“If the church on earth is one, Christ being its head, there is, therefore, a common interest binding them together as a common brotherhood. As one of our poets beautifully expresses it

“Our heavenly Father calls,
Christ and His members one;
We the young children of his love,
And He the first born son.
We are but several parts
Of the same broken bread;
One body hath its several limbs,
But Jesus is the head.”

That the history of every church should be known seems equally clear from the relation they sustain to each other. That was a significant remark made by Paul to his brethren when he said: ‘Ye are members one of another;’ how forcible and expressive is this remark — members one of another. There must be somewhat of a family tie existing between the churches. If it be so, and we cannot show why it should not, then is it clear that, as in every well-ordered family, a knowledge of each of its members is desirable and necessary, so is there reason for a knowledge of each church by every member of Christ’s mystical body, the church; and however humble and weak it may be, whatever peculiar circumstance surrounds it, so much the greater reason for a knowledge of it.” — William T. Catto, A Semi-Centenary Discourse - A History of the the First African Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, and a Brief Notice of Rev. John Gloucester (1857), pp. 15-16