THE UNION OF THE CHURCHES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9117, 30 May 1895, Page 6

THE UNION OF THE CHURCHES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sib, —I certainly did infer that my friend •** Verax" had arrived, as far as a Protestant Agnostic could arrive, at(a more or less satisfactory conclusion with respect to the dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church. On reading his letter again, as advised by him, 1 confess that I fall again into the same error. However, my mistake affects the question of the union of the Churches hut little, as I instanced the Roman teaching and practices as being in my judgment one of tne great difficulties in the way of au united Christendom, that Church in my judgment erring in the direction of excess (superstitio). May I ask you to allow mc t9*..-§Pggest questions to " Verax," by him would enable mc thVfflitter to-t-Etierstand the drift of his last letter? ■

1. What means should a persou take in order to find Out whether the dogmas of any Church will mosb sabisfacborily "strengthen his good resolves ?"

2. Can ** Verax " provide any table or tables as suitable for directing the course of persons' conduct in life which may be consulted with the same ease and accurate results, at the same time being as generally accepted by mankind, as tbe table of logarithms?

3. Does "Verax" think it possible to secure satisfactory results in the way of " strengthening good resolves," even if such tables were consulted by persons who not only have no knowledge of their rationale, but who have had no adequate training in the method of applying their guidauce ? 4. .Would nob an united Church of Christ, teaching men to apply rightly the directions of the Word of God, save many persons from the impracticable attempt to search out for themselves all mysteries and all knowledge ?

If "Verax" is of opinion that it would be better to escape from the mental condition of a " Protestant Agnostic," by accepting dogma put forth by an authority to which all men ought to bow, then I agree with him, but to accept without considoration the dogmas of any Cnurch in the present state of a divided Christendom would be unwise, and to find out by one's own experience which Church would most help to strengthen one's good resolves seems a task for which an ordinary lifetime would scarcely avail.

I am satisfied to be a member of a National Church which asks mc to accept as her dogmas, necessary to salvation, only what is read in tho Holy Scriptures, or may be proved thereby.—Yours, &c, E. R. Otway. TO THE EDITOR OP THE PRESS. Sir, —The reply of " Verax " in Friday'a Pkess tends to show how an admirable manner can condone debateable matter. I must admit that I felt the charm of style shown in the introduced allegory of the were-wolves in the wood. But, alas ! something within mc soon began to make use of the twin spurs, Why ? aud Wherefore? to such good purpose that I was forced to go ahead again. The scales being removed from my eyes, the following was evolved. Surely tbe men who lived near the forest would band themselves together, wage war upon the wolves, bring home their skins as trophies, and thus dispel the children's fears. I admit that the sophistries of the nurse might, psrhap;, ace as a palliative during early childhood, but still the other course woald be the-correct one, because it would effect acure. "Verax"' says:—--'What good does it do testing the foundations of our belief ?" And further on, " Take navigation as an illustration." Weil, I will. This is what Locke, the philosopher, says, "Itis of great use to the sailor to know the length ot his line, though he cannot with it fathom all the depths of the ocean."

In continuation, let n; review the utterances of some other leaders of men, which apply to this subject. Wordsworth says, '• We cannot feed this mind of ours by a wise passivenes9." Ciough says, " Say not, the struggle nought availeth." Professor Caird, LL.D., in his Giffo-d lecture on " The Evolution of Religion,"' says, "Evolution has made it possible for us to understand the errors of men iv the past as partial and germinating truths, &c." — Yours, &c , Pascal.