no tendency to answer the charge of
schism against oneself. It must be met openly, honestly, and without
shrinking. The charge of Schism touches immediately the Christian's
conscience, for this reason, that, if true, it takes away from his prayers,
his motives, his actions, his sufferings, that one quality which is
acceptable to Almighty God. Here it is most true, that "all, which is not
of faith, is sin:" he who does not believe, at least, that he is a member
of the one Church, whatever outward acts he may perform, cannot please his
Judge. In the words of one who himself gave his goods to feed the poor, and
shed his blood for the testimony of Jesus,[3] "if such men were even killed
for confession of the Christian name, not even by their blood is this stain
washed out. Inexpiable and heavy is the sin of discord, and is purged by no
suffering. He cannot be a martyr who is not in the Church; he can never
attain to the kingdom, who leaves her with whom the kingdom shall be." "A
man of such sort may indeed be killed, crowned he cannot be." Therefore the
charge of Schism, when once brought before the reflecting mind, cannot be
turned aside,--it must be met and answered: if it is not answered, at least
to the conviction of the individual, it leaves upon the whole of his
obedience the stain of insincerity, which is fatal. In this respect it is
more pressing and imperious, more fatal, even than that of heresy. I
observe this, because, in the comments I have seen on the painful
departures of friends from among us, and in exhortations not to follow
them, it has not seemed to be always recognised. When men leave us on the
ground that we are in schism, surely all censure of them, and all defence
of ourselves, is beside the mark, which does not meet and rebut this
particular accusation. Under this no man can rest: it is useless, it is
sinful, to ask him to rest, unless you can remove the imputation. To talk
of "disappointment, or a morbid desire of distinction, or impatience under
deficiencies, want of discipline, or sympathy in spiritual superiors," and
such-like causes, as being those which have impelled a man to the most
painful sacrifices, and "in the middle of his days to begin life again," is
surely both untrue as regards the individual, and futile as to preventing
others doing like him, when the ground of schism among others is alleged by
himself, and is felt to lie at the bottom. Could we prove that the Church
of England is cle