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Show WILL THE CHURCHES EFFECT A FEDERATION? It is to be hoped that iu spite of the discrimiaation shown in hutt4tg out the Unitarians, the Inter-Church Coherence on Federation, Federa-tion, now meeting in New York, will be productive of good. The sessions ses-sions began Wednesday night,; with five hundred delegates in attendance, attend-ance, representing twenty-four Protestant denominations and 18,-C00,000 18,-C00,000 communicants. The delegates act only in an advisory capacity, ca-pacity, none having been entrusted with authority to take any action binding upon his denomination. ; The only form that action can take is that of recommendations to the several bodies. There is no intention to interfere with the autonomy auton-omy of ny church. The purpose is to bring about, not a combination of churches, but an increased and more vital co-operation in the religious re-ligious interests which the churches represent. The purpose of the conference is essentially practical, and for that reason theological discussions are tabooed. Among the issues tot be brought forward are religious education, the social order, evangelization, evangeli-zation, home and foreign, missions, the fellowship of faith, the national na-tional life and Christian progress. Besides declaring faith in the essential es-sential unity of the Protestant churches, several speakers will rehearse" re-hearse" the practical workings of present federation movements In cities, rural districts, States, foreign lands, and interdenominational work. A number of the most distinguished preachers in the country are present, and many prominent laymen have taken part in the proceedings. proceed-ings. It is by far the most important meeting that has been held since the movement which it represents was started. The result will be watched with much interest. |