The morning journal-courier., 1908-05-14
Thursday, May II, zoos.
RECoNsTRUCTIvE PROCESSES.

RECONsTRUCTIvE PROCESSES.
This week is proving to be one of
unusual activity among churches as
well as In politics. The idea OF church
unity and even union is gaining In
force. The general conference of tho
Methodist church In session at Balti-
more proposes to invite the Methodist
Professionals and the United Brethren
to forget their differences and come in
to the fold. This is rather singular be-
cause these are the very bodies for
whose welfare the Congregationalists
have been very anxious. 1t was sup
posed to be sure thing that these
worthy denominations of smaller size
would cast in their lot with the Con-
gregationalists but now with two bids
for them, they are in position to Sc
cure desirable advantages, II they
know how to use the proper political
tactics.
This same Baltimore general confer
ence is presenting more measures of a
sociological character for discussion
and enactment than has ever been
known before in like period of time.
II is proposed now to have a depart
ment Of labor, similar to that OF the
Presbyterian church, in order to bring
the Methodist church a little nearer
the labor unions. This Is evidently an
expansion of the action of the Boston
churches some months ago. when
committee on labor was chosen to meet
with the trade council of that city. All
proposals of this sort are indications
of change of thought and tendency
toward reconstruction of Protestant
Christianity. The sermon Of DR.. Charles
F.. Aked of the Fifth Avenue Baptist
church, New York, last Sunday. on
"The Alleged Decay of Christianity In
New York city," has aroused much in
terest. The reverend gentleman pre-
I sented statistics which supported the
Hact that decline in church attend
hnce Is strikingly evident. THE pulpit
Is out of touch with the times" he de-
clAred. Everything has progress except
Christianity. Many thinking and pro-
gresslve young men and women have
ben driven from the church by the
stupidity of the preachers. Compelled
to life of grinding poverty, treading
always the same old paths of a thous-
and years, tdebound and restricted in
our actions, we have become a laugh
Ing stock--parrots Of dead church
cries instead Of preachers of the living
Christ"
But money is not the prime neces-
sity, as Dr. Aked seemed TO think, but
to get Christian teaching on a truly
scientific basis rather than on meta
physical one solely.
Right in line with this Is the address
of Judge Simeon f. Baldwin In the
Pittsburg before the eghty-second an.
nual meeting of the Congregations
Home Mission society,
ours is a day, / think we may fair.
~ say, of reconstruction of forma'
Christianity Christianity is unchange.
able. Its form Is something or human
make; and as human intelligence
grows, that form will change, should
change, into more and more perfec
expression. 1t is only within few
years that the world has felt the full
influence on theology wrought, by tw'
things, the establishment Of moderr
government at the close Of the 1Stl
century, and the proof Of the doctrine
of evolution, that came in the last hal
Of the 10Th century"
The new viewpoint produced by thes
two things has shown that the sys
tematic propositions of what Christian
ity was up to the 18th century "wer
inadequate and in some respects mis-
leading"
Here then is indicated the direction
that is being taken by the keenes
thought that is employed In finding tn
way of adaptation for Christia
churches to this modern world; Churc
Church unity on practical lines and
unity on practical lines and a recast
ing of Christian truths in terms {
modern life. The fundamental truth 0
which such reconstruction must b
founded Is that of the lmminence {
God. or as Prof, Borden F. Brown {
Boston university puts 1t in his recer
hook on "Personalsm," the replacin
of the infinitely far God by a God VIII
IA infinitely near. -. lhiS Dellt