The Washington herald., 1911-03-12
IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD

THE TREND OF THINGS
Events of the week in Washington
have brought into prominence the move
Iaent toward unity. if not union among
churches DR.. Henry Van Dyke, promi-
nent in the Presbyterian Church in the
United States gave the charge Thursday
evening to the pastor installed in the
ST cond Presbyterian Church, which be-
longs to the Chesapeake Presbytery of
the Southern Assembly. Blood relation
helped probably in this instance CDR. Van
Dyke is an uncle of the Rev. Andrew
Bird. put the ties are growing stronger
evidently between the Presbyterians
North and South. DR.. Wallace Radcliffe
presents 4 paper before the Presbyterian
Ministers Association of the District on
Monday morning on the topic, Church
unity froCc a Presbyterian standpoint y
At the .uEtaIlation OF Rev. Earle Wiley
Wednesday night Dr.. Samuel H. Greene,
the veteran pastor Of Calvary Baptist
Church, il thc COURSE OF his remarks
said:
These are Good days. ! AM glad we
are getting so nca- % each other. I am
cnmfur;cG in The thought that more and
Icnre Ne arc cac people The hearls OF
great and good men are everywhere
CuDi:n- neare~ TO each other. The very
rJ-ic of The situation i forcing Us to he
L-otherS in more than the modern sense
- the word. We have no time for tech
Ec;,i difficulties. we have no time TO
sand IN each Others WGy. We will help
Eruther WiiH"v ae brothers: we will
sjand by linn As nr:-hbOrs and friends.
Tnt. @Ca Of cooperation has come. and
70; Gniv ,ndividUalS but churches, are
,.rlirg in ali the essential elements, to
stand jCFtther.
Al 81 which indicates clearly the trend
q, things
Protestant Together Campaign.
In the larger national view OF unity
I'resbyterianS. CongreGajionaIists, Epis-
cupaIans. and Disciples Of Christ have
low definitely committed themselves to
Christian union plans. the first named
living acted within the past ten days.
These represent $4,000 actual communi-
cnnrS or approximately Is,UCOoOO Protes-
uant population. There is planning a
World conference on faith and order TO
be held in New York. 1ut t. have in it
I-liglous bodies Of Europe. Australia,
;.nd South africa. and 10 which will be
invited the Rruan CathC!!c. the Eastern
,r Greek Catholic. and everybody else
IT,. first conf. rcn,cS between different
American RELIGIOUS bodies, looking to this
lager one. have JUS. been held. Attend
ing them were the Rev. Peter AinSlic, of
Baltimore. the Disciples Of Christ chair
man. tn" Re-. Dr. J. H. Garrison, Of St.
Louis q leader among Christians Of the
Middle West. the Rev. Dr. William z.
Alarming. rector oC Trinity Episcopal
CaIr,h h. New York. Mr. K. Fulton CUT
Gfng. a foremost EDiscop Il lIyman, the
Rev. I'r. Charles Little. OF Indiana.
DuGeraIor of the Presbyterian General
Assembly this year. the Rev. William
l1ty"s Ward. who has SEN much service
on Congregational unity committees. and
about twenty others. Committees were
named in each case to carry on further
study OF differences and possible removal
ol them
The Biggest Factor in Unity.
Leaders among Presbyterian. COngre-
gationaI, Episcopal and Disciples unity
commissions. who have jIst been in ini-
tai conferences looking to PrOtestants
getting together. substituting co-opera-
ton for competition. report that the
striking thing about meetings thus far
held has been the lack of personal ac-
quaintance. Speaking on this point. the
Rev. DR.. Charles Little. Presbyterian
moderator. said: I'VE cannot force union.
hut We can know each ether. We have
lived long IN our respective worlds.
knowing well tn" men N our own body.
bat knowing not IT all the men in other
h"dle-- II has been delight spiritual
uplft. to know these leaders of other
names After al, they ar much like US.
Ny judgment Is that one OF the greatest
!, vers to rry us upward toward the CO.
operation W Oaght to exercise is per
scnGI acquaintance. When all get TO
know all union will be here I hope
NOR" Of these informal conferences will
t'r held. We shall not be tit to hold the
world conference TIL We know each
other. and when We know each other I
am not sure a world conference will be
necessary. unless it he to plan a com
mon ana cooperative advance, every
nan doing his share
Relieves Unity Possible.
The Rev Peter AIusIic. Of Baltimore,
chairman Of tho Disciples commission.
said Immediately the initial conferences
were over: These informal conferences
held in New York to talk about Christian
union, and attended by FpiscopaIians.
Fre.hyterIans. CongreEationaIists and
Disciples Of Christ. were private. as is
nccczsaTy in tho preliminary steps of
project Sc irnrcrtaut and SO delicate:
hut An free to say that the spirit
shown va beautiful throughout. While
there va perfect freedom IN tho part
IF every ore. there wa not \ single in
stance az Gl-COuItcSy or u0hrOtherlircss.
" hi"h goes TO show that Christians are
rIpeninf for a ckpSer fellowship.
For my own part ! DO not think the
divisions Of Ch-iStendOm are so insuper-
able that tho cannot ne overcome 1t
will take time and We must move slow
l5, hut when the various bodies practice
larger and EeHre constant fellowship
many Of the barriers that keep US apart
VII have been found 10 be purely irnag-
mary. P-ciUdic" is a greater barrier TO
the wide differences OF opinion among
members IL every communion wider
than between MAN. denominations: but
being under A common name and coming
INTO constant torch, the differences mini
nize in personal touch even affection
Not until prejudices are removed can we
honestly look at each Others doctrines
from the viewpoint OF the other
An mold 10 faith in Jesus Christ as
the only begOtten Son of God and Sa-
Hiour. to the work of the Holy Spirit in
regeneration and sanctifcation and in
The Scriptures as the inspired Word of
God. That is, we are united llnon vital