The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-05-04

tlme M lie through lack OF the funds
thus wasted in villages outlying settle
ments are len destitute Of the means Of
grace. There are almost a. many Protes-
tant ministers officiating in Pembina q
in all the other parts Of the county.
Some of the advantages of consolida-
ton arc strong churches able 70 stand
alone and boldly oppose wrong. and pas
tors not getting gain" but free from
financial embarrassnents. There is less
distraction, less friction. The mission
money of the Eastern churches is econo.
mized and sent where It is actually
needed. There is, also, a great saving
of laborers. Every denomination is cali.
ing for more ministers to do its work. The
Congregational agent for Northern Dakota
asks for fifty more men; the Presbyterian
agent calls for thirty additional workers.
Hundreds of places are utterly destitute
of preaching, or have only occasional SER
vices. Then if"saving souls" is the chief
aim of tho ministry, why not release
every one that can possibly be spared
from overcrowdei points and send them
to places utterly destitute? Why not !?
And the cry of thousands of perishinc
souls echo the cry, why not? Consolida-
ton of small churches wherever pnctic-
able is simply wisdom. But is such con.
solidation practicable in Pembina? Yes.
How can it be effected? The Congreca-
tional, Baptist, Methodist, and Prcsby-
terrain congregations in Pembina retro
sent two great schools of theology-the
Arminian and the Calvinistic. The
natural basis of union would be on these
two lines of thought The Baptists have
virtually abandoned the field. The
Methodist church would remain as at
present, with the probable addition of
some members. Then there would still
be left the Congregational and Presby-
terrain churches. What shall be done
with them? Consolidate them into one,
as has been done frequently in other
places with the most gratifying results.
At Scotland and Hope, Dakota
the Congregationalists and Presbyterians
have united and formed strong Consre-
gational churches. At Davis and Anyle
Minn., they combined and formed strong
Presbyterian congregations. Such unions
are numbered by scores in the United
States. And why not? paul Junior
has heard both the Congregational anu
Presbyterian pastors of this place saw that
| fnnro ia 1sfk1o
Also, that these two bodies have r,ias
forbidding their working together in
small towns, and providing for lust such ),
union as this. Then let these two bodies
unite on fair, honorable basis. The
people OF Pembina will not care by what
name the united body is called. il is he.
cause Paul Junior" is anxious that the
day should never come whe,, there will
be no churches in Pelnbina that Inc ven.
lures to plead for the abandonment If
the present suicidal If small. weak
churches, and the establishment of two
strong, selt-supporting, aggressive organi.
cations. But every one must have his
own cllurch"-i.e., the ono with which he
was connected i'll the East. Then. We
must 50 on till we form about fourteen
MISUNDERSTANDING more. And every
one iausI cup III cllerrIully to build
~ more chulchesand II more I,arsonages.
buy tickets for the festivals and fairs Of Ii
congregations, attend IA S. s. picnic, a
year and - church socials month, and
contribute children to help keen np IA
Sunday schools. Perhaps some Of those
so bitterly opposed to the union OF exist:
ing congregations would willingly take
all the scattering members of these differ
ent sectS into their own church AZ i..,st
they would be as slow us, and PERHAPS
slower than !" Paul Junior" to help them
organize and build.
The voice of wisdom cries for consoli-
datlon OF the church organizations Of
If the present waste of men and means
is to &c, on, let the expenses De met by
tnose WHO desire it, and not, by. persist
appeals to the churches of the East for
nlissionary(?) aid. PAuI JIyIop