Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-11-21
.TALK OF CHURCH UNION
Preamble OF Federation Constitution
Amended TO Exclude Unitarians
ADDRESSES BY GROSscuP AND BREWER
Federal Jurists Read Paper ON Phases
of work and scope OF
the New OrRanisR-
tiOn.

NEW YORK. Nov. S.--At its meeting to-
day the inter-church conference on fed
Grafton changed the wording Of the phrase,
Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour" in
the preamble of the constitution Of the
federal council to read Jesus Christ our
Divine Lord and Saviour
II is understood that this exchange has
excluded from membership In the federal
council the Unitarans on the ground that
they do not accept the theory of the divin-
ity OF Jesus Christ.
The addresses delivered today concerned
chiefly the prospective practical benefits to
the conference. Among today's speakers
were: Rev d. s. stephens. chancellor of
the Kansas City Okan.) university; Rev.
Charles A. Dickey of Philadelphia, Rev.
John Baltzer OF st. Louis and Rev. AmoTy
H. Bradford Of Mount Clair n. j. Rev.
Mr.. Baltzer urged an united appeal of the
body to the respective legislative bodies of
the states, calling for greater respect
toward the oath in the court rom and
elsewhere and demanding more common
and stringent marriage laws. which he
said would be looked upon as a tangible
result of this conference.
Rev. Bradford declared that the congress
ought to he judged by its remote rather
than its immediate results Five years
from now, he said, the world will not be
very different from what it would have
been IL this congress had never been held.
And vet it will not have been in vain, for
it will have made the sin of a divided
ChrIstiandom to appear more appalling and
the Importance Of unity that shall be vital.
pervasive and enduring. more imperative.
Resolution DenOuncing Graft.
A resolution declaring that what men
today call graft, Jesus Christ called
covetousness and condemned more
verely than any other vice. proposed.
Rev. George Wenner of New York City,
pastor OF Christ church, introduced the
resolution, which was referred to the bust
ness committee.
A letter thanking the conference for its
condemnation of the Jewish massacres in
Russia was read from Rev. II. Pierce
Mendes, president OF the Union of Ortho-
dox Jewish Congregat ions of the United
States and Canada.
Prof Dealy's amendments broadening the
scope of the convention and providing for
the admission of religious denominations
not now members were voted on later and
defea ted.
1t is understood that the resolution to
insert the word divine as applied to
Jesus Christ in the preamble Of the con-
stitution, excludes the Universalists as
well the Unitarians and some other re-
ligious bodies from membership in the
council.
A plea for Roman Catholics to join the
federation was made by Rev. L. c. Barnes
of Worcester. Mass.
Rev. DR.. Roberts, the permanent chair.
man. said that Roman Catholics were not
excluded by the terms of the proposition
of the federation.
At the evening session Judge Grosscup
of the United states circuit court of Chi
cago contributed the first paper on the
Popular Conscience" in a discussion Of
the united churchAend the national life
He said: m
More than anysbther institution of CIV
ilization, the church is. the agency that
in1ects equilibrium into the national life
Reaching back to the primal sources OF
that life, the church, more than any other
institution known to mankind, balances
Why not take steps here, then. for the
process gong on everywhere else? Why
ih nS 1 M nst church? BY a church unit
massed into one common form, either the
policy or the beliefs Of the individual
churches. l would leave the churches as
they are. each the chosen channel through
which men seek communion with their
creator But would so adjust, and bal
dnce ana mass their influence upon the
life of the nation that here, as I'm the civil
side OF that life, while nothing was taken
from the strength of the individual church
behind each individual church would be
put the strength of all the churches.
Law and Justice.
] Justice David ). Brewer of the United
States supreme court read paper Law
and Justice" He said:
+ Denominations do exist will exist and
| ought to exist. The denominations work
/ for the different needs of the souls of men,
! but they are alike in the love of God.
| ! look and hope for a federation closer
! likely IL was better TO take a short step
forward than to risk failure by going too
far The man who cannot work with Ed
! ward Everett Hale and Cardinal Gibbons
I has no clear conception OF the goodness of
God. i say that IL all cannot admit the
divinity OF Christ they are yet all followers
/ Of His leadership.
The strength OF our country comes from
/ the strength of the union and the strenRt h
OF the union from the strength of the states
So federation Of the church in no way in
/ terfering with the individual unit of action
will result In strong union.
! Federation OF the denominations will re-
duce the differences between them and will
bring them together. Law and Justice
should coincide; unfortunately they do not
| II this were brought about there would
/ be no need of supervision of banks or in
surance companies. The church would be
sort OF mutual insurance company, whose
/ salaries and policies would he only payable
by the cashier up yonder; there would be
! no tainted money; the law of Injunction