The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-27
A UNION CHURCH.


PLAN OF lev. W. H. II. MURRAY yon SoS.
DESoMISATIoNAL oRGASiz,TIoS IN bos-
ToN--How THE EDIFIcE REQUIRED Is TO Bs
BUILT AND TIE SOCIETY MAsAGEp.
Bosrox, May 20, 1875
The sensation Of the day amoag religious people
OF TINS city the delivery OF sermon by Rev w. Il.
H. Murray. outlining in part scheme tho erection
OF a mammoth Union Church edncc. which he has had
under advsement for more than year. The reverend
gentleman selected his text from Revelations ill.,, ST.
.'Bshad, have sct before thoe open door;" and
in tue course OF unfolding his plan said
While few cities existed the people lived in
towns and sinai! villages the parish church su-
Icisnt. In metropolis the PARISH system can never
DO success. Tho proof OF the i0suniciency OF tho
old parish system 10 meet tho wants ot metropolis
F.rst-ouiy about atty per cent OF the Protestant
population Of our cities arc attendants upon any rc
iigiocs service.
ish churches OCCUPIED
These facts OF character OF demon stration.
Good men, seeing tho tscss, -grieve. They arc boz
wl.dered Ever and anon. here ana there, desperate
efforts arc made 10 imp owe the state OF things but
no Improvement results The condition rather grows
worse. The churches IN Boston not Is well nled
on the Sabbath now as they were forty years ago.
PROPERTY ov THE RlcH
The churches arc becoming the property Of the rlch
the privileges OF the sanctuary luxury, and,
poy inquire, The ga.c Of neavonso iar ~ the Church
represents tnat gate-is opoued only TO tnoss
whose hands. as they approach It's shining portal
money enough 10 pay tho cxorbtant toll Rriigon IL
TO ali inteuts and purposes monopoly whose enrich
Ing privileges arc enjoyed only ny the fow. and
have come, through oar own lack Of foresight, 10
ihat evil time wncn the poor have not the gospai
preached 10 them.
My plan does not contemplate tho erection or =
denominatoua church. There Is only one denomlna-
which coloug II 10 the Christian denom,Iua-
tion. In the highlands OF faith there ono Clan
and Christ IS Tho head IT, ana ali clansme IN arc
called Wy His name. In my ministerial apacity am
Christian. II Congrcgatynalist means tnat. then
am u Congregatonalsi. II Methodist means tnus,
/ 4 tisL hcn 1 m n
Baptist; 4 Unitarian, Epscop ilan u Uniyersailsi,
!, sp,rnaalis, swedenoorxan, Il PresDysenan, u
minister, ali these. fellowship them all 10
as they represent tho true nature aud purpose OF
Christ; ~ so lar as they follow my Master follow
with them and they can follow with They may
not fellowship me. That docs not matter. fellow
selves.
USyoLDiSc TUX PLAN.
Mr.. Murray then proceeded TO unfold his plan AZ
follows:-
would propose, nrst that the benev people al
Boston subscribe $500 0oo that be collected
within u year; that It tie collected III comparatively
small contributions. averaging say $500 each; mat
these sums lie uncoected on pledge, their payment
raised. | should advise that these g,f.s DO 10
OF exactly $500 each, that tho
Whole amount or tho $2CU, 900 should bc contributed
oy 400 hundred persons; thcse 400 hundred persons
shouiu DO regarded and hold IN remembrance as the
founders Of the enterprise Their names should DO
properly written and carved within the cdinco ITSELF
that posterty might know 70 whom they were IN.
debtod Tor tho magnificent beauest. aud those who
worshipped thorc, behold!ng tho names, should be
prompted by worthy ambition 10 initiate tho giori.
Gus deed.
This money should be intrusted TO the keeping OF
twelve trustees, OF whom tho Governor Of the Sato
should always be chairman Tho eleven others should
be chosen by tho 400 iouudeYs and should represent
the several denominations OF tho country impair
italy AS could DC arranged They should not Ali DO
chosen from citizens OF Boston NY own desire
would be that i've should be selected IRON the mum.
her OF your citizens here, and Fix from tho New
England States al largc--one from each State. Tnis
seems 70 me smlnenty H. because, IN Tho nrst place.
the name OF tho movement II tho Now England
Church movement Second, tho locality 10 Boston,
aud Boston Is New EngAnd collected ard condensed.
THIRD many Of the contributions, MS far Ms can
NJ prescott forecast, will come from mon and women
resident IN all the States; and. lastly. dosire that
posterty should look upon TINS building aud the mag
nincent powers within having no less origto
than New England public spirit New England faith
ana New England humanity, and desire also that
the Trustees Board should be representative OF that
New E1giand lilo and those New England views
VIII ch can no more DO located In one spot than you
locate the winds that blow hills and along
her rocky shores. Of the fragrance when
winds blow abroad, as they sweep over her meadows
and her marshes.
This Board OF Trustees thus elected ana provided
with lis permanent chairman should DO the sole
orning body In tho organization. Tho original num-
Der being elected BY the donors o. the lnauguratIna
fund they should remain ONCE Tor life or until
resignation. Only through death and resignation
could a vacancy occur When vacancy from TINS
did occur tho remaining members OF the Board
sLoud nil the vacancy by election. Tho body should
thus be selfpcrpotuating body. lifted ny It's swn
powers above the possibility Of collision and above
Ica, inspired and restrained only by the spirit OF
Cod the obeci and traditions OF he trust they had In
charge the IL nuoncc of that pubic opinion which
would very represent the censure applause
OF all New England TO the control OF these twelve
mon tuus elected should bo committed the building
iund, the building itsof whom erected, tho election
oil the preachers ana PASTORS tho arrangement and
support tho services, aud Whatever else sppcrtais
to wise ana energetic infringement OF such IN inssi.
futon. fHaN
the rest OF the plan will DO given next Sunday.