influence is pointed out. "Fitness" is declared to be the principle which should regulate all applications of art to Christian worship. It would require the whole of our space to do justice to this paper. We, therefore, must content ourselves with a passing reference to it, and this the more readily as we have already expressed our judgment on the main points involved in our notice of an essay on the same subject, which appears in a manifesto of a very different kind. As the Church rises in spirituality it becomes consciously superior to the false aids which mere art proposes to furnish; they are felt to be an intrusion, and a hindrance to true worship. The symbols and artistic forms which harmonize with the fellowship of the individual soul with God are those alone which should have a place in the Christian sanctuary. True devotion will here fix a proper limit.

Mr. Batchelor contributes an essay on the "Rule of Faith." Diversities of religious opinion are a necessity of human nature. The cessation of controversy in this domain is impossible. Periods of comparative repose occur, but only to be followed by the renewal of strife. It is not surprising that many should sigh for quiet, and endeavour to find it in ecclesiastical infallibility. Instead of unity and certainty they only find stagnation of thought. Have we a Divine Rule of Faith? We "must either be Protestants or Papists." Many able men vainly labour to rear their faith on the double foundation of the authority of God and the authority of man. The Bible as a whole is the sole and sufficient rule of faith and guide of the religious life. Its true meaning can only be ascertained by the light of the Spirit who gave it; and, therefore, a spiritual condition is necessary to its sound and safe interpretation. It is an old axiom that it is the heart, the conscience, that makes the theologian. A Bible-consciousness is required to make the Bible the rule of faith; and this is by no means the monopoly of any class or order. The Romanist and the Anglican declare that they have the authoritative interpretation of the inspired record. Tradition is their guide; but in their use of it they depart from the idea of the earliest fathers of the Church, who never intended to place human exposition on an equality with the Divine records, much less to exalt it above them. It was quite natural that men who listened to the apostles and their immediate successors should cite their sayings. With the lapse of time these sayings became vague and altogether uncertain. Abundance of occasion and opportunity arose for doctrinal divergences, and for the perversion of traditional knowledge. Ecclesiastical exegesis could no longer be relied upon; appeal to the inspired Word was the only course of safety. In the gradual deterioration in the Church's life, this safe course was superseded by the exaltation of human interpretation into another source and standard of Christian doctrine; and tradition was formally announced as the authoritative rule of Church-teaching. This false principle is here exposed by a variety of arguments. The doctrine of infallibility is also shown to be uncertain, delusive, and utterly subversive of the only true ground of faith.

44

** The Church and the Age." See this Magazine for 1870, p. 690. VOL. XVIII.-FIFTH SERIES.

The writer proceeds to deal with "confessions, creeds, and catechisms." A creed is "a declaration of those things most surely believed among us;" is a formulated interpretation of the Word of God. The great value of such formulas is recognized: "Exact representations of Christian doctrine as embodied in Church symbols are of great worth. They crystallize, as it were, into distinct and compendious forms the diffused results of prolonged inquiry and conflict. Creeds are an immense contribution to clearness of thought, and are condensed records of laborious and systematic study, by the greatest and the best of men, to arrive at the mind of God. In the main, orthodox creeds are the repositories of precious truths, ripened by the theological energy of the Church, and garnered for the service of the faithful. No one ought to disparage them." These creeds are held to be systematically abused, which occurs in all cases where they become authoritative and subscribed. As thus employed, they are opposed by Mr. Batchelor. His reasons do not appear to us to be conclusive. It is true the Bible contains no creed as such, and the Christian Church in its earliest days did not possess one. But the fact that the Church found itself compelled to frame a creed as a defence against destructive error, points in one direction only. There are certain truths which require to be accepted in order to the existence of a Christian Church; and the best modes of formulating-of expounding and defending-such truths every age may demand, and will obtain for itself.

