The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-12-11
SERMON ON
POWER or
KNOWLEDGE

Rev. r.. Tallmadge Root OF the Rhode
Island Federation OF Churches preached
yesterday morning at the Church of tho
Mediator. His topic was 'Knowldge Is
Power" and his text Pet i:5.
Church federation. especially since the
great Carnegie Hall conference. Is gain
Ing a momentum possessed by no previous
movement for Christian unity. The sec
ret is that federation IL an attempt TO
heed the exhortation OF the text and to
add TO virtue knowledge" knowledge
alone gives unity, motive, power.
KNOWLEDGE BRINGS UNITY.
We agree on facts. Where we differ, It
In because we do not know. Many were
the theories OF the solar system. Now
that the faots are understood, all agree
so the way to bring Christian unity Is TO
lay emphasis on things we know. We
know, or may know the moral needs OF
the community. We know that in Christ
is the power TO meet -thsua- From the
leading Unitarian weekly, / clipped
poem which says OF Jesus:
''We who have felt our dead souls
Glow as a coat at thy breath:
We know thy lordship Of life,
We know thy lordship OF DEATH!
We may know each other The Romans
had the same word for stranger and
enemy but when we know our brethren,
we exclaim az did one OF the Federation
workers: II do not care what his church
believes He is a Christian man.
In such federation on the basis OF fact
Rhode Island leads. We unite now IL de-
nominations. rltualistic and Puritan, Or
thodox and liberal, American and Swed-
ish OF one OF these, a denominatlonal
"a
q mighty achievement
KNOWLEDGE GIVES MOTIVES.
How can voluntary federation have
authority TO secure cooperation In so Inn
mense q task? The only authority con
sistent with Professionalism Is the logic
of facts. Show need and opportunity;
and all who seek to do Christs work Will
act In harmony. This Is our theory; and
II works.
We have discovered for example,
township near Providence with popula-
tion OF 300 and onl ythree small churches
with a total membership OF $50. y Most
not SUCH fact startle US from out
lethargy7 One denomination already is
resuming work I'm neglected fields be
cause OF the pressure OF the Federation.
When We laid before a conference OF
Howe Missionary authorities case
where three churches, all aided. work
among 608 Swedes one official said: Il
see, we must reconsider our policy" Simi-
lary, the Providence parish system, now
recognized as the best outside OF New
York. has at least demonstrated that
what DR.. Mason North says OF the Met
ropolis. is also true here: Denomination
al leaders agree that without Federation.
our battle is lost" Thus the facts fur
nish adequate motive. Again knowledge
is power.
True I'm every line. IL is most true OF
men. Power over men Is gained only by
knowledge OF men. This Is the secret OF
the politicians. Said a national commit
teeman, when asked how to conduct
campaign: How many voters are there?
How many have you? How many more
do you need? Get 'em" The parish
plan simply means similar systematic
knowledge and canvass for moral and
religious ends. We need every man. When
will church boards like ward committees,
sit up till midnight to get them? William
Stead says that when the parish plan is
established a church in whose district
an illegitimate birth takes place, Will
drape itself in mourning. Such sense OF
responsibility is the very thing needed TO
rouse us from our apathy and bring the
greatest era OF achievement which tho
Christian church has ever known.