The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-04-14

upon their deposits"
There can be no question, that, in all
places, the number Of the various So
called evangelical churches might ad-
vantageously be reduced by an organic
union which would give one church
where now there are five or more; and
this one church, hundredfold more
commanding in its influence than are
the separate churches of which it would
be composed, and almost intellectually
stronger for the carrying forward of
any Christian work to it's completion.
But vastly important as might be the
results of such a union, and much as
"the separating spirit'' may be inveigh-
ed against, denominationalism for many
year to come will be target at which
good men will aim their shafts, and the
churches of many names will remain
divided from each other, in their poll
ties at least, as now. In the mere fact
Of their division we see nothing speci-
ally to deplore. What most to be de
sired is, that they grow into a more
cordial fellowship, and regard them
selves as so many divisions in the Army
of the Lord, and their warfare, not
against one another, not against I'M
churched people, but against the sin
and wrong of which the world is so full.
1t will be blessed day, indeed, when
Christians of every sect and name shall
turn away from the harangues of mere
creed mOngers, from the angry dispu-
tations of polemics, from the modern
Tetzels crying their Romish wares, to
listen to him who says, LEARN of me-"
1t surely is time, now after so many
hundreds of years of angry debate and
strife, that we get up from our separate
tables, that we break out of our narrow
creed enclosures, and come together in
friendly companionship, rejoicing in the
true and good we hold in common, and
demonstrating how much better it is to
love than to hate and wrangle.
Let us all keep our several denomi-
national names if we will, and love our
own church the best but at the same
time gladly embracing every opportu-
nifty for joining heart and hand in any
common work there may be for us to do.
Clearly it is not by our creed alone, not
by the profession we make, not by the
ceremonials in which we participate,
not by the church in which we worship,
not by the sectarian name we bear, that
we shall be known as the disciples of
Christ, but only by our holy living and
catholicity and humanity. When we
see men and women doing good as they
have opportunity, humbling themselves
to the lowest offices of kindness, feeding
their hungry enemy, their very presence
full of healing and comfort to the sick
and sorrowing people; we know by these
clusters Of rich, ripe fruit, that what
ever the church record in which their
names are enrolled, or however sepa-
rated by peculiarites of sect and creed,
they are living branches Of the true
Vine.
If there is CAUSE for the question, s'Is
Christianity losing, or gaining ground
in the United States?" it will in no
small part be found in the fact that the
churches so often lose sight of the
great purpose of their existence, which
is not only to extend knowledge of
Christ but to do his work amid the
heathenism of our great cities, and the
vice, crime and wretchedness that every
where abounds. For the doing of this
work the associated effort, the massed
strength of the churches, or, better, of
all Christians in or out of churches, are
needed. And certainly it would be a
most convincing testimony to the truth
and divine worth of the Christian re-
ligion, for which an unbelieving world
is waiting, were the several denomina-
tions to come together, if not in organic,
yet in sentimental union, or in a
hearty fraternal way, to push forward
the conquests of the Gospel to the ends
of the earth. Thus combining against
the evils which afflict society and the
race, and which have grown to be so
stalwart and defiant, they would, sin
that unity of love to God and man
which is the basis of all true piety and
morality" help to bring in the new day
when although many members, there
shall be only one harmonized body.
DR.. Mayo has recently said: 81 do not
hope the American people will ever
worship accoding to the same form. 1
do not believe there will ever again
be so few religious creeds as now. But
do hope and believe, as the great de-
sire of my life, that the union of the
Christian men and women of America,
for all great practical religious enter
prises, for the increase of religious
knowledge, for that central unity of
moral purpose which underlies Christ
ian civilization, will come to pass"
Then every good and righteous cause
will be sure Of success, and before the
new and brighter unfoldings of Christ
ian truth and love, all of theoretical
and practical atheism shall forever dis