Are the Churches to be wholly without doctrinal standards? Where shall we find the point of union in each respectively? In the simple acceptance of the Bible? A Church may, in that case, easily become a Babel, an aggregation of discordant materials. A doctrinal system is a necessity; but while each particular Church is disposed to adopt its own, the Bible is still open to the study of all, and from it men are free to evolve new conceptions of truth as they may be able. Subscription is a voluntary act; and, therefore, imposes bondage on no one. The want of confidence in a man who subscribes does not necessarily spring from the influence of a creed; but from the want of higher principle in the subscriber. The free and diverse interpretation of creeds is easily accounted for by the prevalent notion that an Established Church must give latitude to thought, that it may be “ comprehensive." Men are thus taught to trifle with subscription. But in connexional Churches, existing solely on a spiritual basis, subscription is vastly more important, and more honourably regarded. We are quite aware that in a Congregational Church there is no effectual means of making subscription a guard against error; but this certainly will not, in all cases, prevent those who decline into error from standing "before men a subscribed and whitewashed falsehood." We presume that Congregational trustdeeds generally have a creed named in them, as the one to be preached under their authority. According to our conception, the man who accepts the charge of such a church is bound by the doctrinal system which is thus indicated. It is said, in many cases, the minister does not know what the trust-deed of his chapel contains. Why does he not obtain this knowledge? Is it because he suspects the result? The too minute elaboration of creeds may be objected to; but a doctrinal

standard, embracing the essentials of Christianity, is shown to be in our day a necessary safeguard to truth. Subscription must always be a free act; and all cases of radical change of opinion should be followed by honourable retirement from a charge originally assumed on conditions with which such change is incompatible.

A temperately-written paper on our "National Universities," by Mr. Wilkins, will repay careful perusal. We cannot here do more than, in the briefest manner, indicate its contents. The writer points out that the limited use of our Universities has arisen either from "regulations which have been introduced at a comparatively late period, or else from the gradual change in the character of the institutions." The origin of the Collegiate system is traced. The reasons of its inefficiency are given. The steps by which religious equality has been established in the Universities are enumerated, and the results of this equality, both to the Universities, and to the "Free Churches" of the country, arc discussed. The apprehension that the admission of Dissenters would lead to the establishment of sectarian colleges is held to be unfounded, while the various benefits which may arise to the "Free-Church bodies are sketched. It is also thought, that in time Nonconformist students and fellows of colleges will exert considerable influence on "the ecclesiastical principles that shall guide the policy of the nation." There can be little or no diversity of opinion among Nonconformists upon the great question of University reform. The time has come when the Universities can no longer be regarded as virtually the heir-loom of a privileged section of the Church, but as national institutions. The beneficial effects of the more free intercourse arising in the competitions and friendships of collegiate life, would be seen in the mutual respect which parties of various shades of thought would come to entertain for each other. Sectarian narrowness would be discouraged, and a spirit of higher and truer catholicity,-a different thing from latitudinarianism,— would, it is hoped, be fostered. It may well also be anticipated that in the course of time, Nonconformist bodies will largely benefit by that broader and more finished culture which many of their youth will obtain from a University training, some of whom at least may find their sphere of action in the ministerial office.

"The idea of

The concluding essay is from the pen of Mr. Dale, on the Church in its relation to modern Congregationalism." The essay bears the stamp of its author's mind. It is free from sectarian exclusiveness, and manifests a just jealousy for the spiritual life of the body to which he belongs. Mr. Dale, of course, writes as a Congregationalist; but he is also free to say, "Most modern Congregationalists would admit that the policy of the Church is not a matter of positive institution, and that although the Church-order established by the Apostles ought not to be departed from except for very grave and sufficient reasons, there is no formal authority restraining the Church from varying its organization to enable it to meet the varying exigencies of its history." This broad statement lays the foundation for intelligent recognition and kindly intercourse between the various sections of the Christian community, and

