Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-13
THE CHURCH CONGRESS.
An Important Movement for Protestant
Unity.

THE CHURCH CONGRESS-.
An Important Movement for Protestant
Unity.
The congress of churches now in session at
Hartford, Conn.,. is an assemblage which should
possess the deepest interest for religious people.
Indeed, by intelligent people generally, be-
levers or non-believers, the proceedings OF the
congress will be watched with atten-
ton, as its objects are of the broadcast
significance and may lead to changes of
the first moment in the religious world.
What these objects are may be gathered from
the proceedings of Monday, when the Rev. JOS
Anderson, d. D., read a historical account of
the congress, showing that the Rev. Mr.. New
ton, OF Pittsfeld, had called together the Chris
tian ministers OF that town, and laid his pro-
ject before them. This was on November
10th, 1888, the four hundredth anniversary
of Luther's birth. The result was circular en-
titled "A Call for an Inter-ecclesiastical Church
Congress" 1t spoke of the possibility of organ
1Zing movement which would be to the differ
S emf feg9us bod1es Of Protestant
had been to the Episcopal church, in uniting
the different schools of Thought contained in it.
IhlS circular, which had seven names up
pended to it, representing the four Protestant
denominations of :ttsfield was sent forth into
all parts of the land, and called out prompt
and warm response. The heartiest approval of
the pr4ject came from the Episcopal church;
but all the churches were heard from, and
everybody seemed to feel that the time had
come for this new step forward in the religious
life of America.
On New Years Day, 1884, the Pittsfield min
listers came together again, to read the replies
they had received, which numbered nearly POO
I iIny were from eminent divines, college pres
ern ana laym i1 prominent in christian
looked by these thinkers, they all expressed
their interest in the project, and most of them
Dade II GOD speed. Measures were then taken
lOr Il conference OF persons SnpciRl1y interested
in the movement. The conference was held in
Pittsfield on June Is, 1884. After full dis
the new organization should be named "The
American Congress of Churches" and the pur-
poses OF the movement were formulated in the
words which have now become SO familiar
"to promote Christian union and to advance
the kingdom of God by a free discussion of the
great religious, moral and social questions of
the time 1t was voted that the general man.
agement OF the organization should be intrust-
cd to committee or ''council'' numbering 25
persons, in which both clergymen and laymen
should be represented. The first meeting of
the council was held in New Haven on No
ton was then effected, and an executive
committee of seven was appointed, to which
was intrusted the task of preparing for the first
meeting OF the congress. and Of deciding when
and where ii should be held. and what topics
should be discussed.
The precise scope of the work it is hoped to
accomplish Is well indicated in the speech of
Rev. Edward z. Parker, ID. D., in welcoming
the congress to Hartford. In answering the
qucStlou, I1itS ILLS congress SuIlCle0J reason
for existence in the ultimate object proposed ?"
he said:
" 1t cannot be doubted, 1 think, that serious
defects or evils do exist in our American
churches, which imperatively call for some
methods of correction. There is a lack of har-
monions operation; there is a wasteiul expendi;
lure OF money ana OF energy, both ut home and
abroad. Here there is glut OF gospel provision,
while yonder there is famine OF the Word.
should be generous cooperation: there are irri-
tations and disagreements and contentious,
which q freer interchange of views and IL bet
ter mutual acquaintance would terminate;
there are petty ecclesiastical and the
illogical provincfalisms which would dis
appear If the village diagram of divine things
could be displaced by some cosmOramic eXhi-
bition of the kingdom of God there are ignor-
ances, jealousies, obstinacies and antagonisms
tan spirit will dispel in short there is seri-
Gus failure on the part of our churches to make
Just that impression on the world which our
Lord desired and prayed that they should
make-namely, that they are His agents and
representatives-and this failure is largely due
to their culpable negligence of that union which
He regarded rs essential and for which, in their
beha.f, He earnestly prayed. 1t is not CONSOLE
dation that is desirable, but cooperation; not
monotony In unison but music in harmony;
not the exact unifornities of battalions in dress
parade, but the more beautiful unity in variety
OF divine system whose countless stars and
considerations move and shine and sing in their
separate but coordinate courses. And because
this Congress aims to foster and develop that
spirit OF unity which alone can and will deter
mine the external conditions and relations of
the communion of saints it has, like Hopeful,
the key OF promise In its BOSOM"
Rev. 10 ward Crosby, in his speech before
the G.4gress on Monday, laid down the follow
Ing general principles, looking toward greater
unity in the churches: 81. The union of the
churches must subordinate eXternals. There
is no priest code found in the New les
lament. Types are swallowed in anti-typ pes.
The ritual, agent and representative, has
yielded to its principal, the spiritual
No one reading the New Testament only
could ever suspect a Christian ceremonial. 1t
is very evident therefore, that mere externals
ought never to prove Il barrier to a substantial
church union. The largest liberty should be
allowed to Christian congregations in their
choice Of forms and methods, the only restric-
ton being that of conformity to the spiritual
life OF the church.
"2. Conversely, the spiritual character of the
church must be emphasized. Liars, drunkards,
gamblers, rioters, lechers, and all disorderly
persons should be carefully excluded from the
church of Christ. Whatever be their rank in
society or their commercial value to the church.
there should not be the slightest compromise
with such characters.
SO. The third and last-tO-be-mentioned prin-
ciple which must be at the basis OF any real
church union for aggressive work is the grading
OF doctrnal truths. There are vital truths
without which q man cannot be Christian,
and there are other truths which q man may
deny without compromising his Christian
status. No difference must be recognized in a
united church. The doctrinal truth which is
not considered VITAL should not be a cause of
separation in aggressive Christianity"