Again, the old and new school Presbyterian churches separate on questions relating to man’s ability to regenerate himself and in regard to what is the nature of regeneration. This all depends on the fact of a depraved nature transmitted from Adam to be regenerated. If this dogma is relinquished by the people then these two sects will have no ground for division. Again, the Methodists differ from the other Augustinian sects chiefly in regard to the officers and management of churches organized on the theory of a depraved nature received from Adam, which is to be regenerated. And if such organizations were ended the ground of separation between the Methodists and the preceding sects would be removed. Again, the Episcopalian sect is founded on the idea of a succession of ordained priests through whose agency the gift of God’s Spirit to renew our depraved nature and to impart the true interpretation of his revelations is to be obtained. If, then, the people discard the dogma of a depraved nature consequent on Adam’s sin, and assume that they have perfect natures, and are authorized to interpret the Bible for themselves, the chief ground for the existence of this as a separate sect will be removed. The Catholic church also would soon be ended as a distinct sect were all the people of that church to discard these and all opinions and practices immediately or remotely based on the Augustinian dogma. The preceding will serve to illustrate the position that the tendency of the common‐sense system is to unite all men in efforts to discover and to obey all the laws of God for making happiness the _best_ way for time and eternity. On the contrary, the Augustinian system tends to organize mankind into sects contending, not for truth and happiness, but for certain outward rites and forms of organization. CHAPTER XL. TENDENCIES OF THE TWO SYSTEMS IN REGARD TO HUMILITY, MEEKNESS AND A TEACHABLE SPIRIT. The result of receiving _church_ interpretations as infallible, whether of priests or regenerated laity, is the assumption of a similar infallibility by each person who thus accepts them. This is accomplished by a very singular fallacy, thus: The regularly ordained priests, or the regenerated priests and laity of the _true_ church, are claimed to be the only persons qualified to understand and interpret the meaning of God’s revelations. The question then is, _which is the true church_? The Catholic says, “Mine, and no other.” The Episcopalian says, “Mine, and no other;” and so says the Presbyterian. The result is, each man decides that the true church is _the one that agrees with his views of what the Bible teaches_. Having thus decided that the church that agrees with himself is the true church, the man proceeds, not only to receive reverently the decisions of his church, but assumes that every other man is bound to do the same.