The Washington herald., 1907-06-23
A SUNDAY TALK.

/ bue we preach Christ crucified. INTO the jews q
stumbling block and unto the Greeks foohshness. -
Corinthians: j. "a
/ When St Paul wrote to his brethren at
Corinth he was evidently deeply moved
/ by what even then had come to be a
gIievous fault IN church which had 70
make its way among idolaterg and
heather. lie found that, thus early in
the Christian history. there were differ
ent interpretations Of the Scriptures, doc
/ trinal differences which created dissen-
slons among the faithful. and which
/ threatened TO make the Church a byword.
Paul had only recently visited C0rinth and
/ this his first epstle 10 the Corinthians
was written from Phillppi, after the
apostle had had time to think over the
situation he had found there. And so
we find him writing
Now bese,ch you brethren. by The name Of aur
Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing
and that there be no divisions among YOU blt that
ye be perfectly joined together In the same mind
and In the same judgement
This appeal for unity in the Church.
made with all the eloquence OF the
Apostle Paul, and repeated at various
times adCwn the ages by the wisest and
best OF men, has, after an, been cf no
avail; and we find, so far from the
Church becoming unified and the breaches
healed. that denomination multiples de-
nomination, and any triAing dissent from
formulated creed seems sufficient 20
start new church with a new name and
n new doctrine
We have learned az home many things
from the missionaries we have sent
abroad, and It seems that in this matter
OF church unity of which st. Paul speaks,
We are 90 learn another lesson. The mis-
sionaries in China are finding ont that
so far from the heather Chinee' being
'chiidlike and bland" he is one Of the
most subtle and clear-seeing people on
earth. St Paul found that TO preach
Christ cruclned 20 the Jews who had re-
fused 20 accept Him as their king. was
stumbling block in the way Of the ad-
yancement OF Christian ideas; 20 preach
the same doctrine TO the Greeks. who
were occupied with their own gods, was
f00lishness. II has taken a long while
ava 'Ri itIIN~I.lltti l'H 10 lfe.iEf hll.IA -llF
Chinese, taking things as he saw them,
could hardly b. expected % believe
strongly In the efficacy Of religion which
preached from the pulpit sell that thou
hast and give it 10 the poor" while the
missionary preacher poor though he
might seem according 20 European stand
ards. was. 20 the Chinese mind, rich be-
yond dreams Of ayarice.
Now the missionaries are beginning 20
understand and 10 recognize the fuuHy
OF preaching the gospel OF peace when
even the UNCONVENTIONAL missionaries
were ot war with each other And now
There has been "a conference at Shanghai
between the missionaries OF various DE-
nominations and they have formed
federation So that hereafter tley my
carry on their work as a united body.
over lH4 missionaries were present and
an agreed 90 drop all dcuomiuatiou8l dif-
lereaces 90 further the establishment of
what they call q Chinese church" The
work Ct the conference is summed up in
the following agreement.
TIE e-ufsrrrre urarlaraslv holds .re S--irtr---
II ue ola and Sew Tcsramaurs 1s 'he supreme
standard oi faith and practice aud holds firmly ,hr
MI'irl Apostolic sa'h. further va.'e arFnre ls.--
ts 'le Apostles Greed and he Nl~ue Greed O..
=E1s1u'i1.v expressing the f-uisw. rrll d1---iues
Il 'a- Ia-.sfau aitI she -HfrrCurs does NOT sIrrt
nrr creed as basis a' church units, end leaves
gIatf- luai questions 'r the Judgment q The Chinese
.ueh f.i future o1usl.ut..n
From this 10 IS seen that even some
OF The doctrine Of Conflcius may De in-
-l-rn-.s+rF in +hs new rHrfe-fHrn- m rrrat-.
meut And thus i'm a striking way. IS
the eNh0rtauon Of ST. Paul TO be Ubeyed
To the glory OF the Lord