New-York tribune., 1905-11-26
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
CHURCH FEDERATION q TRUsrq
Writer Believes That Movement Will Lead
to Revival of Medieval Persecution.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Cooperation on a far reaching scale seems
to be the main object of the interchurch confer
ence on the federation Of American churches and
the speakers of the conference, with hardly sin
gle exception presage as the result of Christian
unity and UNCONVENTIONAL fellowship the ushering
in the world of reign of universal peace and
righteousness in fact, the setting up of the King
dom of God. The writer notes that this most eX
cellent state Of affairs is to be brought about by
potent forces and activities introduced in the realm
of civic law. and using the gateway of politics"
No doubt those who enthusiastic for a vital
unity agreeable to all sects, and for confederated
power that shall reach and be felt 'n all Christ
enGom' well meaning; still, it must seem to
some like only an iridescent dream; attempt to
reorganize society and introduce a new order of
things by and through the aid of the civil power
instead OF the apostolic process of the new birth
and the operation of those powers which belong
clusiyely to the spiritual.
One is led to inquire whether the proposed fedora
ton of all the churches into substantial organ
izaton that shall make itself felt in the religious
the social and the business world is not after ALL
church trust. And if church trust. will not its
methods be something after the order of the
methods of the great trusts and combines OF the
with competitors or those who do not believe in
its principles and refuse to cooperate in its pur
heretics and likewise fad a way to punish them
century, studies the acts and the words OF the
great religious councils Of those early days must
negie Hall a parallel, and the significance of a
movement that will lead has been clearly in
dicated by several of the speakers. to world re-
lgton must not be underCstimated.
Back there cooperation and federation
on magnificent scale And the sure result was
the ushering IN of the of the Dark Ages. 1t
was a minority that lighted up the gardens of
Nero for the chariot races their bodies soaked in
petroleum, providing fuel for the lurid flames; it
was a minority that underwent the tortures of
the thunlbScrew, the rack and the fagot, that en-
dured the Spanish InQuistion and the exquisite
punishments of a praying Torquemada rather than
yield the faith 1t the majority, the CO.
ugious duties Of man and provided pUnishments to
fit the crime!
Shall history repeat itself? We hope not. But let
this federation combination of all churches puT-
its to the last analysis. and trenlble
for the results Let ministers of the Gospel attend
strictly to the business Of the Gospeforgiveness of
sin-and legislators attend strictly to the business
of providing punishment for crime. And let wide
distinction be made between sin and crime.
There will then be little likelihood of religious per-
secutons In the of liberty TO worship God
according to the dictates of ones conscience,
/ want enter public protest against federated
organization Of churches that seeks the civil
ual methods. and to recommend to all the study of
the life and trials of Roger Williams, the hanging
of the Quakers, the whipping of the AnabaptstS
the story Daniel in the lions den and the He
brew worthless in the fiery furnace! All this
accomplished by religious federation. which is
q demand for a world religion let there be
earnest plea for genuine religion.
JOHN S. WIGHThIAN
General secretary of the New-York State Religious
Liberty Bureau.
No. 50 West 26th-st.. New-York. Nov. IS, 1905.