IS THIS PROTESTANTISM OR ROMANISM?
In an article on “The Passing of Evangelism” in the January Bibliotheca Sacra, Dr. Thomas Chalmers clearly intimates that the great revivals are in the past, and that well-worked parishes are the coming idea. He points to Roman Catholic churches as examples of this. He says (we quote from Public Opinion): “There is no churchless Roman Catholic population in this country worth speaking of. The parochial efficiency of the Roman Church prevents it.” And therefore Protestants should imitate Rome! Not one word would we say concerning parish work. The more Christian work done in any community the better. But the mere practise of corralling congregations, and reciting catechisms, leads to hypocrisy and dead formalism. A church which has no revival power for the lost is in a desperate condition. Further, Dr. Chalmers would divide the land, parcel it out among the sects, and give to each of the great Protestant sects its denominational preserve, upon which notices could be erected, “Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted;” “Private—No Poaching Permitted.” This is what he says:— (1) There should be such an assumption of responsibility for territory that every Protestant family will find itself, with or without its consent, under the kindly, persistent watch-care of a parish minister. (2) One of the laws that should go forth through our jungle should be that no denomination shall deliberately break into the well-cared-for parish dominions of another. (3) Every church should guarantee the careful religious instruction, at some time in his life, of every child in its parish, and it should not rely upon the Sunday-school or the Christian Endeavor Society for this instruction. (4) Some systematic means should be adopted by which the parish pastor may exercise what Professor Achelis calls the function of spiritual diagnosis, that he may become in the fullest sense what his name implies—the shepherd of a flock. This is the Papacy pure and simple, without the strength or consistency of the Roman Catholic Church. (1) If the Protestant family would not consent, what then? Will force be used, if possible? (2) If some denomination has vital truth, as it should have to be worthy of existence, how can lines be laid down to limit that truth? And who shall say when a parish is well-cared-for? And as to “spiritual diagnosis,” what is that but the inquisition in embryo? And to such a state as this is Protestantism coming! But Roman Catholics and Episcopalians would not heed these rules. Upon this Dr. Chalmers remarks: “Any doctrine, for instance, like that of apostolic succession, which serves as an excuse by which one denomination frees itself from the laws which govern others, and tramples without scruples upon their rights, is a grievous practical heresy, and the denomination that holds it, is, to that extent, guilty of ecclesiastical sin.” This is a new sin in the Protestant code of morals. All these suggestions grow out of a human desire to9supplement the lack (not always known) of God’s power in the church. The remedy is to return to God’s Word.