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Show fEDERAHON OE CHURCHES The New York Delegation Aim at Christian Unity Benefits to Be Derived From Inlted Christianity. Are the various Christian bodies of the country about to bury their differences and come clo?er together in creed and practice i Is the religious trend of the times toward Christian unity and the realization of the Divine Founder for union among his followers: "Father. I pray that they may he one. as we are also one!" There are evident indications that Christian everywhere are growing tired of dissensions. 'I hey want peace. In the assemblies of the different denominations held recently the subject, of reunion has been warmly discussed. Kindred bodies have made overtures to reunite The existence of 14 different sects in the United Slate? i deplored and there is an earnest demand to lessen their number, even if the time has not. yet come for corporate union. And to that end there is a recasting of the old lines of beliefs; creeds are revised and restated; what is harsh in them is pruned down or cast aside; ihe Pope is no longer "the man of sin;" everywhere there is a. broader and more tolerant, -pirit among professing Christians: a spirit of brotherhood and charity unknown in former genera'. ions prevails; men and women are no longer" -hating one aoorbcr for the love of God;'' it is found rh-it Presbyter ians and Methodists. Catholic and non-Catholics can do business, be the best of neighbors arid even friends, though differing widely iu their religion-beliefs. religion-beliefs. These are healthy signs of better understanding of what religion means and plainly indicates the the drift toward that unity of faith for which the dying Saviour prayed. Our twentieth century may witness the reunion of Christendom. Tt is a con-I con-I summation devoutly to be wished.. I Besides the scandal of ;1 divided Christianity it i now generally recognized that the exigence so many religion bodies is a .-hameful waste ot' money ! and energy. - The children of this- world are wiser ; than the children of light. Today we have great business combinations, because it is found that immense im-mense gains, better results. larger dividends on the investments are thus obtained. Unity, organization, co-operation, thc-e would put a stop to the great leakage iir -religious bodies ' j and .would immeasurably strengthen, the work of j I the churches. How often do we not see in the small town or village, four or five churches where there are hardly enouah church-goers to rill and properly maintain one 2 A kingdom divided against itself must fall. Surely this must be still more true or' the kingdom of Him who is the Cod of peace, not , of dissension. These churches ought to be starred i into decency. A determined effort, is being mad'' to put an end to the rivalries and jealousies thn hitherto have existed among the different sects. To that end the mor important and impressive religious gathering ever held among non-Catholic was recently in session in Xew York. Its purpose was to organize a permanent federation of the churches in this country, and to effect, if possible, a recognized basis of union. It was expected that this federation would result in much strength and influence to the bodies concerned. Twenty-seven of the national religious denominations were repre- j sented. The Unitarians were not invited to take i part and there was dissaisfaetion because of the f 'omission. Were they asked to join, it is said that ' other denominations would refuse and the effort would be doomed to failure; it would lead to disunion, dis-union, not union; their presence, it was urged, would be a bone of contention. The reason why Unitarians were not invited and why their admission would destroy the effort for federation is not hard to find. The Unitarian do not believe in the divinity of Christ, as the other religions bodies do. They hold and teach Christ to be an ordinary man. but an extraordinary teacher. Their preachers take precisely the sarin position as Felix Adler. who preaches ethical cnl-ture cnl-ture and who does not pretend. to be even a Christian, Chris-tian, and of the more liberal Jews. It would be manifestly out of place for ueh men to be present and to have a voice in this Se.vr York assembly. Christians would gladly welcome Unitarians if they could safely do so, and the Unitarians Uni-tarians would rather be welcomed than to be considered con-sidered pariahs, to be shunned by believers. But there is between them an irreconcilable difference. If Unitarians are in earnest, so too are the various va-rious denominations; and how shall oil and water be blended? Shall believers allow that faith i of no consequence and that therefore Unitarians ars good enough Christians? or shall Unitarians leave-believers leave-believers in peace, nor longer try' to unsettle ' and efface whatever of faith their neighbors may hold? We think that neither change is likely to happen. On the other hand we pray that believers may cling to their supernatural faith as their most precious pre-cious possession, and on the other we fear that reverent rev-erent Unitarians will continue to fight against faith of whatever kind. Christianity is nothing if not supernatural, and if divested of its supematura? character would fade and disappear from among men. For 1000 years Christendom has believed that our Redeemer was God made man. and all fhp mighty Christian works of the ages have been conceived con-ceived and effected under this belief. Hence because be-cause Unitarians reject the supernatural they were properlv not invited to this gathering of professing Christians. Xow if this movement remains true to its practical prac-tical purpose, it ought to succeed in showing that there is a sound basis on which the different non- (' Catholic denominations of the country can stand. We believe that if ever church unity is to be visibly attained, even in a moderate degree, it will be brought about under some such form as their great conference in Xew York has assumed. One thing is quite, certain;' proofs abound that , we have entered upon an era of better feeling and a more tolerant and Christian spirit amen? Christians. Chris-tians. Everywhere if is recognized that the chief Continued on Page 4. : - ! FEDERATION OF CHURCHES - ? i Continued From Pag: 1. obstacle to the progress of the gospel and the conversion con-version of the world is the existence of divisions among Christians. The elesire for a reunion of Christendom is a striking characteristic of our times. Separated bodies of Christians are being drawn closer together to-gether every day. They cease to think ill of each other and are uniting, wherever practicable, in charitable cha-ritable and other good works. This is the first step toward that final perfect union for which Christ, prayed. And should no further advance be made in our time, everyone is thankful for this better and more Christian feeling. Let us be done, then, with the gospel of hate, the impugning of motives, the cruel annoyance and the relentless persecution of former days. From many quarters are heard sweet sounds of the music of heaven, that tell of this universal desire de-sire for unity aud peace. That elesire finds expression expres-sion in the tone of the denominational press and pulpit; in the action of various church bodies look-inc: look-inc: to Christian union; in the earnest discussion-of discussion-of the subject carried on in conference and synods; in the co-operation of Catholics and non-Catholics in temperance, sound politics and charitable work; iu the cordial invitation extendeel from time to time by the heads of various Protestant educational institutions to representative Catholic clergymen k to explain some points of Catholic doctrine; in the success of the missions to non-Catholics. These are surely evident signs that religious strife and dissensions are rapidly passing away and that we are Hearing Christian unity. The God of the; Christian is the Goel of peace, and not of dissensions. dis-sensions. And the churches of our day are coming to see the pressing need of the reunion of Christendom Chris-tendom anel are praying that "they may be one as Christ and the Father are one." |