New-York tribune., 1908-12-04
FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
Federal Council Names President
and adopts Resolutions.

Phila delpha Dec. S-With unannity Of action
that went beyond the expectations of the lesd-
ing spirits in the movement for unity or church
action the Federal Council OF the Churches OF
Christ in America. which has for its object the
bringing together Of the Christian bodies or Amer
ca into united service for Christ and the world be-
gan It's business sessions to-day.
The organization Of the council has been pracn-
eaIly completed. and the delegates, Of whom there
than four hundred, representing thirty
three denominations. with a membership OF aoout
eighteen million, have entered on the real ""IN
of the council Bishop F. r. Hendrix. of Kansas
city Mo. of the Methodist Episcopal Church'
South. was honored with the presidency OF tne
Federal Council by unanimous vote of the dee-
gates
Following organization the council immedlatey
plunged into discussion o. the reports or corninl
tees. of which there are sixteen Two repoI'S W."
taken up to-day and disposed of, one OF them sitei
a most interesting debate. This particular repof'
related TO the cooperation of all the churches III
the foreign rnission fields and was presented ny the
Rev, James L. Barton, OF Boston Congregauon-
sIist secretary OF the American Board OF Comnls-
sioners for Foreign Missions
In connection with the report he presented nve
resolutions one Of which favored the closest pos
sible federation all Christian churches in foreign
mission fields and 'ths elimination CT denonlna-
tional distinctions" Bishop Hoss, OF Nashville, of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, attacked
the resolution in a vigoroTg .peech. II denomina-
tions are to be eliminated. he wanted 10 know to
which denomination the teachings in the foreign
fields shall correspond. We may have too many
denomlnations,' he added but who is going 10
cancel them? Unity good but liberty IS better
DR.. William TT. Roberts, Of Philadelphia, stated
clerk of the Presbyterian Church in the United
States supported the resolution, but was willing 10
strike out the reference tc the elimination of de-
nominatenal distinctions, he didn't care which
denomination q hesthen joined so long as ne hsa
the love of Christ mis- heart
DIR. Barton closed the debate. He did not mink
missionaries should waste their time explaining 70
the unsaved the dfferecce between the beliefs OF
Calvin Wesley or the ether great church leaders.
should devote their energies 10 the salvation OF
souls
After long discussion in which many prominent
cergyrnen part. the reference to the elimina-
ton Of denominational distinctions was stricken
out and the resolution adopted
Another resolution adopted approves the union OF
educational institutions in mission countries wher
ever practicable IN which teachers and students
of various denominations shall have equal priyi-
leges.
The other report considered contained resolutions
recommending cooperative work along special lines
of Christian effort among interdenominational or
ganzatious all Of which were adopted without DIS
cussou.
Besides the naming Of Bishop Hendrix as pres
ident, the following officers were elected;
Permanent recording secretary, the Rev DE-
Rivington n Lord, Brooklyn. Free Baptist; assist
ant recording secretaries the present sessions,
the Rev. Asher Anderson, Boston; Congregational
list: the Rev. J. J. summerbell, Dayton, ONO ems
tian Church; the Rev c. B. Spencer Kansas Clty'
No. Methodist Episcopal; the Rev E B. Sanford
New York Congregatonalist, and the Rev L" H.
Reynolds, Portsmouth, Va. African Methodist
Episcopal: treasurer, Alfred r. Klmball. New
York, Presbyterian.
An amendment elect four presidents one TO
serve each year the council is to meet but once
in every four years. met with some opposition and
il was referred back to the executive committee
-Four simultaneous popular meetings were held
at convenient points in the heart of the city to
night at which Christian Unity at Home and
Abroad" was discussed by the Rev 5 Parkes CAD
man. of Brooklyn: the Rev. Arthur S Lloyd and
Robert E. Speer of New York and others.