may be accepted, with the qualification which every one may easily supply. The Church as an organized body is an essential fact with Mr. Dale; and thus we conceive he supplies an antidote to the contrary tendency which marks the essay on the "Catholic Church." In the resolute maintenance of individual freedom, he apprehends that his co-religionists have not unfrequently verged upon error in the opposite direction, and "have appeared to maintain that the whole idea of religion is included in the immediate relations between the soul and God. The necessity for the existence of the Church has been implicitly denied." It is not only possible, but imperative, that we hold these two elements co-ordinately. The Church is composed of souls entering into spiritual fellowship with God; but it is also a corporate body, the various parts of which are vitally connected, and are essential to each other's well-being. "Isolation is not the law of the religious life." Communion is indispensable to its preservation and development. In a succession of paragraphs the soundness of this principle is shown from the teaching of Christ, the action of the Apostolic Church, the new instinct of Christian believers, and the necessities of the individual. It is equally a requisite for the existence and advancement of the kingdom of God in the world. In some manner the communion of saints must be realized. The forms by which that communion is obtained must be in harmony with the spiritual life of those who enter into it. The policy of the Church is not a thing to be impressed upon it from without. The constitution of the Apostolic Church sprung from its internal force. Whatever freedom of organization is allowed, the organization must ever be the legitimate product of the inner life. "Any form of ecclesiastical polity is legitimate which suppresses no great spiritual truth, and which satisfies the spiritual instincts which render the communion of saints necessary. But, if this principle is accepted, it must be applied firmly, and with clearest intelligence of its real meaning." In the application of this principle, an episcopal hierarchy is condemned, as violating the spiritual equality of men before God, and thus placing the idea of the true Christian priesthood in abeyance. All forms of Church-polity which are out of harmony with the true idea of the Church are declared to be "the result of growing weakness in the spiritual life of the Church."

Having thus indicated the Idea of the Church, Mr. Dale proceeds to consider its "relations to the spirit and faith and practices of modern Congregationalism," in reference to the persons who should constitute the Church; their communion with each other; the power of the Church; and Theological Creeds. A few words are all that our space will admit on these important matters. On the question of Church-membership Mr. Dale does not agree with the writer who treats it in the former series. He distinctly maintains that the Church should be composed of spirituallyminded persons. He opposes the modern notion that the older forms of admission to it "should be abandoned, and that the Church should receive all applicants." At the least, he holds, they must "satisfy themselves that the candidate is looking to Christ as his Prince and Saviour, and is endeavouring to do the will of God. The most determined resistance should be offered to any movement which imperils the great truth that the Church is a supernatural society composed of persons

who, in response to their faith in Christ, are regenerate of the Holy Spirit." We need not observe how closely this harmonizes with the usage which requires a "desire to flee from the wrath to come," in the case of all who seek even a probationary fellowship with Wesleyan. Methodism.

With regard to the question of communion, Mr. Dale is very decided in his judgment that modern Congregationalism is seriously at fault. "It does not seem to apprehend with any distinctness the chief purpose for which Christian Churches are organized."

He goes so far as to declare, that "it might almost be said by an unfriendly critic, that a Congregational church is often nothing more than an organization for keeping improper persons from the Lord's Supper, and for securing the election of well-qualified ministers and deacons." He laments the absence of suitable provision for that "communion of saints" which he believes is essential to the maintenance of the church's life. He recommends that the more spiritually-minded be encouraged to meet for prayer and conversation; but also thinks that "the true Idea will not be fulfilled until there are regular meetings of the whole church for worship and conference,-meetings at which whosoever ‘hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation,' will be free to contribute to the knowledge, and to deepen the spiritual earnestness, of his brethren." We have no doubt that further thought will lead Mr. Dale to see, however desirable from his view of a church, that this style of church-communion is impracticable; and that if real communion is to be obtained, it must be somewhat after the manner of the Methodist class-meeting. We have good reason to be satisfied with this valuable institution, when men of Mr. Dale's order are lamenting the absence of some such means of spiritual fellowship in their own religious circles.

"The idea of the Church, as illustrated by its origin and by the chief purpose for which it exists, may assist us to determine the limits of its power." It may not exclude from membership "any who have received the spiritual life." The acts of the church are regarded as of solemn importance; the excommunicated person, for instance, experiences the result of a spiritual sentence. The supernatural confirmation of such acts "depends upon its union with Christ." "The absence of a deep and strong faith in the supernatural validity of the acts of the church is one of the chief defects of modern Congregationalism." We can only here say, that too strong a sense of the spiritual importance of admission into the church cannot well be entertained; and exclusion from it should be regarded as inflicting actual and serious spiritual loss. Certain particulars of Christian belief are held by Mr. Dale to be essential to the Church's existence; and therefore may be required of all who seek membership with it. "The true theory of the Church must be translated into fact." A period of severe trial, it is believed, awaits "the ecclesiastical organizations, as well as the theological systems of Christendom." The future depends upon the realization of the true idea of the Church in the culture and development of a higher order of Christian life. This is undoubtedly the source of the power of all evangelical bodies; and those which fail to maintain it will falter in their course. A great future is possible to