nd so long as the brethren enjoyed the ministrations of inspired
teachers, all attempts to alienate them from each other, or to create
schisms, had little success. But still, even whilst the apostles were on
earth, some of the Churches planted and watered by themselves were
involved in error and agitated by the spirit of division. "It hath been
declared unto me of you," says Paul to the Corinthians, "that there are
contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am
of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ." [638:1]
The same writer had occasion to mourn over the apostasy of the Churches
of Galatia. "I marvel," said he, "that ye are so soon removed from him
that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.... O
foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the
truth?" [638:2] The Church of Sardis in the lifetime of the Apostle John
had sunk into an equally deplorable condition, and hence he was
commissioned to declare to it--"I know thy works, that thou hast a name
that thou livest, _and art dead_." [638:3]

The circumstances which led to the organization of the Catholic system
have already been detailed, and it has been shewn that the great design
of the arrangement was to secure the visible unity of the ecclesiastical
commonwealth. The Catholic confederation was supposed to comprehend all
the faithful; and it was, no doubt, expected that, not long after its
establishment, it would have rung the death knell of schism and
sectarianism. According to its fundamental principle, whoever was not in
communion with the bishop was out of the Church. To be out of the Church
was soon considered as tantamount to be without God and without hope, so
that this test condemned all who in any way dissented from the dominant
creed as beyond the pale of salvation. Its assumptions, involving a
decision of such grave importance and of such dubious authority, were
acknowledged with some difficulty; and the question as to the extent and
character of the Church seems to have led to considerable discussion;
[639:1] but the horror of heresy which so generally prevailed
strengthened the pretensions of the hierarchy, and at length every
candidate for baptism was required to declare, as one of the articles of
his faith--"I believe in the holy Catholic Church." [639:2]

According to one interpretation the sentiment embodied in this
profession was perfectly unobjectionable. If by