The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-02
ARE THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES
GROWING MORE FRATERNAL?
BY REV. 9. P. NASH.

So FAR as my own observation and
experience go, | am happy in giving
an affirmative answer to the above
question. But | find a marked diff
ference in localities. There are in
dividuals of fraternal spirit to be
found everywhere; but the small and
weak churches, in the small villages
and rural districts, seem to be mostly,
as yet, in the woods of intolerance
and bigotry. The last church to
which | ministered, and the one to
which am now ministering, are both
thus located, and ny experience in
those communities was, and is, an
illustration of this latter statement.
But since 1889 | have had some ex-
periences in part. | imagine, some
what peculiar; and hope to interest
and maybe profit, at least some
readers of The UNIvERsALIsT by
briefly narrating them,
l took charge of our chureh in
Conneautville, Pa, in November '89.
AS soon as we were settled we were
called upon by the pastor of the M.
e. church, and his wife; and Mrs. n,
returning the call of the latter, was
informed by her that they had never
been located before-he was about
my age-where there was Univer-
salist church; and that they had
come to that parish with all the pre-
judice, general among the nj. E.
people, against the Universalists.
But, upon becoming acquainted with
them, they had found them, to their
surprise, to be Christian people; and
that their fear was that now, by re-
action from their strong prejudice,
they might think too much, and
make too much, of the people of the
Universalist Church.
But that. feaf.was not SO great1as
to prevent that pastor from inviting
me into the pulpit with him, to take
part in the services, the first time |
visited his church, and every time
thereafter, as long as he remained
four years-nor in giving me most
cordial welcome to his home as often
as called; and all this with the full
consent, and apparent appreciation
of the people of his church. And
when his successor came on the
ground he continued the same treat
ment of me while I remained.
A new pastor came to the Presby-
terian church while we lived there,
fresh from the halls of Princeton.
That church had been refused to my
predecessor, in which to give the
Baccalaureate Sermon of the gradu-
ating class of the high school; but l
was invited into the pulpit with the
new pastor, the first service | at
tended, and ever after, with one ex-
ception, when | was invited to offer
prayer from the floor, having entered
after the service began-and once
while revival effort was in progress
in which the pastor was assisted by
city pastor of his own denomination.
and all with the evident approval of
the members Of the church and con-
gregation.
Spending my first vacation at Hol-
ly, Mich, l was invited by the Pres
byterian pastor here to preach for
him-of course did so-was invited
into the pulpit, to take part, by the M.
E. pastor; and with few exceptions,
as residing here, attend services in
one of the churches whenever at home
on Sunday, which is most of the time
That invitation into the pulpit has
been regularly repeated since. The
present Presbyterian pastor had me
supply for him Sunday when alb
sent, and last Sunday did the same
for the M. E. pastor, upon his invita-
tion, he being sick. l have only been
invited into the Baptist pulpit once;
two different pastors have apologized
to me for not doing SO; and the pres
ent pastor, who invited me into his
pulpit the once referred to, usually
asks me to offer prayer in my seat, as
he did also recently at a pound party
| attended at his residence.
L have no doubt that many of our
pastors could tell similar story of
ministerial courtesy. Some have al
ready done so, but now | wish to add
an incident that l think outstrips
them all. Being present at the M.
E. church some months ago on com
munion day. watched the invitation,
and it being sufficiently broad, | de-
cided to go to the altar and partake.