The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-16
But He Writes to the Body
Words of Cheer.
SEES
POSSIBILITIES
Of Great Work to Come Out of
the Movement.
Reminds Delegates There Is
Much to Do at Home.

Ed1nburg, Scotland, June ia let
ter from Theodore Roosevelt express
ing sympathy with the movement and
regret at his inability to be present
was read at todays session Of the
wcrld missionary conference The
communication which was addressed to
Silas McBee. an American delegate,
aroused much enthusiasm.
Mr.. Roosevelt wrote:
London, May Is, 1910.
MY Dear Sir:-It is a matter of
real profound regret to me that I am
lrperatively called away to America
so that 1 am unable to be present in
person at the world missionary con-
terence. l regret the more as if I had
been able to be present, it would have
been as a delegate from the Dutch Re-
formed Church of America to which
1 belong.
Nothing like your proposed confer
ence has ever hitherto taken place.
From many nations and from many
churches your delegates gather on this
81 eat occasion to initiate a movement
which not only hope, but believe, will
be fraught with far reaching good
For the first time in four centuries
CHRISTIANS of every name come to-
gether without renouncing their sew
eral convictions or sacrificing their
several principles to confer as to what
|
to make their common Christianity
not only known to but a vital force
among the two-thirds of the human
race to whom, as yet, it is hardly even
a name.
Surely, every man imbued, as every
man should be, with the ethical teach
ings of Christianity must rejoice in
such an effort to combine the strength
of all the churches in the endeavor to
Christianize humanity and to Chris
tI-av1
very fact.
Your conference represents the
practical effort to apply the teachings
of the gospel to what the epistIe of
Jude calls the common salvation An
infinite amount of work remains to be
done before we can regard ourselves
as being even within measure BILE dis
tance of the desired goal; an infinite
amount at home IN the dark places
which too often closely surround the
brightest centers of light and an in
finite amount abroad in those dark
places of the earth, where blackness
is as yet unrelieved by any light.
when such is the high purpose 20
which you have dedicated yourselves,
it eminently fitting that your invita-
ton should have gone to all Christian
churches in all lands. I am sure that
| there will be a general and 1 hope a
universal response. In the missionary
| work, above all other kinds of Chris
tan work. 1t is imperative to remem-
ber that a divided christendom can
only imperfectly bear witness to the
essential unity of Christianity. I be-
lieve that without compromise of be-
| lief, without loss of the positive good
contained in the recognition of diversi-
| ties of gifts and differences of admin
| istration, the Christian churches may
| yet find a way to cordial cooperation
and friendship regards the great
| underlying essentials on which as a
foundation all Christian churches are
| built. This is one of the lessons which
has been particularly impressed on me
by what 1 have seen of Christian work
| in Africa both in heather and Moham-
medan lands.
ct believe that unity in a spirit of
| Christian brotherhood for such broad
| Christian work will tend. not to do
| away with differences of decline, but
| to prevent US from laying too much
/ stress on these differences of decline,
| It is written in the scriptures that he
that doeth My will shall know of the
doctrine;' but the reverse of this prop
osition can not be found in Holy writ.
| Emphasis is to be put on doing to the
will if only we can make up our minds
| to work together with earnest sin
cerity for the common good we shall
find that doctrinal differences in NO
way interfere with our doing this
| work
wishing you all success, 1 am, very
sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT