The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-05-22
WITH THOSE WHO WORK
 IN THE LORDS VINEYARD
BY V. D. FRANCIS

New York, May 21.-(Special.) )-The lay mems missionary movement has had it's full share in the public mind during the past winter. The great congress, the crown and culmination of the long se- ries of conventions that have reached every part of the country and stirred each to higher resolves and nobler en- thusiasms. began on the afternoon of May 3. The Auditorium, which can seat 4200 was well filled, save for the upper galleries, the audiences ranging from 25OO to 5000. Local interest had been reused and stimulated by the city con- vention that had immediately preceded, and from 50 pulpits on Sunday the cause of missions had been proclaimed It had been hoped that the denominational meeting might increase Chicagos offering from s163,0OO to s25O00O for the coming year. but by Saturday evening it was found that this mark had been far over topped; more than $2S5,OO had been prom ised, and there are several bodies vet to be heard from. Increased activity is reported also in other branches of Chris tan endeavor as result of the confer
 
 ing to give $75,000 in place of the s43 0OO given last year. promised to increase their other work 1o0 per cent The Presbyte- rians raised their standard from S420OO to SS5000; the Congregationalists from S34,O0O to S5O,000; the Baptists from s16,0OO to S3O,0O0; Churchmen from s5OO0 to s10OOO. A meeting is appointed for June IS to near of the progress in making good"
 Thus all was made ready for the great meeting in inc AndftOri11r,, have not hesitated to describe as "the most remarkable religious gathering ever held in this country"'
 The great speech of the convention was undoubtedly the opening address by Bish- op Anderson of Chicago It had the true ring of an inspiration and stirred the vast audience to a holy zeal of Christian unity which was manifest throughout the en- N|o conference. The bishop said in part. We must learn to ask one another not what must we give up?' but What can we give" We had no right to give m anything that we thought likely to be of value or believed to have divine an- proval. There could be no union by elim- nation. He wished church not of mlnimums, but of maximums But he Knew that enough money and energy are wasted py rivalry and overlapping of the different denominations in America to preach the gospel to the whole world we must get together and stop this waste continued Bishop Anderson. "Ou,. divisions are unchristian-like and un statesman-like. They are unchristian for Christ-lil<e Christians cannot be kent apart When we all become Christ-lilse Christians we shall find the way to mi " our divisions are unstatesman-lise for in unity there is strength.' re united church. possessed with faith and zeal would be irresistible. It wmIld evangelize the world in a generation.
 Unity is not uniformity; but neither is 1t organic separation and rivalry. would not put the economic argument in the first place. Better waste a million dollars than sacrifice a single truth or 2 single spiritual conviction Better a hundred churches standing on a hundred separate spiritual realities than a single church united on an irreducible minimum incapable of inspiring fnartydom. But some things he continued, with a smile that won the heart of his whole audi sence, " we can give up. We can give up some of our pydA some of our ecclesias- tical conceit, Bome of our jealousies. our prejudiees and perhaps, even some of our ignorances."
 Here was a movement in which all could take part-the Roman Catholics if they but would For it united the con victions of all who believed Tn Christ for the world and the world for Christ. and by such unity 1t was producing greater