1 (return) 2 (return) 3 (return) 4 (return) 5 (return) 6 (return) 7 (return) 8 (return) 9 (return) 10 (return) 11 (return) 12 (return) 13 (return) 14 (return) 15 (return) (1) Matthew v. 22: Thou shalt not be angry with thy brother. (2) Matthew v. 28: Thou shalt not look upon a woman to lust after her. (3) Matthew v. 32: Thou shalt not commit adultery, or divorce thy wife. (4) Matthew v. 34: Thou shalt not take an oath. (5) Matthew v. 39, 40: Thou shalt not go to law. (6) Matthew v. 44: Thou shalt love thine enemy. 2. Moravian Episcopal Orders.—For the benefit of those, if such there be, who like a abstruse historical problems, and who, therefore, are hungering for further information about the origin, maintenance and validity of Moravian Episcopal Orders, I here append a brief statement of the case:— (1) Origin.—On this point three opinions have been held: (a) For many years it was stoutly maintained by Palacky, the famous Bohemian historian, by Anton Gindely, the Roman Catholic author of the "Geschichte der BÖhmischen BrÜder," and also Bishop Edmund de Schweinitz in his "History of the Unitas Fratrum," that Stephen, the Waldensian, was made a Bishop at the Catholic Council of Basle, and that thus Moravian Episcopal Orders have a Roman Catholic origin. But this view is now generally abandoned. It is not supported by adequate evidence, and is, on the face of it, entirely improbable. If Stephen had been a Romanist or Utraquist Bishop the Brethren would never have gone near him. (b) In recent years it has been contended by J. MÜller and J. Koestlin that Stephen was consecrated by the Taborite Bishop, Nicholas von Pilgram. But this view is as improbable as the first. For Nicholas von Pilgram and his rough disciples the Brethren had little more respect than they had for the Church of Rome. Is it likely that they would take their orders from a source which they regarded as corrupt? (c) The third view—the oldest and the latest—is that held by the Brethren themselves. They did not believe that Bishop Stephen had any connection, direct or indirect, with the Church of Rome. They believed that he represented an episcopate which had come down as an office of the Church from the earliest Christian days. They could not prove, of course, up to the hilt, that the Waldensian succession was unbroken; but, as far as they understood such questions, they believed the succession to be at least as good as that which came through Rome. And to that extent they were probably right. There is no such thing on the field of history as a proved Apostolic succession; but if any line of mediÆval Bishops has high claims to historical validity it is, as Dr. DÖllinger has shown (in his BeitrÄge zur Sektengeschichte des Mittelalters), the line to which Waldensian Stephen belonged. (2) Maintenance.—We now come to another question: Has the Church of the Brethren maintained the succession from the time of Stephen to the present day? Here again the historian has a very tight knot to untie. At one point (if not two) in the history of the Brethren's Church, 1500 and 1554, there is certainly the possibility that her Episcopal succession was broken. For the long period of eleven years the Brethren had only one Bishop, John Augusta; and Augusta was a prisoner in Purglitz Castle, and could not, therefore, consecrate a successor. What, then, were the Brethren to do? If John Augusta were to die in prison the line of Bishops would end. Meanwhile the Brethren did the best they could. As they did not wish the office to cease, they elected Bishops to perform Episcopal functions for the time being. Now comes the critical question: Did John August, some years later, consecrate these elected Bishops or did he not? There is no direct evidence either way. But we know enough to show us the probabilities. It is certain that in 1564 John Augusta came out of prison; it is certain that in 1571 two Bishops-elect, Israel and Blahoslav, consecrated three successors; it is certain that Augusta was a stickler for his own authority as a Bishop; it is not certain that he raised an objection to the conduct of Israel and Blahoslav; and, therefore, it is possible that he had consecrated them himself. If he did, the Moravian succession is unbroken; and, at any rate, it is without a flaw from that day to this. (3) Validity.—Is the Moravian Episcopacy valid? The answer depends on the meaning of the word "Validity." If the only valid Bishops in the Church of Christ are those who can prove an unbroken descent from the Apostles, then the Brethren's Bishops are no more valid than the Bishops of any other Church; and all historians must honestly admit that, in this sense of the word "Valid," there is no such thing as a valid Bishop in existence. But the word "Validity" may have a broader meaning. It may mean the desire to adhere to New Testament sanctions; it may mean the honest and loyal endeavour to preserve the "intention" of the Christian ministry as instituted by Christ; and if this is what "Validity" means the Moravian Episcopate is just as valid as that of any other communion. Meanwhile, at any rate, the reader may rest content with the following conclusions:— For a further discussion of the whole question see "The Report of the Committee appointed by the Synod of the Moravian Church in Great Britain for the purpose of inquiring into the possibility of more friendly relations on the part of this Church with the Anglican Church"; see also, in German, MÜller's "Bischoftum," where the whole evidence is critically handled.] 16 (return) 17 (return) 18 (return) 19 (return) 20 (return) 21 (return) 22 (return) 23 (return) 24 (return) 25 (return) 26 (return) 27 (return) 28 (return) 29 (return) 30 (return) 31 (return) 32 (return) Christ was the Word that spake it, He took the bread and brake it, And what that Word did make it, That I believe, and take it.] 33 (return) 34 (return) 35 (return) 36 (return) 37 (return) 38 (return) 39 (return) 40 (return) 41 (return) 42 (return) All Hottentots have black hair. Mr. Jones has black hair. Therefore, Mr. Jones is a Hottentot.] 43 (return) 44 (return) 45 (return) 46 (return) 47 (return) 48 (return) 49 (return) 50 (return) 51 (return) 52 (return) 53 (return) 54 (return) 55 (return) 56 (return) 57 (return) 58 (return) 59 (return) 60 (return) 61 (return) 62 (return) 63 (return) 64 (return) 65 (return) 66 (return) 67 (return) 68 (return) 69 (return) 70 (return) 71 (return) 72 (return) 73 (return) 74 (return) 75 (return) 76 (return) 77 (return) 78 (return) 79 (return) 80 (return) 81 (return) 82 (return) 83 (return) 84 (return) 85 (return) 86 (return) 87 (return) 88 (return) 89 (return) 90 (return) 91 (return) 92 (return) 93 (return) 94 (return) 95 (return) 96 (return) 97 (return) 98 (return) 99 (return) 100 (return) 101 (return) 102 (return) 103 (return) 104 (return) 105 (return) 106 (return) 107 (return) 108 (return) 109 (return) 110 (return) 111 (return) 112 (return) 113 (return) 114 (return) 115 (return) 116 (return) 117 (return) 118 (return) 119 (return) 120 (return) 121 (return) 122 (return) 123 (return) 124 (return) 125 (return) 126 (return) 127 (return) 128 (return) 129 (return) 130 (return) 131 (return) 132 (return) 133 (return) 134 (return) 135 (return) 136 (return) 137 (return) 138 (return) 139 (return) 140 (return) 141 (return) 142 (return) 143 (return) 144 (return) 145 (return) 146 (return) 147 (return) 148 (return) 149 (return) 150 (return) 151 (return) 152 (return) 153 (return) 154 (return) 155 (return) 156 (return) 157 (return) 158 (return) 159 (return) 160 (return) 161 (return) |