The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-19
THf mH iNgTi .


To rHE EpITor ~ THE SuN Sr car
d nal Gibbons and DIR. Gore. the Lord Bishop
oi Birmingham. have both spoken out on
the subject OF church unity The Cardinal
secs inthe distant furture the errine childr. en-
OF the flock returning 10 the true fold and
the Bishop Of Birmins ham says the discus
sion will clearly demonstrate that there
cannot possibly be- a church without -pis-
copacy
On the other hand canon Hanson. the
popular rector of 1T MarRar-t'- West
minister. afiirms that Bishop Is not ab-o-
lutely necessary for a church. and e-p--
Cially for a national church. and he says
thar such was the view Of DR.. Arnold OF
Rugby. DIR. Wordsworth Bishop OF Salts
bury. very decided High Church HI shop Of
the English Church. says he considers that
the generous GIFT Of 500 100 NJ the recent
general convention at Cincinnati IN order
TO promote church unity WAS one Of the
most notable features OF the convention
and that the Who'll. question of christian
unity must be considered from a more
liberal point OF view than that of any party
in the English or American Episcopal
churches In Scotland they are making
a DIET ermined effort 10 unite the National
Presbyterian Church with the Free Church
Lord Rosebery has written letter In which
he saws that all the PRESBYTERIAN bodies
dent that reunited Prrsbyterianism would
he an immense power for good an almos,
incslcuIsble factor for the s'renRt hening
Of the religious lI!e OF the nation. and he
believes " would he q great step forward
toward that larger union which eyerv
christian desires The Methodists who
are by far the great est Protestant drnomi-
ma ion in this country. and who are div id.d
into a. mnnv "a seventeen sect-. are a.
and tn. Bapt,sts. who are divided into
eighteen sscts are also givina considerable
thought to the subject although the Sew
enih Day Baptists. OF whom there are about
p.oOo hold OUT no hope for reunion. Tn.
separation OF the North from the South
both among the MethOdists and ia pti.'- IL
simply the color lin" and nothing more
The Methodi-ts have heen artiv. in the
direction Of UNCONVENTIONAL union for years
At the instance Of the general conference %
the United States Pan American touncil"
was held in London in AL, which was called
the FIRST EcumenIcal Methodist Confer
.ncr IL consisted OF ino delegates, repre-
senting twenty eight branches OF Method
ism. ten in the Eastern Hcmi-pherr and
commandments and about ,o.cS.DO ad-
hcrruts. Ten wears later. in 1891. a second
Me,hodis' h:n,n"n.r go, Ion tss.ne. yes saf.!',
did not decrease There will. however he
ano, her great conference in the coming yrar
from which w- may expect some tangible
results.
In tho year 1897 the late Rev Leonard
wool-ey bacon. a distinguished Minister
of the Congregational body. wrote II IN.
in,.-,tn. conflict Of the church Of Christ
in America should even he narrowed down
80 two contestants. the Catholic Church with
irs Diversity Of orders and rites and Prot
e-tRnti-m with Its various denominations
-oiidIy confederafed. should We b~ nearer
TO tho lonRed for achievement of christ an
union. or should We find -~c,arian snimo.i-
ties thereby raised 70 tho highest pitch and
the Church. discovering that II WAS on tn.
b.
peeled 90 reverse and hack in order to be
switched upon the right line
In tho light Of Church history I do not
Considcr the divisions Of Christianity an
evil. hut there IL a shocking waste 81 money
whom some dozens Of r~c's arc all striving
for a ingls lost aoUl. a. IL 80 frequently the
ease In many OF our small towns and viii
lagos ID D LII. T..
BRooKLTN. December ~