The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-26
DIR. R. ?. KERR ON
CHRISTIAN UNITY
An Eloquent Sermon at the First
Church SUNDAY Evening
THE NEED OF UNIONS MANIFEST
He Suggests Confederation of De-
nominations as the Only Means OF
Attaining the End Desired.
Subject Next Sunday.
THE NEED OF UNIONS MANIFEST

AZ the First Presbyterian church on Sun
day evening. DR.. Kerr preached 10 a ia'se
congregation, on the question: shaii aii
-ha denominations unite and form one?'
The text was: That They All May be
one That the World May Know That
Thou Hast Sent Me, St John Xvii: 2l-SSS.
Dr Kerr said:
..The text shows how much importance
Christ attached 10 the matter oil unity
among his people. He made it the SUP
iect OF a prominent petition IN MS great
recorded prayer offered just before MS
,assIon. and sets forth unity among his
disciples as Tue argument that would prove
To men his divine sonSfip. This raises the
ones,ion: shall ali denominations Unite
and form one?'
in order to accomplish this co2solida-
ton of all denominations. possible pan
suggests itself 1t is that We select one
denomination and all join ii. The ques-
ton then VIII oe which denomination shali
taat beo PROBABLY any denomination "ouih
be willing for all the others TO accept us
beliefs and rules and come In. But wficn
denominations would be wiling TO cis-
solye In order TO do this? Suppose we
select the Eniscopalian Church. Would the
BaptisIs. Methodists and Presbyterians be
willing 10 go IN and be combined and have
their ministers reordained? Or let the
Bapt!stS he taken as the one to survive.
Would the Ep!scopalians. Methodists and
Presby;er.ans pc willing TO so in and al
be baptized over again, and by immersion!
Nor would the others come in If the Pres
t,vfer!an Church should be chosen as the
basis Of C1risiian union. The bapnsls
would object to our sprinkiing and 10 m
FAINT membership: the Methodists wouid
.ale fF,yls a
the Episcopalians would say, we cannot
give up our liturgy and our bishops.
so it goes, and whatever may be said as
to whether all ought to consolidate or not.
IT is certain that they are not going TO do
Il just al present.
UNION NEEDED.
THAT there IS great need of union is
manifest To every thoughtful person for
several reasons
First. There IS great waste of ma
teriai and men, under present conditions
In d cke- where there are enough people
for all denominations. this waste IS not
apparent but in small communities it
is painfully evident. In a village of five
hundred people we Will often find four
or five churches. neither one of them
strong enough to support a pastor. So
the churches there are served by minis
ters WHO come from elsewhere and preach
once a month. have known a case of
a village where there was no resident
minister. In this way they have what is
called Baptist Sunday, a Presbyterian
Sunday Methodist Sunday. and an
Episcopal Sunday and when there are
five Sundays in a month, they VIII have
some other kind of Sunday
IN foreign mission fields there is little
friction now. though there will be some
ia1s. I'll,
up and the denominations begin to elbow
one another. II is a drawback TO missions
70 present a divided Christianity to the
hea1hen, and il will become more so as
time goes Oh
.'Gne of the greatest Disadvantages OF
our divisions lies in the occasion il gives
to the world to criticise the Church. What
can be done2 We cannot dissolve and
form one denomination It is simply I'M
possible in present conditions. l suggest
that instead of consolidation. ne have
confederation, and l believe We are slowly
moving towards that consummation-
What 1 mean is that we form great
confederation of independent and self
governing churches for the conversion of
the world. and that the basis of this con-
federation be simply Faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, and only
Saviour of men.
TWO THINGS NEEDED.
In such confederation, TWO things
would he needed. First. That all denom-
nations recognize one another as parts
of the Holy Catholic or Universal Church
OF God Second. That we create great
executive ecumenicai assembly 10 meet
say once in live wears. with subordinate as
semhlies for each nation. to meet annual
~ ami that these assemblies. ecumenicai
and local, have nothing TO do with any
doctrines except the one basis Of its or
cani2at!on--hrist, tie Son of God and
Saviour Of men-but TO be charged with the
great work of overseeing. in a general
way, the evangelizing of the world. Under
this general subject there would be such
divisions as Sunday-sctlool work. Bible dis
1ribution, Young Mems Christian and
Young Women's Christian Association
work; Home and Foreign Missions and
Systematic Charities In other words the
confederation of denominations would have
only executive functions pertaining to CO.
operation in the work of saving the world
for Christ.
The contamination of such union as
this would impress all mankind and COM
pei belief in the divinity Of our Lord. 1t
would economize materials and men. would
prevent unct1ristan rivalry and would. l
believe. be pleasing to Christ. So in re-
ply to the question: Shall all denomina-
tons unite and form one2 l answer: Let
us come together and form confederation
OF churches TO preach the gospel 10 every
creature The great ecUmenical confer
ence of foreign missions. of all denomina-
tons. recently held in New York. is a
sign that the churches are moving in this
direction, God grant that IT may prove
10 be a prophecy, and that we may have
a confederation Of denominations to con-
Vert the world 10 Christ Then will
Carist's prayer FOR unity be answered.
The subject for DR.. kerr's sermon for
.'eat Sunday night n his series Of san
day-n,sGt discusses on The Living CUES
Hens of the Church VII be dow Can an
Almighty God be good and allow men 10
suffer-"
Stray Carrier Pigeons.