New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-21
CHRISTIAN UNION.
prOyement

CHRISTIAN UNION.
Among the NEST important and interesting move
.ments Of our time is that which cOntemplates sub
stantal assimilation of the various denominations of
Christians whether by the specific ana complete aboli-
ton of sectsrian distinctions and mutual exclusions, or
by the bridging over of the CULTS which now separate
Christians from each other into relatively poweress
and hostile communons. The Young Mems Chris
" tan Associations Of our own and other American
cities are among the fruits of this movement though
these uniformly if we mistake mott restrict their
men ber.hip 10 Protestauts holding the views popularity
termed Orthodox. excluding Roman Catholics on the
ore hand aud Herctc (sccordDg to the standards OF
Protestant Orthodoxy on the other. far broader
and right earnest movement, looking TO an aenbra'
cling Union of Christians has been started by the Hon
Gerrit Smith the Rev s j May and others in the In
terror of our State and has evinced considerable vital
~ The position and growth of the Christians So
called and of the small bat intellectual aud earnest
body known as Progressive Friends have already
been noticed in our columns
private letter Just received from Paris apprises
us of kindred movement recently commenced in that
city The writer, the Rev. ATHANAsE COQUEaEL' Jr,
is widely known as one of the most eloquent and infu-
entail pastors of the Reformed Church in France aud
we shall probably give clearer and impressive
account OF the movement by means of extracts from
bis letter than we could do in any other way Alter
alludng by way of introduction, 10 the acquaintance
formed between us at the Worlds Peace Convention
at London in 1851 to his interest in THE TRIBUNE and
to the obstacles in the way Of reormatory movements
in France be proceeds:
However we Protosants liberal Proesiants Of France
think that if there he things We can neither say nor
do there are some others which and must try to do
We are now earnestly engaged in the foundation of most
useful and admirable Alliance about which propose to
give you some information -ou will find some more in
the last two numbers of the Lien for this year IN the printed
documents include well in this letter if my broken
English shall enable me to express what fills my head and
heart"
NJ CoQUFREL proceeds to speak of the views Incl
dentsny by TIE TRIBUNE favoriDg substan-
tal Union Of Christians and especially TO those en-
bodied in a recent review of the Rev. S OsgOod's
God with Men" and the extracts theretrom and con-
trues
We too believe that neither Church dogma Is the
he the marrow, the vital fame of Christianity We too,
beve that the deyotees of the Church have done tier
work tie devotecs Of Dogmas have done theirs and that
their day past Christianity we understand preach
and try to practice it, is life and love Church dogmas
forms of worshp the shell Of the fruit not the fruit
ielf On that she'll the world cannot live would stlrve
if It lad rot the fruit itself to feed upon LOyeecve,
practical love Christian loves the true basis Of the true
Church Roman Catholics have built their edifco "a
Herarchy-on human power PrOesianis have built theirs
on DogmGtics-on human crecds ! deny the right o..
Roman Pope to make obey his wllOr of Pr .e3.ant
hoologian to require to believe according % his tanild
Of Orthodoxy Those the true Catholics the only Oriho
dox who cherish and practice Chrstan love toward all
men, whatever their varying creed Christ anty is no sys
tenn Of theology structure Of logical and dOgnac so
gisms 1t manner of life not particular round Of OBJ
seryances but life mbued with the spirit of Christ inyov
ing holy ard energetic effort in behalf of whatsoever is
generous pure and lovely.
"On this principle we have formed our Christian Ali
ance welcoming TO It's ranks men from oil nations and
Christians from all churches asking them only to accept
these three pOnts of 5eh mereynot as a creed-but
as expression Of genuine feeling and rule OF life;
Love to God Creator and Father Of all men Love b
oil men immortal CT, etures and children Of God g. Love
Jesus Christ the Of ha, God the Savior Of those men,
This all creed mongers will declare exceedingly deficient
We believe not only that this Is enough but thai this is
erery Hine-tlat church Institutions but the political
crms and dogmas the intellectual forms Of great prac
teal realty force, power, which Is Christian Love,
brought from heaven by Jesus Christ exemplfed and prle
death on the cross.
Long enough, and too long, have men mistaken dog.
mas rites and hierarchy for Christianity Orr ambition
land very high one is to found specifically Christian
Aliance-ihe Church Of the Fuure-an Alliance between
Catholics Ike Feneon Cheverus and Protestants Ike
Penn or Oberin thusfOrbddng human notions insdu-
tons to separate wha, IL united in Chrstunited in the
higher regions of Love and brotherhood in the
spirit Of the Savior and Of the Father
All this wa not 10 remain in the sphere OF words but
70 b. Translated into that Of deeds Hence the foundation
Of our Alliance with Protestant President and Protest
ant majority in the council which seemed for the present
an absolute ntcessy But among our Vice Presidents we
have Roman Catholic the Inspector 10 chief Of al the
Libraries Of tie Empire brohorn law the Project Of
Paris very high funotonary himself and renowned
scholar translator Of the Greek agcs and Of AstOphans
Another Vice President " Tourgnenotf wealthy Russian
exile from his country the author Of liberal work on
Russia belongs TO the Greek Church Then we have three
Committees
"One Committee is destined to drse aims on somevhat
principles never giving any thing but in the paupers
own lodgings and trying to improve their situation IN every
way The secOsd Committee Is intended TO create schools
to improve existing ones and prote; the children Of the
poorer classes first schooboys or girls then a. appren
tees TO for them good and moral apprenticeship
and even when grown up vormen or women. % remain
in brohery relation with them and Try in after life 10 con
tnue useful 10 them II necessary
For those two Committees we had the great advan.age
Of disposng oftgenty five experienced men, practical men,
belonging TO the middle classes and accustomed some Of
hern these twenty Eve YEAR, to help the poor as members
Of the dOsoEa'eof cur lrch IN Pars from which body
they have seeded lately some very narrow minded ex
elusive dogrnac views having prevailed in its organza
ton With this able and practically instru tod tdy we