The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1910-01-28
FOR CHURCH UNION
Pastor Herbert E Ryder Tavors Anal
gamation of the Baptist and
Christian Churches.

The editor of the Press, learning
that Rev. H. E. Ryder. pastor of the
Baptist church IN this city, favored
church union of the Christian aud
Baptist churches, interviewed Mr..
Ryder regarding his position in the
matter. The result of the interview
was the promise on Mr.. Ryder's part
to give the Press an article on the
subject, for publication. Mr. Ryder's
communication follows:
Athena, January 27--To the Editor.
In response to your request for an
article for publication as TO my views
of church Union. beg to submit the
following:
The old adage ruus. In Union
there is Strength I" Now here is this
more true than among the followers
of Jesus Christ.
Workers are not so plentiful that
we can afford to dissipate cur strength
by unwholesome division. Disagree
ments. chickering's and suspicious will
never bring in the Kingdom of God.
Christ never called his own people,
to contention, but to peace. II God
is love. and love is God, then the
children of God are the children of
love, for sonship is likeness; but
while this great profession Of senship
is being made the world over, it is
largely discounted aud discredited by
the world on account of the unlike
ness to God because of divisions which
are at times unKind, and many times
cruel
The Master, Himself. said, "By
this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples il We have love one to
another" The burden of His great
prayer in John II was for unity on
the part of His disciples, and we are
exhorted BY Apostle Paul, "Endeavor
to the unity Of the Spirit i'll the bond
of peace.
It certainly huhoves the children of
God. out of very love for their Savior
and Lord. to endeavor to make actual
His ideal Of unity for His followers.
In many places and in many cases.
people have made sacrifices to be 10y
al to their church and to their denom-
nations, at the expense OF the king
dom.
These things ought not SO to be. AS
subjects and followers of the King.
the Kingdom and not the local organ
ization should be our first concern.
1t il gratifying to observe. in onr
own country, especially. that the
walls of division are orumbling in
decay. and instead of being rebuilt.
the dwellers on each side are reaching
across the ruins to shake the hand of
fellowship. Temperance workers are
getting together and are marching in
line and the result spells victory.
All the different denominations may
not Immediately see eye to eye, but
there is no valid reason why these
congregations. having the same Church
polity. should not at once make
genuine effort TO do so. 9'hs signs
are not wanting to lead us to believe
that the two great bodies SO closely
allied in faith and in poiity as the
Christian and Baptist churches, will
soon be marching under one banner.
Such contamination is earnestly to
be desired for the sake Of the progress
of the Kingdom and the glory of the
King.
For instance, take our own commun
ity for example. Having two INNER
sionist churches for less than thous
and people, both protesting TO love
and follow the same Divine Master
10th supposedly existing for the pur-
pose of strengthening each others
faith and for the eyangelizing of the
world according to the Masters last
command, aud yet--strange spectacle
divided, and not always in love.
A sight to make angels weep and
devils rejoice.
If there is better way. surely none
will gainsay the statement that it
ought to be sought and followed. If
Concluded on Page 6.