Reader,

There is hardly any subject in religion which is so much misunderstood as the subject of the “Church.” There is probably no misunderstanding which has done more harm to professing Chris-tians than the misunderstanding of this subject.

There is hardly any word which is used in such a variety of meanings, as the word “Church.” It is a word that we hear constantly used, and yet we cannot help observing that different people use it in different senses. The English politician in our days talks of “the Church.” What does he mean? You will generally find he means the Episcopal Church established in his own country.—The Ro-man Catholic talks of “the Church.” What does he mean? He means the Church of Rome, and tells you that there is no other Church in the world except his own.—The Dissenter talks of “the Church.” What does he mean? He means the com¬municants of that chapel of which he is a mem-ber.—The members of the Church of England talk of “the Church.” What do they mean? One means the building in which he worships on a Sunday. Another means the clergy,—and when any-one is ordained, tells you that he has gone “into the Church.” A third has some vague notions about what he is pleased to call apostolical suc¬cession, and hints mysteriously that the Church is made up of Christians who are governed by Bishops, and of none beside. There is no denying these things. They are all patent and notorious facts. And they all help to explain the assertion with which I start-ed,—that there is no subject so much misunderstood as that of the “Church.”

Reader, I believe that to have clear ideas about the Church is of the first importance in the pre-sent day. I believe that mistakes on this point are one grand cause of the religious delusions into which so many fall. I wish to call your attention to that great primary mean¬ing in which the word “Church” is used in the New Testament. I want to clear the subject of that misty vagueness by which it is surrounded in so many minds. I consider it was a most true saying of Bishop Jewell the reformer, “There never was anything yet so absurd or so wicked, but it might seem easy to be covered and defended by the name of the Church.” (Jewell’s Apol. Sect. xx.)