Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-14

ward unity in expression, through
| unity of faith. The essential principal
of Christianity is love and love tends
not to strife, division. but to unity and
peace. AS the Spirit of Christ rests upon
His word and that of His apostles we
find that it is all in harmony with His
final prayer for the church that all may
be one. Did vision of the strife of His
church disturb that last hour of quiet
prayer? One thing is sure. as men draw
near to Christ in life, they draw near
TO each other and the things that sepa-
rate them lose significance. Rightly in
tcrpreted the doctrine Of Christ would
bring His church into one body and fill
it with His spirit. The great funda-
mentals make for peace If one inter-
probation of these truths causes div
ision we do well to question our in
depreciation. Meanwhile the church
stands divided in view of a common
enemy The other day Lord Curzon,
one of the most successful viceroys
that has ever ruled India, because
of lack of harmony between
himself and Lord Kitchener, the gem
eral Of the army. resigned He felt
that only unity of spirit and action
could rightly administer such great af-
tairs. Even so the greater affairs of
the Kingdom of Christ are bungled be-
cause Of the division between the
churches In yOnder town are dozen
churches trying and failing to do what
one united church could do.
The very methods. attitude and re-
suits of denomina tionalism are such
that the Spirit of God is hindered, cam
not work through the churches.
hence their inefficiency and lack Of
progress.
A divided church even though the
fires of sectarianism burn low never
has won city or land for God and
never will The churches may under
present conditions do vast good and
gain considerable success but the full
work which the church of Christ is in
tended to accomplish in the earth it
never will.
The nations Of the world that have
not Christianity have waited long for
the coming kingdom. We hear of the
evangelization of the world in this gen
Grafton. It will never be done in this
or any other generation by divided
church. Only the church united will
have power enough or money enough
or men enough or enough of the
Spiri. of Christ for that great enter
prise The strongholds Of sin are not
TO be conquered by the sending out
against them a corporal guard from
regiments safe at home and jealous of
each other.
What then can be done by those who
see the evils of the present condition
of affairs. We are told that the very
conception Of Christianity is ideal and
worse than that. impossible. The first
thing then that We can do toward
Christian unity is. to believe i'll thar
unity. Beyond question the intent OF
Christianity and the purpose of Christ
was that the church should attain that
unity for which while He was yet upon
the earth it was right for Him to pray. |
The same goal is set forth in our text.
Such WAS the church for whlcn
Christ diet. and "" can 90 no
less than to believe that it will APP
pear. When we note also the life that
is in il and that is trusting and
striving toward unity. while it builds
up the body of Christ. When we see
the rising tide of Christian love which
is in the world. we can but believe
that it will accomplish its Divine pur-
pose.
We may seek with increasing earnest
ness the Spirit of Christ. This is NOR"
important than denominatonalism than
traditions and crecds. however ancient. |
Without Him canrot interpret rightly
even Christ's words: without Him what
we build is not Christ's Kingdom Led by
the divine spirit we shall find others in
other church organizations controlled By
the same power and We are then to keep
the unity Of the spirit in the band Of
peace.
In Christian work let there be neither |
opposition nor duplication. What |
right have we to waste for denomina- |
tional purposes the lives or the money |
that has been solemnly dedicated to the
kingdom and glory of God. When in |
many communities in Maine there are |
more churches than can maintain de- |
cent existence. while in many more there |
are none at all, ii is not enough to say |
someone has Numbered" Some one has |
sinned and that against the very spirit of |
Christ. 1t is not always Christian thing |
to found church. But some one says l
should rot feel ut home in any other
church. Then to that one have the little
things of religion become the great and
the great things the little. Principle, in
tclligent conviction is to be honOrcd. but
prejudice is not entitled to similar honor.
though if there is anything in the world
that makes great demands and is most
difficult to manage it is that very prcju-
dice. Christ rejected the traditions of the
Pharisees. We do not accept Catholic
tradition as authoritative. but is there not
a Protestant tradition which without any
valid claim to authority. exercises IT In
things little and great of the church?
There is nothing but tradition back of
custom in the church that are considered
with authority. There is little but tradi-
ton that keeps apart sundry Protestant
tradition plus the vested
interests which separate cndeavor has ac-
uuired Let those then who believe that
Christian doctrine instead of furnishing
the ground for the separation of denomi-
nations and anita gonism on the part of the
conscientious. is rather the great meet
Ing ground Of all who love the truth and
IJ;r, u,bo 10 tho truth That ;o ,b., |