New-York tribune., 1901-06-07
FEDERATED CHRISTIANITY.

The Federation of Churches and Christian
Workers recently effected in Toledo is said to
include all the Christian bodies except the Ro
man Catholic Church. and its officers are conf
dent that II will he productive Of much good TO
the common Christianity OF the city. As the
name indicates the object OF the organization is
10 create and strengthen sense Of common fell
lowship among the members of the different
churches and to bring about cooperative effort
whenever II is found 10 be possible. The cOnsti-
tuition provides:
That each church enrolled shall be entitled TO
representation by its pastor and two delegates
in the councils Of the federation. Other Chris
tian organizations may be admitted TO member
ship upon the vote Of the council and they will
be entitled TO representation by one delegate.
Delegates will be elected 10 serve for one year
from the date OF the annual meeting Of the
council The government OF the federation shall
be vested in a council a pastor ana two dele
gates from each church. and one delegate from
each organization other than a church, con-
stitute the council. The powers OF the council
will be advisory and executive. 1t Will have no
authority over the churches.
1t will hold regular meetings on the second
Tuesday in March, May October and December
of each year. The May meeting shall be the an
nual meeting when the officers will he elected
and the reports for the year will be presented.
The Federation of Churches in this city is
striving 10 bring about the same results in much
the same way and, though its success has not
been great thus far. it serves as a useful object
lesson and will doubtless have a distinct edu-
cational value. A similar organization has just
been effected in Troy, which includes all the
denominations except the Roman Catholic and
the Episcopal.
Now that the summer vacation is at hand 1t
seems to us that these federatiOns and those
in other cities might wisely arrange an open
1rYia hn nT1n1
many people away 1t is n waste of money
and vital energy to keep all the churches of
the large cities open during the heated term.
The other alternative-namely, to close them all
would be plain violation of Christian duty
and obligation. Common sense would seem. to
suggest that certain churches in the different
parts of the city irrespective Of denomination
should be kept open, with their full quota of
clergy and good music allowing the numerous
other churches TO close. This would permit
many pastors, organists. choir singers. Sun
day school teachers and sections 10 get a rest
while the churches that remained open would
have larger congregations In fact, some Of the
greatest preachers in the country might he Sc
cured for these open churches. Or If certain
congregations felt themselves unable to incur
the expense of securing such preachers. num-
ber of them might join in getting sermon from
IL
by the local pastors on the same day simultane-
ously in all the churches. There Is no reason,
indeed why the simultaneous preaching of the
sermons of famous living preachers should not
be made a general feature Of modern church
work. The announcement that such sermon
would be preached would attract many 10
church, and great burden would he lifted from
the shoulders of the busy pastor.
This community of interest idea applied TO
churches would doubtless shock some old fash
ioned Christian people. who are members of
their particular denomination first and Chris
| tians afterward. But ii is coming more and
| more TO he recognized that sectarianism is an
unlovely and unchristian thing. concerning it
self largely about speculatons and ceremonies
that are not essential TO the teachings of Christ.
And the federations would render a great ser
vice to Christianity if they could persuade a
few churches, even for a brief season, to forget
sect and plunge boldly into the sea of Christian
| brotherhood