New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-21
MEET TO CELEBRATE.
uNITARIANs AND UNIvERsALIsTs HOLD
JOINT DINNER AND DISCUSS THE
DRAWING TOGETHER OF THE
TWO CHURCHES.


The Unitarian Club Of New-York and the New
York Universalist Club held Joint meeting and
dinner at the Hotel ST. Denis last night TO discuss
and celebrate the recent drawing together OF the
Unitarian and Universast churches. This move
rnent toward closer relations. which has been slow
ly gaining for several years. came to head last
summer, when both churches at their conventions
passed resolutions favoring unity. and appointed
committees TO confer with each other ana orihs
about the accomplishment Of this object.
The clergy and laty of the two churches are
much pl ased with the arrangement, ana last
nights dinner was in the nature OF love ieas'
More than one hundred Unitarans and UNIVERSAL
lists were present. including both men ana women
The idea of the joint meeting. first proposed by the
New-York Universalist Club. sprang from the
action Of the American Unitarian Association at
Boston May 80 1899. in passing resolutions encour-
aging the p 'esent close relations.
When the dinner was over Sylvester Swain, the
president OF the Unitarian Club. made short ad-
dress OF welcome and introduced as the first speak
ar the Rev Samuel A. Eliot. secretary of the
American Unitarian Association. Mr.. Eliot began
with a few pleasant words on tho mutual good
feeling then he dwet forcibly the nature OF the
present close relations and pointed out what they
did and did not mean.
III Is not an organic union we have" he said.
"That we must emphasize. Each OF the two
churches has It's individual organization, charac-
terist!cs and beliefs and neither church proposes
TO abandon these things. On the contrary we hope
10 keep them up more earnestly than ever. And
yet we are unity-not unity In name or form not
an ecclesiastical unity, but unity OF spirit Nor Is
this unity OF Indifference or Of the weak We in
tend TO hold by separate convictions and aims
and yet by this adherence to principle our
unity Of spirit will BE- strengthened and made en-
during.
This unity will do most good in the small towns
which contain a number OF Untarians and Uni
versasts but not enough to support two separate
churches. Hereafter instead Of struggling along
with two poverty stricken churches. they wiz unite
and form one church Whether II is Unitarian or
Universalit will depend on the number OF each
sect in the place and on circumstances. There VIII
be one nourlshing church, which as our beliefs are
much alike Will be comfort ma sausiacuon 10
both IInitarians and Universalists. -,
Among the others who spoke formally on tne
tonic OF the evening "A Closer brotherhood In the
Liberal Church" were Herbert F. Gunnson pres,-
dent of the Universast Club; the Rev: Dr. FREQ.
erick Bisbee Editor Of The Universalist
Leader; the Rev Or. James NJ. Pullman. the Key
DR. l. NJ Atwood general superintendent o. the
Universallst Church: the Rev. George Batcneior'
Editor of The Christian Regster ana oot th naI IN
the informal discussion following the regular speak
ing were the Rev. Merle st. C.. wright, the REV
John c. Adams and John A. Taylor.