Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-05-19
= sorlaIE sieN OF THE TIMES.

- NOl 1AG cAUN UT A"H AA-ssesS'
A most encouraging and significant sign
of religious federation and progress Is
brought out in the regular Boston corre-
spondence of DR.. Lyman AbbOtts paper,
the Christian Union, of New York. The
event alluded to is the organization OF "The
First Congregational church, in Cliftondale,
Mass" growing community in the town.
ship of Saugus, contiguous to Lynn, the
worlds great shoe manufacturing town.
For some years meetings have been held In
public hall, the Unitarians in the COM
munity having been the principal
contributors to the fund for meet
ing expenses. Finally these persons
came, of their own notion, 10 the conclu-
sion that ''libersl Congregational church"
would serve the interests of the community
better than church of their own order!
The result was thst council composed OF
what are popularity known as orthodox
- certainly evangelical - Congregational
churches, assembled and organized and
constituted" the church. OF this council.
the Rev. DIR. A. Ii. Quint, champion OF
with fame CO extensive with the
continent, was moderator, and the sermon
was preached by that great-hearted man,
the Rev. DIR. Joseph T. Duryea- The MEM
bers came in part by letters from Baptist,
Methodist and Congregational churches,
and by confession of faith. The signii-
cant feature is the creed, which was pre-
pare with special reference to Cath
olicity, while embodying the essential
Gospel doctrines. We give some OF
the distinctive planks of this creed. The
one representing what is called the doc
trine Of the Trinity-which doctrine was
the original cause of the separation of the
Liberal" from the orthodox" Congrega-
tionalists, is as follows:
We believe in one only living and per
sonal God, the Father of all spirits, the
Creator, Preserver and Supreme Ruler OF
the universe, whose government is holy,
just aud good; and in one Lord Jesus
Christ, the only Begotten Son OF the
Father, the one appointed Mediator be-
tween God and man, our Redeemer,
Teacher and Exemplar, through whose suf-
ferings and death God is reconciling the
world unto himself, not reckoning unto
men their trespasses, and exalted to be
Head of the Church; and in the Holy
Spirit, the Renewer and Sanctifier of the
soul, the RevealeT of truth, and the Guide
and Inspirer of the Church.
In another plank the Bible is stated to be
..the only authoritative recordof the Divine
will and the perfect standard of faith and
Justice"
Indeed, the remainder of the confession
is so explicit, strong and significant, in the
peculiar circumstances in which 1t was
adopted, that we cannot refrain from
printing it in full, as follows:
And we believe in the redemptive work of
God in Christ through which sinful human
nature may be restored to the Divine like
ness. and all men, through penitence and
faith, may become the subjects of the
grace of God.
And we believe In the Holy Catholic
church, the one body of Christ, composed
of all believers visibly united, though called
by different names; in the ministry Of the
Word; in thesacraments of Baptism aud
the Lords supper: in the resurrection of
the dead; in the life everlasting; aud in the
righteous destiny of all men through Jesus
Christ our Lord, to whom is committed all
Judgment because he is the Son of man,
and who will render to every man accord
ing to his deeds.
While we declare in this form the COM
mon truths of all Christian faiths, we do
not restrict the freedom of our brethren In
the Interpretation of Gods Word, and we
reserve to ourselves the right to accept in
those who may hereafter i0in us other fnrns
of faith whenever they shall seem necessary
to the liberty of the Gospel.
The covenant adopted by the new church
is as follows:
We whose names are annexed agree to
walk together according to the Word CT
God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, en-
deavering to keep the unity of the spirit in
the bonds of peace and In righteousness of
life.
The church, we are informed, is already
self-supporting. the financial strength still
being heartily supplied by the Unitarians of
the Society" and the indications are that II
will be permanent and prosperous. We do
not give the foregoing as q model Of a
church creed, but as a sign of progress in
the line of Christian thought and Christian
fraternity and unity.