Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-19
SchiSn1dfiC Demands
For Christian Union
By
Bishop
Warren A.
Gambler

me through their word, that they all may
be one; as thou Father art in me. and
1 in thee. that they also may be one in
us: that the world may believe
that thou hast sent me-" 1t Is
quite evident that our Lord Is not pray
ing for a mechanical unity OF organiza-
tiGn, but for vital unity of life. His
followers were to be one as He and the
Father are one; surely no man will claim
organic union with God. The effect OF
this unity of life was to prove to the
world that Christ was sent from God:
but mere organic union will not sho v
this, although vital unity in common
life manifestly issuing from a divine
source of life will show it.
There is no more wretched perversion
of Scripture ever accomplished than when
narrow sectarian seeks to invoke this
great microscopy prayer OF our Lord as
the ground for demanding that all the
churches of Christendom shall be merged
into one unwieldy organization, his own
sect to give form to the clumsy ecclesi-
astical trust. Christ never prayed for
any such syndicate of sameness. Such a
body would corrupt the faith and Cypress
mankind. A worldwide church would
be as dangerous a thing as a worldwide
civil establishment. 1t would be a mo-
notonous leveling of all Christian life
downward.
We all wish freedom and good govern
ment for all men. We all wish for uni
versal peace among all governments. But
we do not wish all governments to be
merged into one. Where could mankind
find a man fit to preside over such a gov
eminent? Could even one be found to
conduct the first administration of this
universal state? And If enc could be
found to make a beginning, how could
we find a successor when he passed
away? If we should call him Theodore
the First, would we be willing to call his
successor Kermit?
Again, how could such a worldwide or
ganization supply the needs of the varie-
ties of races in the earth, or adapt itself
to their manifold diversities?
No more can one worldwide church
meet the needs of mankind. 1t would
hamper and hurt. 1t would presently
produce the bitterest antagonisms and
bring forth the most dangerous parties
and perilous factions. 1t would be a
temptation to powerful schemers, who
would fix their eyes upon 1t as a tool to
work ambitious ends, and who would
seize it's offices for the uses OF personal
ambition. There Is not a man In the
world, and there never has been a man
in the world, wise enough and good
enough to be the executive head of such
body. Only Jesus is At to be the Head
of the church. and He does not propose
to rule it by carnal and mechanical or
ganiZation, but by the forces of the spir-
itual world.
God made Of one blood all the nations
of men for to dwell on all the face of the
earth" SO the Apostle taught the Ath-
enians (Acts xvii.26); but he immediate
ly adds that God also hath determined
the bounds of their habitation." So in
like manner God provides for the unity
of faith, but he also provides for variety
of Christian organization and for bounds
of ecclesiastical bodies. And no man is
a friend of Christian unity who tries
to force all forms of Christian life into
the mould of his own sect. He is rather
a schismatic dividing the body of Christ
that he and his sect may profit by the
division.
Prayer is good, but even prayer may he
untimely. For example. at the time Of
the crossing of the Red Sea the Lord
found II necessary to say to Moses,
Wherefore criest thou unto met speak
unto the children of Israel that they go
forward"
1 venture to believe that some prayers
for Christian union in our day are not
well-pleasing to our Lord, whose last
thought before He died was an earnest
prayer for Christian unity. Perhaps IL
we would listen to His voice speaking 20
US, we should hear Him saying: why
criest thou to me about ecclesiastical
union? Speak to my church that 1t go
forward in the Christian unity it now has
into an ever deepening brotherliness and
that in this spiritual unity 1t take the
world for Me-"
1t scarcely admits of a doubt that He
does not approve the ambitious claim of
any ecclesiastical organization which as