The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-06-17
As l See It.


There has been good deal of talk in
town Of late about Union. Ihaye watch
ed the rise and progress of the movement,
looking toward the dissolution of three
weak churches, in order to form one
strong efficient union church, with great
interest. Any person understanding the
situation of things, and loving the cause
of Christ, more than an ism, must it
seems to me, hail any signs of union, as
harbingers of good. Let us take in the
situation. Counting babies and all the
aged and infirm. who cannot go 10 church,
and also those afflicted with chronic
cont, we have population of less than
thousand. See what immense gospel
privileges We enjoy! There. are eight
evangelical churches and catholic
church in town-nearly one church to
every one-hundred souls. This is ridicu-
lousy out of proportion, and it is simply
impossible for SO many churches to live
and thrive in such a condition of things
Ifevery person in town were Christian
and member of some church, and the
churches were equally strong, they would
still be comparatively weak, and audi
ences would be comparatively small; and
some would certainly soon die, for the
churches would have nothing to do but
prey upon each other. A church cannot
prosper unless there is an unevangelized
community that nerves it to effort, and is
tributary to it.
The fact is patent to every observing
man, that there are too many churches
IN Toledo, and this fact is freely acknowl-
edged by the members of the different
churches. In the struggle tossmaintain so
many separate organizations, there is a
constant loss of force and means. 1t
may be truly said of nearly every church
in town that it is living at poor, dying
rate" and it is fixed necessity, from the
condition of things, that it must continue
so, until the way of the Lord is opened,
by closing some of the churches; and the
strength of the feeble churches, is made
efficient through union.
Things are as they are because the
town has not fulfilled its early promise of
growth, or the expectation of those who
manifested an unwise zeal for planting
churches.
Now it is the part of wise men, when
they find themselves in Instantaneous
circumstances, to turn their backs ON the
past, and on the question how they got
there, and make the best of the present,
and provide wisely for the future. My
conviction is strong that for the churches
to move in the direction of union, is to
act the part of wise men, and help to re-
alize for Toledo, the Saviour's prayer,
that his disciples ''may be one; that the
world may believe" that the Father hath
sent Him.
There is reason to fear some are look
ing al the movement and advocating it as
a financial expedient. AS l understood
it, the originators of the movement, did
not make this the end sought, but regard
ed it chiefly as a matter of christian e.
pedieney. 1t is true that as an incidental
result of such union, the expenditures for
the support of the gospel in Toledo would
be less, but it would be a misfortune if
the amount given to the Lord, should be
less. There would be more money to flow
in other benevolent channels. But this is
secondary consideration. The only
valid ground fortthe dissolution of these
church organizations to form union, is
that one church, combining the strength
of three churches can do the Lords work
more efficiently than the three churches
can do it, working through the several Or
CARNATIONS. The churches stand, in each
others way; and like Il thrifty plant i'll
small pot they have not room to take root
and grow \ union would largely remove
the distractions and hindrances to the
progress of the gospel in the community,
and open the field for wider usefulness.
The churches here need most of all, Il
spirit of conservation and devotion to the
service of the Lord, that shall bring them
together on some common ground to work
unitedly for the Master; and that shall
close some of these churches forever. 1t
seems to me that only in some such con-
certed action can the conditions be made
more favorable for salvation and the
highest efficiency of the churches reached.
With regard to two of the churches
whose union has been proposed (the Free
Will Baptist and the Congregational
Churches,) the patty is the same. They
differ with regard to the mode and the
proper subjects of baptism. 1t is not an
uncommon thing for FreeWill Baptist
Church to unite with u Congregational
Church. Simply by the exercise of
christian charity in tolerating differences,
they work tremendously together, and
arc mutual blessing to each other. |
wish such an union might be effected
here.
With reference to the Congregational
and Presbyterian Churches they are like
in doctrine and are not separated by any
point of conscience. They only differ in
the non essential matter Of the form of
church government. Members have al
ways freely passed from one church to
the other, and ministers of either denom-
nation serve the churches of the other
with acceptance. 1t is an
easy matter for these churches to unite on
common basis where the cause of reli-
gion will be promoted thereby, and where
there is disposition to yield trifies for
essentials. The Secretaries of the Congre-
gational and Presbyterian Missionary
Boards have agreed upon articles OF de.
nominational comfy, looking toward the
union of the two churches in small places
where one or both are weak. Leading
papers of both denominations are advising
union, and union churches are being
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