The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-08-31
REV. PARSONS SUBMITS
CHURCH UNION PLEA

OlIOItOtt OlNtOif LA<At
Church Union was discussed by the
Rev. j. b. Parsons Sunday morning, |
August 20, at Grace Church. Text
John 1916. "Other sheep have which |
are not of this fold.' He said in part:
This scripture suggests what Jesus
would say were lie TO speak to this
assembly today. We all believe there
are Christians in every subdivision OF
the great Church militant of which |
Jesus Christ is the living head.
That so many sects are an abomina-
tion TO our God is no longer ques-
toned. But before much is said with
reference to the conditions that should
obtain in the Church OF TO-DAY, men
tion should be made of the corruption,
the struggles and providences which
have wrought such changes IN the
church century by century,. 1t is not
thing improbable that there would
now be but one Church, one rellg on
and one type of humanity throughout
the world had the followers OF jesus
Christ always recognized HIS Lordshlp
as the head of the Church ana sub
iected themselves to His precious will.
Alas, stern facts show the opposite to
be true. The priesteraft. self-centered
and passion ruled, made strenuous
efforts to eXtinguish the fiames OF
evangelism and suppress the truths of
the gospel. Ever since 1.-THE organic
rupture of 1054' forces have been
under the constant training of Jehovah
himself for the re-uniting and re-es-
tablishing of the Apostolic Church.
The great Reformers who became
| the founders of the earlier denomlna-
tions did not so much as anticipate
| that such would be the outcome OF
their heroic labOrs. Here and there
| throughout Christendom noble men,
whose sole ambition was the establish
ment of purity and Righteousness IN
the earth unconsciously gave rise to
movements which eliminated IN the
various denominational organizations
of today.
This is a remarkable age for fedora
tive effort. We find it among laborers,
fruitgrowers, merchants, IN fact IN all
commercial circles. We have teder,
ated clubs and more and more we snail
have unions of churches. The day OF
denominationaism is fast coming to
close. Many of our estimable laymen
and ministers are seeing the necessity
of laying emphasis on the Christ rather
than the creed, on power not pollty-
dynamics rather than dogma.
All Churchmen have to admit that
one of the growing pioneer forces urg'
ing Church Union Is the Church of the
United Brethren in Christ.
One year ago today my pastoratt
began in Hood River. At that time
Church union was at red heat. One
met it everywhere and he still meets
lit. In fact a failure to go on record
on this subject would indicate coward
ice or Indifference. Evidently some
thing had been said on Church union
At first it was much like joke to me
for in some places the sectarian walls
are not only high but thick around the
denominations taking the initiative
here. 1t has occurred to me that Il
some folks would go far enough aroun(
the circles they would find the cause
for the duplication of Churches pretty
close to their own class.
Today we lift the lid and look a
Hood River Churchdom.
, The questions usually raised II
! these federtive days are: First, 'wh'
has been operating in the field th'
llongest!" Second Have those oper
ating striven to serve the communlt!
in every way?" :.
Apply those tests to our Church i
q Hood Eiver. The oldest church her
is the Grace U. B. Church. Hav
better facilities and equipment bee
provided in a town of this size any
where to your knowledge? We hav
a good building on a splendid site, ais
a gymnasium and reading room. Ihl
congregation has had vision for tn
bows and the men. The progresslv
spirit evidenced here promoted by to
and sacrifce) is scarcely surpassed
any Eastern metropolis. On all fol
eign fields overlapping is avoided;
For years the policy of our Hem
Mission and Church Erection Board
has been not to go into over-churche
VI communities. Why should we enter
community and build church in tn
shadow of another evangelical Churc
hardly strong enough to pay its pastt
living salary and defray incideT
expenses? Would such procedure
Christian? 1t would mean that hun
dreds of dollars of Home Missionar
money must be expended annually nj
l. for the glory of God and the salvatiC
= of men, but for the sake of denomin
. tional pride, accommodating a fe
-. United Brethren families who want'
to Join the great United Brethrt
Church. - I'm told that no sms
amount of money is being expend'
! for no higher purpose right here
Hood River now.
Let the Christian business men
vestigate things for themselves. IL
them to turn on the X ray, too.
The United Brethren Church
Hood River has been out of debt a
self-supporting for years.
Considering the outlay would anoth
denomination be silent under su
pressure?
If there is room for but one Chur
of this type in Hood River should
not be the United Brethren Churc
Come OH with the Golden rule
What shall be the future policy
Hood River? Shall we continue to I
the denomnational-pride rule? Let
get together and show the world Il
we love our Christ more than we lo
our creed.
In closing Rev. Parsons made so