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Show • M. D. Conway. I l k rene 1cs )y n 0 ,\,.111 (1' } 1ow f:ll' it has eomc; I ran only be :-nrc 0 < • that it can touch any depth in you, when JL hn · ·onw up from t I1 c d ept h of my o 'vll llc,·u ·t · The equation is of mnt hrma.t ieal ccrtm· n t y. 'Tl 1e 1· .'.. 1r~o rc let truth be between us, and no mt:-;un-d crstan d.m g. I ]1.,.., ve once and for al. ways pled. g. ed mysplf to follow the leading of my soul, knowmg that 1f that be not f'act·cd, 110 other guide cun be. . . I feel, my brethren, a deep convict~on t~1at our mtsston ~s .a Free Church is not so much to ratwnahze popular Chnsttanity as to humanize it. This last includes the other, since the humane mu t be rea"onable also. Once let the broad, impartial eye of Humanity catch and hold in its ~pe ll. the eye of the Church, and the lines of sect an~l part~ ta~e. Theology must pass in giving birth to Ilumam~y, takmg 1ts place with Alchemy and A trology, the embryomc and superstitious forms of Chemistry and Astronomy. 'Ve would, therefore, not add another sect to the world, but a new Chri ·tianity, which is also the most ancient. The common theology is a Christianity with Christ left out; since he himself has told us that wherever man was left out, unmini tcred to in his distresses, there he himself was left o1.11t. I~ut i.· my chargo against the common theology unwarranted and ill-natured? Let us look to the religious signs of the times for our an. wcr. "\\Tho bas not heard of Ary Scheffer, the arti t who has hung up in the homes of two continents, the scenes of the life of Christ, so full of fresh and living beauty? This artist drew, with his apostolic pencil, one picture, surpa sing, in conccptiou at least, all the rest. It was called Christus Oonsolator. It represents the Son of ]\fan standing, with face full of human tenderness, with hands stretched forth in mercy to the sick, the halt, the opprc sed, the destitute, who have gathered around their benefactor and consoler. To represent the idea that in him all the kindreds of the earth shall be blest, the artist has grouped the offspring of various climes, who together bend to receive the benediction of the Friend of :!\fan. ~1. D. Conway. 351 Amon7:t thcs , in hi:-~ Bimpli eity, he plac·c<l n Negro. Now, thi · painting wa. cngraYccl, and soon bc<'atne Vt-ry popular with the .American public. I presume mo. t of you haves 'en it, as there arc many copies in this city. But in P enn!'ylvanin, anothct· engraving of the picture met with an aecid •nt. It so happened th'at a new prayer-book wa~ needed by the Episeopal Church of thnt State; and it was accordingly prrpnrcd under the supervision of the Hight Rev. Alonzo Potter, Hi: hop of that Diocese. It having been found a good thing for devotion, that the prayer-book hould l1a,·e ,-civet and gold out:-; ide and pirturcs inside, the Bishop cast about for a good fronti:-;pi<·cc for the new work, an<l he how d his ta, tc by fixing upon the Cltr/stus Consolator of Ary Scheffer. But I hnt was not all he HhO'.\'ecl; for, a~ I tell you, the engrav ·r'H plat met with an a('eid en t, tl1e }J/ctnre a;J}HJar- 1:ng iu the pra!Jer-book 'Witlt tile .fig"re of tlw Nl',r;ro lrft ottt I 13y this th •ological a('<'idcllt it is made lllallifc ... ;t to u.~ that CI11·ist i , to the Am ·rican Church the '' C'onsolator" of all who need con. olation, I he Negro excepted; or f\iees, IIottentots, aml Uindoo~, for who:'c conve r~i o n fortun<' are bequeathed, but not of the Slave, who until he be righted should be the "Christ and l1im crucified" of every Christian. Je us said, "Inasmuch as yc have done it to one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me;" and to an enlightened eye the Hi, hop'~ frontispiece had left out another figure also. The Chri t had gone to find out the mi ·sing black man! Now, you may ay, that thi · is the entimcnt of one Clmrch or division of a Church, nnd that it would be a hasty conclusion to decide that the American Church has left out the SlaYe in its views of Chri -t's reign on earth. Dut we have no need to conclude hastily; we may do it at onr leisure. Let u seek our Chri::;t in bonds among the churches. If we need any tLing furth ' I' to convince uR that the Episcopal Churches "know not the man," we can lind it in the clerical and epis· • |
