The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-26
CHRISTIAN UNITY
 WAS DISCUSSED
Rev. ]. w. c. Johnson Makes
 Several Suggestions
PRACTICAL COOPERATION
Few Persons Are Satisfied With the Assumed Advantage of competi- tive churches-Some Plans
 That Have Been Proposed.

The Rev. J. W. Cantey Johnson, rector of the Episcopal church of St. Mary's- on-the-H Highlands, delivered sermon on Christian Unity" at his Il o'clock ser vice yesterday. His text was:
 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of er."-Romans, 12:45.
 MT. Johnson said:
 The attitude towards divisions among Christians has changed greatly in the past ten years, and the greed for "Church Unity is generally admitted. For long time it was only the more thoughtful who perceived that the greatest source of weakness among Christians was a di- vided Christianity but now it has become the want and the petition of Christians in all churches that God would heal the torn body of His Son.
 Christians have come to understand that indsputably, the beginning of chirs- tisnity was in fact, and intention, 8 sin- gle household, the church. The longing for church unity Is now expressed by the ignorant in their appreciation of the llogic of division, and by the heather in their confusion at a divided Christendom. There are few who are satisfied with present conditions as affordng the as- stunned advantage of competitive churches.
 To effect church unity there have been two different lines of approach, each use full in its way. I will simply record these in passing and then it is my purpose to suggest another opportunity, not very much stressed hitherto.
 Attempted Lines of Unity.
 First, there have been many attempts to effect unity by legislation on the part of church conventions and of oongrega- lions. In this direction the church of England and the Episcopal church in the United States have declared a basis for unity in what is known as the quad riateral platform; the assertion of the Holy Scriptures, the apostles and the Nieene Creeds. The Blessed Sacraments and the historic Episcopate as the sim plest assembly of Christian truth and practice. Also in this direction some Protestant churches have individually and corporately consented to a form of unity wherein differences are avoided and agree ments among "Evangelical' Christians emphasized The Anglican would help unity of charitable assertion, the Protes tant by charitable repression. The one he of, a spiritual unity. but both use a legis- lative means to effect 1t.
 The second line of approach, has been in the spiritual way of spreading abroad our wants, knowing it deeply our selves, and while being alive to means that God may thrust upon us, yet chiefly looking to Gods moving in a mysterious way His wonders to perform as Christen- dom comes to Him united in one thing at least, and that the power that they all might be one as thou, Father are in one and l, in thee, that they also might be one In us''
 But have not our thoughts been direct ed too much upon the body. upon the church in it's aggregate capacity, whether viewed outwardly as a visible church or inwardly as an invisible church?
 It is time that we were dwelling upon the power for unity that rests with the members, not as hands and feet, which make the body "ftly compacted togeth- er,' but as mutually bearing living re- lation to one another, in St. Pauls words as "severally members one of another.''
 oti ify h1r emphasizing mans individual useful ness, giving him freedom of movement for his personality, instead of effacing personality in an effort at a mechanical unity. Exercising this truth is an effec- tive way of helping the cause of church unity Efforts to produce organic unity or spiritual unity of purpose, are right but seeking the end thus is as a man who would become an artist, without being an artist. We need to possess a living unity Christian character Is developed in all Christian bodies, and our best agency for unity is the constant associa- this God has placed at our command the precious gift of "co-operatIon."
 Cooperation.
 CD Consider what cooperation is to us in all relations of life. The existence of our cities, our state, our nation depend on the exercise of it. The government recognizes it, and we recognize it in our tax system, in our police protection, in our courts of justice, in our educational endeavors-every effort for progress in community Is ultimately cooperation.
 Cooperation is the word history will use in describing our day and generation. Let the churches unite in good works. Christian cooperation in works of chari- ty, to relieve the sick, the poor, and the ignorant, to reach and turn to God the