelings of romance. Of
course we are not such children as to suppose that the real unity
of Christendom is to be secured by the clergy in Rome, Con
stantinople, and London wearing similarly coloured stoles. We
must ask calmly, but very seriously, howr far these Churches are
exerting themselves to escape from that idolatrous worship of the
Lord s mother which for centuries has made Christianity in those
regions despicable in the eyes both of Jews and Mahometans.
We must ask, also, what symptoms they are showing of a return
ing desire to teach the people out of the Holy Scriptures. There
can be no union on our part which overlooks the deadly sin of
idolatry and the concealment of the l
Scriptures."
A subsequent Chapter will show that in later years,
when he was in frequent intercourse, as Primate, with the
Oriental Churches, he was led to modify this rather hope
less view of their relation to ourselves, and that he came
to entertain for some of their Bishops a genuine and
inpathetic friendship, which found repeated expression
in his public utterance
1
-
Charge of 1866, pp. 55-61.
See, e.g. The Church of the Future, pp. 5-8.