File:Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia(14749354246).jpg

Identifier: hisamerica02perr (find matches)
Title: The history of the American Episcopal Church, 1587-1883
Year: 1885 (1880s)
Authors: Perry, William Stevens, 1832-1898
Subjects: Episcopal Church Autographs
Publisher: Boston : James R. Osgood
Contributing Library: Princeton Theological Seminary Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Princeton Theological Seminary Library

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were an un-broken wilderness, and are now teeming with a refined and enterprising people;if they coidd have foreseen in 178o, that they were legislating for a Church which,in the course of a century, woidd cover a territory more than double the size ofthe Roman Empire, when it was said to rule the world, how impressive and event-ful would the work have seemed to be. which in all humility and lowliness of heartthey had assembled to do ! A very solemn responsibility rests upon the Convention, which is assembledto cany on the work which they so well inaugurated. By excess of legislation, orby defect of legislation, the progress of the Church may be seriously hindered, andwhile we must always be true to the doctrine and spirit of our one only Lord andSovereign, and to every usage and doctrine which is essential to the integrity ofthe Church, we should carefully consider the circumstances which suiTOund us,and conform ourselves to the peculiar condition and necessities of the people among
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CHURCH OF THE HOLT TRINITY, PHILADELPHIA. 378 HISTOEY OF THE AMERICAN EPISCOPAL CHURCH. whom we live, remembering that arrangements which might have suited preciselythe state of society as it existed in England two or three hundred years ago maynot be in every particular adapted to the wants of our heterogeneous and snifiingcommunity. There is other work for us to do beside fortifying and defending ourcitadel. Constitutions and canons are of value, so far as they aid in dischargingthe mission intrusted to us, and no farther. Rubrics are only the regulating powerof the machine, — indispensable parts of the mechanism, but without any inspiringforce. And while we continue to walk in the old paths, let it be with an acceler-ated pace, and with our eyes looking forward, and not backward. This Church may become the rallying point and centre of unity for those whoare weary of sectarian divisions, and are content to accept the simple faith, as wehave received it from Christ and His Apostles

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