Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-11-06
THE SPIRIT OF THE ACE
Woodstock, Vermont.
Printed Saturday Morning
ONE DOLLAR A YEAR
Bishop Hall and Church Unity

DlSIlOp Ildl diiNi SiiuiSii Oiity
Prominent Episcopal clergymen
who were at Hartford attending the
New England missionary conference,
wsre startled at their final meeting
by the proposition of Bishop Arthur
9. A. Hall of Vermont that the Epis-
copal church unite with the Congre-
gational in one Catholic and Apos-
tolic faith, in order to preserve what
religion still exists and to stave off
the waning faith and fervor of
ohurchgoers in the United States,
Following Bishop Hall many
earnest speakers attested their hearty
enthusiasm over the proposed ANAL
gamation and it was decided to
arrange conferences at many points
throughout New England to consider
the proposition and by getting local
opinions in various places ascertain
if the idea is universally feasible
and likely of success,
The Episcopalians there almost
universally believed that the cues
ton would be near adjustment be-
fore their next meeting, and Bishop
Halls address will be published in
all the journals of the Episcopalian
denomination
He called attention to the fact that
religion must have a definite mean
ing for people who are fast falling
away from the churches, and to OBJ
viate this it will be necessary to
unite under one creed and do every
thing possible to bring in other
denominations, rather than lose valu-
able contribution by permitting
separate sects to exist.
The other speakers agreed that
the matter was one of contribution,
.of how much Q given church might
contribute toward new Catholic
faith and NOT how much it might
kesp of its old belief.
6 In most cases there ia no definite
faith at all" said Bishop Hall, land
my idea will result III revival of
the endeavor of Christians to unite
on just the one thing set up by the
apostles of Christ as his creed. The
Episcopal church stands ready to
give up it's thirty-nine articles of
religion and is willing to give up
it's name of Episcopal and to sink
it's identity in return for truth, sim
BE aid 'dsaaaliittss.&" def aliitss."
tn explaining his new theory OF
organization and the cooperation
with all denominations, but especial
ly with the Congregationalists, who
are the next largest Protestant sect
in New Enland, Bishop Hall said
There is great waste of resources
and lack of discipline in that there
is mo general sdisapprobation of
MroR gdoinag Ry at all ttRs t5t' carch|es s.t,l|N in
any commdhify.
aThe sscts Aock by themselves
and there is no unity. In order to
gain the advantages and avoid the
losses of lack of unity there must
be concerted desire to realize the
oneness of the church. We must
allow great freedom of worship in
each church, providing the sacra-
ments are observed
".Creeds as Statements of faith
must bsrkepf!. HI tie frdnt we mus
EssE + hsas, s4or9SHsh as'yotiioSs t.
The Lord, Jesus Ghrlst. We mus
be willing to work along common
ground, along humanitarian lines
We must be careful to avoid the
danger of expedients adopted il
order to obtain unity based on de
nominations giving up their indi
vidual systems of belief"
After hie address Eishop Hall said
hefasantl to make ias clear that thi
fiew movement was very far from
an idea of making Episcopalians ou
out of every other denomination O
Christians. but that it wanted t.
supplement the common desire b
sli'M YarR with asots sasAesynesaa.