Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-13

dom in thought, but unity in the service
of man.
''The difficulty of combining effective
ness and freedom confronts church and
nation. Can these b. combined? has
been the repeated question. The i'm.
perial church said no; there is only one
way to be effective and that is to yield
blind obedience to absolutism. Freedom
must be surrendered.
1.-THE believers in the intellectual band
which shall compel unity give the same
answer, but insist upon blind acceptance
Of confession of faith as the only
way of being effective. The ethical
method has at times been no less mar
row. Let us repudiate all correctional
ism, let us deny all attempt to secure
intellectual agreement. When asked
how they would coordinate organiza-
ton and freedom they have equal
despair and call us to sacrifice effective
ness for freedom as If liberty were the
goal of life rather than means to life.
Neither of these methods has sue
ceeded in bringing unity. Paul believed
the three should be employed. One
Lord, Christ-led church. One faith,
fundamental mental agreement. One
baptism, the gift of the holy spirit lead
ing us to serve others. Great strides
tion in the ways of service-our Chris
tian associations, our young peoples
work, the social settlements, Salvation
Army, union evangelistic campaigns,
great uprisings for civic righteousness
When united church shows herself in
any of these forms men wake up and
begin to know that thou didst send me.
And Christ comes to his own.
Seek Organic Unity
"Congregatienalists have been hold
ing conferences with United Brethren
and the Methodist Protestants to seek
organic unity. AT first they discussed q
mere federation for service, but at a
general council held at Dayton year
ago the delegates met with few formu-
lated plans beyond an earnest desire tc
sink the small things and agree on the
great things.
Most of us expected nothing more
than the very indefinite results thai
came from the first conference at The
Hague. To the astonishment of every
body the first action of the body was tc
declare that the chief business was or
ganic union, and the representatives OF
over million Christians were face tc
face with the task of effective unity.
"These three churches believe organ
ization and liberty can be married. Thai
the local church must be the unity, an6
Independent to do it's work largely in its
own way, and yet that effective service
to the world requires us to be more
closely united. When President Mac.
kenzie of Hartford presented the con.
fession of faith it was adopted without
dissent.
'T believe it marks new era of con-
structive religious thinking which will
normally succeed the process of elimina-
ton from which the old confessions
have suffered at the hands of the
modern spirit. We are facing a very
grave crisis in our life as church, but
If we can be patient, brotherly and self
forgetful I believe we may see what may
be used by the Master to remove the
reproach of our free Christianity-dis.
union. When go down to Cleveland tC
attend the meeting of the national coun-
Gil expect things whereof we shall be
glad as we move forward in fulfilling
the prayer of Jesus for his disciples
That they may be one"