II. The Apostles' Creed as the Baptismal sym bol, and the Nicene Creed as the sufficient statement of the Christian Faith.
III. The Two Sacraments : Baptism and the Supper of the Lord, ministered with the unfailing use of Christ's words of insti tution and of the elements ordained by Him.
IV. The Historic Episcopate locally adapted, in the methods of its administration, to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the unity of his Church.
Nothing more liberal could be suggested, if anything is to be retained as essential. Rites, customs, fasts, festivals, usages, however dear to churchmen, are not even mentioned as es sential to unity. Surely this Church has earned the distinction of being willing to ignore much that is precious to it for the sake of a united Christendom. The setting forth of these four simple propositions has not yet awakened the in terest which might have been expected from the various Christian bodies. In some instances there has been the hasty, almost petulant, expression of a disinclination to consider the subject in a broad and generous way. In some there has been the renewal of the old incredulity as to reunion. The fact is that this whole matter of Christian unity has not yet taken very strong hold of many Chris tian people, and there is yet much educative work to be done before it will receive the considera tion it deserves.
4. Principles, Etc. In the meantime the generous attitude of the Episcopal Church has drawn the attention of many to the principles of the organization itself. As they examine it, what do they find? (1) It Reveres the Word of God, Nearly three-fifths of the Prayer Book are taken from the Bible, and two-fifths of the worship at each service are in the words of the Scriptures. The books of the Divine Library are not regarded as a mere mass of ancient literature, but as con taining a revelation from God to man of things pertaining to salvation, and especially a revelation of the promised Deliverer, the incarnate Lord. The humblest member of this Church may know for himself what God has revealed, for the old. truths are so constantly repeated that the teach ings of the Church and the teachings of the Scriptures must ever coincide. "Holy Scripture
containeth all things necessary to salvation," says the sixth of the thirty-nine articles, and in one of the Collects we pray that we may read, mark. learn, and inwardly digest what God has caused to be written for our learning.
(2) A Simple Faith. Its position is that man is a religious being. and has needs that can be supplied only by religion. It claims that the principles of religion have been clearly revealed through the incarnation of the Son of God; and that by the life of faith in Christ and discipleship of him man attains excellence here and is prepared for highest happiness hereafter. In other words, this Church clings to the old creeds—the Apos tles' and the Nicene. These two are "simple, un elaborated and unargued statements of facts." No hindrance is put to free discussion, hut the facts must be received. There is nothing in them con trary to reason, although there is much that we, with our present powers, may not be able to ex plain. We are not compelled to explain anything. We may hold theories, but may not press them, as if religion were mere theological propositions, for after all there is something higher even than human reason. There is such a thing as the spir itual assimilatibn of truth, the growth of con viction in the soul, the inworking of the Spirit of God through whom spiritual verities make their indelible impression upon the religious nature. The Church's faith is simple. It draws the distinction between matters of opinion and mat ters which must be received as essential. Of the latter there are but few, and they are summed up in these two creeds. What this Church deems to be essential to a right faith is contained within the few lines of these old symbols of the early Church. There are other truths which the Church teaches, but not in the same way. They are not pressed as necessary, however desirable, to be re ceived. The Church presses the truths in the creeds because they relate to the very heart of religion, and that is Christ, the revealer of God, the friend and brother of man, the incarnate Lord.