The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-13
MAYCO UNDER ANEW NAME.
The Proposed Union Of the Baptist and
Christian Churches.


Very Little Difference in the Be
lief of the Two Denominations.
The Basis of the Proposed Union.
There is a widespread interest all over
the country in regard to the proposed
amalgamation of the Baptists and the
Disciples Of Christ. The scheme of con-
solidation has progressed rapidly, and, in
the opinion of DR.. Kerr Tupper, a promi-
nent divine in the west, the time is not
far distant when the Baptist and Chris
tian denominations will be united under
the name Of the latter.
A well-known pastor of the Christian
church in New York says, in this connec-
Iion, that there is little difference in the
beliefs Of the two churches, and that
ministers of one denomination have occu-
pied the pulpit Of the other and confer
ences have been held between them look
ing to the ultimate union of the two
churches.
THE BASIS OF UNION.
The basis Of the proposed union, formu-
lated by the Christian church, is as fol-
lows:
l. What is the grand aim, what is the prime
purpose, what Is the distinct mission OF the
people known as the Disciples Of Christ? The
answer is: o unite in a loving brotherhood
Christians OF every name and creed and pecu-
liar usage.
.. In what way do the Disciples propose to
bring about this union of the children Of God;
Inc answer Is: BY persuadinR them to be
satisfied with the religion OF Jesus as he gave
1t to mankind, and as 1t is described on the
pages Of the New Testament.
g. To what extent do the Disciples propose
o restoration of primitive Christianity-the
Chrlstlanlty OF the apostolic age The an
sWer is. Its doctrine, its ordinance, its fruits;
fife In other words its creed its ritual and its
A What is the nature of the union for which
the Disciples laOorY The answer is: 1t is
spiritual. 1t consists of simple child-like
faith in the Son of God and an implicit, I'M
questioning obedience to his every require
ment Devotion to the Son of God In heart
and in life must be such as to cause the Disci-
pies to lose sight Of and interest in every
thing and every person but him, the peerless
One. and his commands.
5. Is such union practicable7 The answer
Is: Yes. Such union existed under the
ministry of the inspired apostles and can ex-
list again If Christians will only be satisfied
with what God says in these last days by his
Son. Is such union practicablei Yes. For
Jehovah has decreed that the Christ shall
have the heather for his inheritance and the
uttermost parts OF the earth for his posses
sion. But this result can only be secured by a
hearty spiritual union with the Christ, and so
with each other OF those who recognize Christs
ownership Of them.
This has never been presented to the
meeting of Baptist churches, for the rea-
son that none has ever been called.
DIR, GooDwIN's VIEWS.
A MORNING NEWS representative asked
Rev. S. A. Goodwin, pastor of the First
Baptist church, yesterday about the pro-
posed union.
81 know nothing of a union of the Dis
ciples with the regular Baptists," he re-
N hnQ so 70
vored it and know of no insuperable OBJ
stacle in the way of it's consummation.
Each of these denominations has an
organic union of its own, but it is purely
voluntary.
mo church nor any number of
churches has any ecclesiastical authority
over another.
Neither the Baptists nor the Disciples
recognize any ecclesiastical authority
above that of the local church.
"This fact alone,p continued DR., Good
win, makes the proposed union depend
ent upon the individual churches, and not
upon any council of men or ministers
But while this is true, the sympathy ex-
isting between the two denominations is
strong, and the differences which divide
them are yearly diminished.
What are those differences2" DR..
Goodwin was asked.
Zone of the most important, {" he re-
piled, twas the belief of the Disciples in
baptismal regeneration, which the Bap-
lists disclaim, but the greater part Of the
Disciples so far as ! can ascertain, no
longer hold to that doctrine, and with
this eliminated the minor differences that
now separate them can be easily ad-
justed. There are large number of Dis
clples of Christ, among whom are several
men of thorough scholarship and deep
piety and perhaps the most thoroughly
equipped of all their ministers in this
state is the Rev. James Lamar, of Val
dosta."
REV. MIR. BLENUs IN SYMPATHY.
Rev. 7. H. Blenus, pastor of the
Christian church in this city, said yes
| terday:
The question of the unifcation of the
! Baptist and Christian churches, now
! being made quite prominent in parts of
| the north and west, is not a recent thing.
For number Of years in many locali-
! ties where these two bodies of religious
people are largely in the majority, spirit
of determination has been in the ascend
ency, and the sharp points of difference
have been toned down till there exists
| but little to keep them long apart. It is
now well known that much of the sup
! posed difference in faith and practice be-
| tween these two religious bodies has grown
out of misunderstanding and misrepre-
! Sentatlon. WIN the growth IN numbers
| there has been the gradual growth and
! development of religious education and
religious literature, and the consequent
| frequent interchange of religious thought
and research, and while both bodies hold
to the divine inspiration of the no ly
scriptures, there has been a growing
tendency to interpret their teachings, not
to omit the narrow preiudices of secta-
rianism, but in harmony with the true
spirit of divine catholicity.
MILLION STRONG.
1.-THE Christian church in the United
States has a membership of about 1,0OO,-
600, having increased in the last decade
about 81 per cent, the highest rate
of increase of any religious body in the
| United States, according to the last cen
sus reports. In point of educational in
terests, mission work home and foreign,
this church is rapidly coming to the front
The greatest increase has been in the
states and larger cities of the north and
west. With its rapid growth and its
claim to be guided in faith and practice
by the Bible, and 1t only-this church has
naturally attracted the attention, as il
has courted the examination of the lead
ing minds and spirits of other religious
bodies, it is therefore quite natural to
learn of the steps looking to this pro-
posed union"
The working out of this contemplated
I A. -