The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-06-20
A RELIGIOUS LEAGUE.
Prof Charles W. Shields, Of Prince.
ton, Elected as resident.
Rev. VIM. Chauncey Langdon, of Provi-
dences Was Elected Secretary and Tenn
porary Treasurer-The Main OBJ
ject Is Catholic Unity.

New YORK, June ia number Of
clergymen from the seven leading
Protestant denominations have organ
lied themselves into a league of
Catholic unity. Rev. Prof. Charles w.
Shields, of Princeton, was elected
president, and Rev. DR.. Wm Chauncey
Langdon, of Providence, secretary and
temporary treasurer.
The league is the direct outcome of
the deliberations of a circle of promi-
nent clergymen during the last few
years, who met originally at the sug-
gestion of Rev. DR.. Langdon for the
| purpose of studying the subject of
I Christian unity. OF this circle Prof.
Shields was the presiding genius, but
| it's organization was wholly an in
formal one and not until it's members
| had arrived at conclusion with a def
mite basis upon which to work did they
| deem it expcdient to submit their plans
! to the public.
At the meeting it was decided to
issue circular letter to the clergy and
laity of the country, defining the pur
| pose of the institution and the princi-
pies upon which it was formed. The
circular letter is, in part. as follows:
sin view of the acknowledged evils
of a divided Christendom. and in view,
also, of the growing desire of church
unity. we whose names are subscribed,
devoutly seeking the Divine guild
ance and blessing, hereby asso-
ciate ourselves as a league for the
promotion of Catholic unity. Without
detaching ourselves from the Christian
bodies to which we severally belong,
or intending to compromise our rela-
tions thereto, or seeking to interfere
with other efforts for Christian unity,
we accept, as worthy of the most
thoughtful consideration, the four
principles of church unity proposed by
the bishops of the Protestant and Epis-
copal church at Chicago in 1886, and
amended by the Lambenth convention
of 1883 as follows:
~. The Holy Scriptures of the Old
and New Testaments, as containing all
things necessary to salvation, and as
being the rule and ultimate standard
of faith.
''2. The Apostles Creed, as the bap-
tismal symbol, and the Nicene Creed,
as the sufficient statement of the Chris
tian faith.
80 The two sacraments ordained by
Christ, baptism and the Supper of the
Lord, ministered with unfailing use OF
Christ's words of institution and of the
elements ordained by Him.
81 The historic ep iscopale, locally
adapted in the methods of it's admins.
tration to the varying needs of the ma.
tions and peoples called of God into
the unity of His church,
The list of names attached to the
circular contains representatives OF
} seven denominations, as follows
Baptist, Congregationalist, Metho
dist Episcopal, Protestant Episcopal
Lutheran, Dutch Reformed and Presby
7 terian. The list contains among others
. the names of Rev. DR.. E. B. Andrews
president of Brown university; Rev.
Dr. George Dana Boardman, of Phil
adelphia; Rev. DIR. George Williamson
Smith, president of Trinity college
Hartford; Rev. DIR. VIM. B. DuBose
/, professor of theology in the University
2 of the South, at Sewane, Tenn; Rev
Charles A. Briggs, of this city, ant
5 Rev. Prof. Charles w. Shields, O.
Princeton