The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-30
Another Conference Suggested BY the
Followers of Rev. Orr.
SHORT LETTER FROM THE PASTOR
In Which He Invites Rev. Heerm ance
to a Serious Consideration of
the Propositions.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily
By reference to issue of The Free
Press of the 10Th, it will be recalled
| that the Christian church upon the invi-
tation of the Congregational church, APP
pointed committee to meet with Il like
| committee from the Congregational
church., to confer upon the basis OF a
closer union between the two bodies.
These committees held joint meeting
Friday evening, the 23d, at the Y. M.
c. A. rooms. But no basis was agreed
| upon. The platforms presented by the
| two committees We're not even read. The
question of the difference on baptism
was at once raisedby the Congregational
committee, and no other difference was
discussed. Both agreed to abide by the
Bible as the rule of faith, but it APP
pears that not passage of Scripture
was quoted in the discussion The dis
cussion began and ended on the ques-
ton of baptism, at the suggestion of
the Congregational committee and by
the consent of the Christian committee.
But the Christian committee is not sat
isfed with such an abrupt closing of the
conference. They believe that such a
conference in the spirit of love and truth
can find Christian basis of union in
the New Testament Scriptures. Hence,
their, invitation printed below and the
pastoral letter following; go-s.e.aa. (.
''To the First Congregational Church,
Greeting: We, the undersigned COM
mittee of the. First Christian church of
Mankato lament the fact not only that
the effort for union between our two
bodies failed, but especially that it was
50 easily given Up. us; ,p.s ..s.. al a,,
''The two churches agreed in making
the Bible the creed of the united church.
Our committee further declared its con-
viction that no, creed but Christ, as
revealed in the New Testament, is large
enough to unite our churches. You de-
clared that you are open to conviction
But really no serious effort was made
by us to find a Scripthral basis Of I'M
ion.
eve, therefore, hereby invite your
committee to meet with ours, at time
and place fixed by yourselves, for an
earnest search of the Scriptures for such
basis of union, being assured that if
each of us follows out consistently the
Protestant principle where the Bible
speaks we speak, where the Bible is
silent we are SILENT we shall find ground
for union in Christ for the glory of God.
f. A. Orr, c. F. Greenwood, w. r. Ged-
des, l.. N. Holmes, committee.
Mankato, Minnesota, March 26, 1906.
| "Dear Brother Heermance: Our peo-
pie feel that something might have been
accomplished if there had been really
| serious effort to get together. you
treated the matter as if it were fore
gone conclusion that any kind of union
was impossible. You declare yourselves
open to conviction We certainly think
we are equally open to appeal by Scrip
ture and reason; but no opportunity was
given for an appeal to either. You SIM
ply did not like our proposition, and
said there was no use of further discus
sion. We just as much dislike your
proposition; but we did not at once
Judge you impervious to Scriptural and
rational appeal. Now, what we ask,
in all fairness to ourselves and in JUS
tice to the great cause of Christian I'M
ion, is that we take time to consider
our differences, in a. Christian spirit,
and with determination to- find a basis
of union. The Christian, as well as,
the scientific spirit demand that we
shall prove all thugs. and only hold
fast that which is good q. Thess. 8.
2D. Most fraternally, E. A. Orr"