The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-21
CHt RCA UNITY.
DISABILITIES In the Nay ss Inc Ceassiida-
tien Of the Seets-

Dimeulsies In the Nay ss inc Coosslsda-
tisn Of the Seets.
To TIE EDrroa OF The srS-Sir: Ths
large gift OF siOo. 90 for the further ancs OF
/ a congress- for the consider alton OF church
unity will undoubtedly produce some re-
suits. but in what direction. ft will be I'm
possibls to forecast, From purely bust
ness ri andpoint nothing seems more reason
able than tn at the Methodist Church on one
aide Of the street should consolid ate with
the Presbyterian church on tho other side
OF the street. and thai the Luthera an amt
Baptist churches just around the corner
should merge themselves into the same or
q AMI, alton. Such q step would be an I'M
mense saving Of money, But the re al aues-
ton Ia. VIII II promote piety and sniritu al
strength Such unity ~ enforced by the
Church Of Rome. but can those OF US who
have travelled widely say that this en-
forced unity has raiscd the spiritual 81 and
ard OF tn. Church. UnTcrtun afely. export
ence shows how very diflcult IL Is to elimi-
n ate party spirit from sich assemblies.
great deal has b~en written and said
reg arding the wonderful effect OF such
extreme High Churchmen ~ Father Frrre.
the Superior OF this Community OF the Resur-
rection. and others appear on the
Protestant platform Of the great Ed,n-
burgh conference. But those who have
ad the correspondence In the English
Church papers and the discussions among
the supporters OF the vensr able Propaga-
tion Society will 70 aliye that the adv aDced
churchmen went to tn at conference simply
to instruct and not to 10 arm.
This proposal for such unity really ems-
mated from tho ion Of the Protestant
Episcopal Church In Cincinnati. and the
9iver Of the large Rift IL a leading layman
OF that church. Consequently. Il will be- ex-
pected that the American Episcop slians :
will make the first eior, for unity by invt-
ing what ID known ~ the Reformed Profess
tant Episoo opal Church to return TO Their
mother church. This body came INTO being
in $50 when Bishop Cummings s~ceded
and consocrated certain bishops. AZ the
last census II numbered eighty-three
ministers and O.N9 members. Now. from
the attitude assumed by the Episcopal
Church with reference to Swedish orders
IL II well nigh certain that the blAhOp- and
ministers of the schismltical body would he
required 70 submit to reordi nation. The
same terms would he extended TO the Metho-
dist Episcopal bodies. which number about
seven or eight millions. This Ia the begin
ming of unity as far rs Episcopalians are con-
cerned No bishop. no church.
The Anglican communion seems 20 have
made some way toward union with the East
ern churches. and at the present time
priest of tho Church OF ENGLAND celebrates
the fuCnaFlrt every SUNDAY IN one OF IN"
side chapels Of the Church of the Holy
sepulchre ct Jerusalem But tho Eastern
Church IL divided into the Greek. Russian,
Coptic, Armenian. HISTORIAN. syrian and
the Abyssinian national churches. and
these Eastern churches. which hav. visited
in past years. entertain anything bur kindly
feelings toward each other. a. MAJ be seen
in tho Church OF the HOLY Sepulchre at
Jerusalem every Easter.
han Aa hA re- AL.
Church Both the present Pope and his
predecessor have made IL very clear that
there IL little hope FOR Protestant chr q.
ah,sE rt 20 zone to any ,e ms 2. , nn On With
taken up the London Church Gn"rdidn. in
which ! md very severe structure ,gpon
minister. heranse he has asserted th7t he
cosa not think epia. opacy - e"essary for
n rsr .hn hpr s Of GS h9Ge ,. of H.,
the religion OF the prr:-nt, dty mus, be
hrst found in lsssenins the divisions which
The divisions among ,hese commun ties
are amply 9,s The Bart ats are
Me,nedstn into into e .syen,ssn 1e The ec IN"
With . very consider b. number Of in
find unity With the United Brethren. hut
isey are divided INTO two com,nlniti.s.
Of comparatively re.ent birth.
must admit that IN many cases these /
divisions have been evidences o. Growth
There IL an impression that the vsrtotls
s@cts Of Christianity are n greet h ndranc~
to foreign missionary work Such In no,
really. the cnss The prophet OF Arabia
foretold that his followers would be Ill
yided into sevcn.v-thrse sects, and they
mated that the Brddh ists are div ided into /
az 10 AZ three hundred sects
when tho congress does assemble IL will
hs found that there arc doCtrinal differences
which stand in the way Of union and that
these doctrinal differences are s,Ich as the ,
Law mind can scarcely appreciate. u is I
within my recollection that Mr. Novscy .
and others weTc removed FROM their c,Ira-
Cies because they did not believe in endless
punishment have a very clear reco lice /
ton ot clergyman stand ng At the altar
Of his church ard ienouncing the old /
fashioned views 81 the preacher.
Dean Farrar aid tho age Of martvrdorn !
lad passed. not because shcre were no bigo,.
TO burn them, but be-amse there were no
martyrs 70 BE- burned I am sure that he .
Was entirely wrong. The real ard spirit Of .
niartyrGom In China alone shows that th~re .
are mPp quite willing to die for 'he truth
But ! am afraid that In most Protestant
unhclief that. like the philosophers Of Rome
and equally useful All this will come out
IN the great conference for unity.
Professor Vestcott once %aId tn me at /
Cambridge: "iou will live q, are that nm
belief las penetrated y thin the altar rails
BHCOkLSN November IN u - LID