The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1902-06-05
4 MELANGE OF
LIVE TOPICS
Penned for Journal Readers
by a Local Scribe.
CHURCH UNITY.


Catholics, of every orthodox COM
munion in America, and even in
the Roman church there are not
wanting indications of the waning
power of the pope III maintaining
the exclusiveness of that church.
There can be no doubt that the
cause of religion would be greatly
promoted if the relations among
the churches were closer than
they are at present. Notwlth-
standing religious bodies are sup
posed to devote their energies 80
battling with sin, yet in fact. ow-
ing to a spirit of rivalry which
finds Judgment in the various or
CARNATIONS of christians, the re-
clamation of the world is some
times made subordinate to the de-
sire of some particular churches to
increase its own membership. All
communlons of christians each
losing sight of it's own particular
interests in a desire to bring men
to a true knowledge of Christ,
would exert an influence forg God
that Is incalculable. Especially
would this be the case if they
could agree upon some line of pol
icy to be pursued by all in order to
bring about this desirable result.
For instance there are some pleas
ures-such as gaming-which all
the churches recognize as beng
unchristian in their tendencies
but which, for want Of concert of
action among these bodies cannot
be sufficiently attacked. Gaming
has been officially denounced by
the late tri-ennial convention Of
the Episcopal church at San Fran
cisco, by the General Assembly of
the Presbyterian church which
convened in 1901, 'and is contrary
to the discipline and rules of the
Methodist and Baptist churches.
And yet the church universal
seems to be unable to deal with
the question III satisfactory man.
ner. Perhaps the times are not
entirely ripe for absolute organic
union of the four evangelical
Protestant churches of America
whose memberships are the most
numerous, namely, the Metho-
dist, the Baptist, the Presbyterian
and the Episcopal, but. it seems
to the wliter, they can be brought
together upon a plane, by each
making compromises of minor i'm
portance, that will be equivalent
to organic union while at the
same time their present status will
not be materially disturbed.
The Episcopalians and Metho-
dlsts assign as their raison d'etre
the form of church government in
which the bishop is an integral
factor. The Presbyterian idea is
that there must be a representa-
tive government and parity of
the ministry, while the Baptists
stress immersion as the sine qua
non of church membership.
All these brethren are perfectly
sincere in their beliefs but at the
same time these beliefs are not
incompatible with each other.
The Presbyterians by accepting a
permanent moderator Tor bishop,
whose powers would be no more
than their own moderators) would
still have their representative gov
eminent and parity of the minis
try even though the moderators
Tor bishops) should form a sepa-
rate house. All the churches could
adopt immersion as the only mode
of baptism, and the Baptists could
adopt the Episco- Presbyterian
government.
All of this could be adopted
while the individual churches, so
far as doctrines and modes of wor-
ship are concerned, could remain
exactly as they are at present.
Just as with these churches which
have pan-denominational councils
and allowances, the united bodies
could have say tri-enAial meetings
in which matters of interest to the
universal church could be dis
cussed and uniform plans for the
betterment of the world adopted.
All the changes here suggested
could be made without any sacri-
flee of conscience with respect to
vital points, and in view of the
alarming degeneracy of the times,
it does seem that the church
should offer a united front to the
hosts of evil.
~
IN SIGHT.
1t seems that the er-British