In so far as the Church has been true to the Spirit of Christ she has
succeeded; in so far as she has made compromises with the world, and
in every generation has in greater or less degree been disloyal to the
standards of her Master, she has failed. In every generation there has
been partial and obvious failure, side by side with real, if partial
and in some ways less immediately obvious, success. But the Church can
never wholly fail and must one day wholly succeed, for the reason that
behind her is the omnipotence of the love of GOD.
CHAPTER VIII
PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC
The last chapter sketched the ideal of the Church and her essential
mission. The realization of that ideal in the existing Church, visibly
embodied here in earth is extremely fragmentary and imperfect. The
Church that is one, and holy, and apostolic, and catholic, the
brotherhood in Christ of all mankind, knit into unity by the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit, remains a vision of the future, though
a vision which, once seen, mankind will never relinquish until it be
accomplished.
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