The Washington herald., 1911-04-30

past few days, formal dinner IN New
York, at which three foremost church
unity leaders expressed views and out
lined unity plans to date. The three
leaders were Prof. Herbert !. Willett,
dean Of the Disciples divinity house at
the University Of Chicago: the Rev.
Peter Ainslie, who was president Of the
Disciples national convention of 1870 and
the Rev. Dr. william T. Manning. rector
Of Trinity Church. New York, and MEM
ber Of the Episcopal unity commission.
It was stated that religious bodies def
nitely committing themselves to general
unity plans, at least to the extent OF
sending delegates to a world conference
on faith and order, when called are the
Protestant Episcopal, the Disciples OF
Christ, the alliance of reformed churches
holding the Presbyterian system. which
covers Presbyterian and Reformed
churches throughout the world, and the
Congregational national council. Leaders
expect that Baptists, meeting in June
next; Methodists. meeting in October;
Lutherans, meeting in May and June.
and some smaller bodies will take off,
cial action. The Church Congress just
closed reiterated Episcopal ideas on
unity. Already It Is known that all prin-
cipal bodies are committed to the plans
as far as made.
Progress thus far is limited to the rea-
sons for unity, and the personal acQuain-
tance Of some leaders. Nobody has yet
been bold enough to suggest plan OF
union, what shall be given up by various
bodies, or what form. what doctrines. or
what laws the united church Of the fu-
ture Is to have. 1t is stated that before
any world conference will be called many
local conferences will be held. The three
leaders named gave three significant ut
terances at the dinner referred to, each
intending his words to be presented to
the Christians Of America, as setting
forth not only conditions but progress
toward unity thus far made.
Tho church begins to realize that the
forces which produced disunion were in
evitable and not wholly wrong" observes
Prof Willett. They were the result OF
those efforts for liberty which the uni
formity of the old church had made
necessary When the church once dis
covered its ability to think religious
problems through, it went to an excessive
limit in the direction Of freedom from
control. The different denominations
were the result.
Each one of these denominations has
contributed some vital element to the
church in its totality. But none are now
essential as interpreters of such prin-
ciples. They only. perpetuate the differ
ences for which the modern generation
has but little concern.
TT is natural therefore, that there
should be a sincere and determined effort
on the part Of Christians of the present
generation to reinvestigate the question
Of unity and discover whether it is not
possible, first to cooperate, then to
understand and appreciate each other,
and finally to unite"
Mr.. Ainslie put union on doctrinal
grounds He says:
THE unity of Christians is the right
eousness of Christ. 1t is the spirit and
genius of His religion. which is expressed
in the apostles seven-fold unity pro-
gramme-one body, one spirit, one hope,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism. one
God and Father of US all, and back OF
this is the high priestly prayer OF Christ
for a oneness among His followers, like
that between Himself and the Father,
that the world may believe that God sent
Him. This is not a fraternity on the
humanitarian basis, as Of brothers born
Of the same parents, but a oneness like
that between Father and Christ, without
which the world will not believe that He
is the Christ"
The rector of Trinity, who. it is under
stood, projected the world conference,
probably comes nearest of the three to
definite programme for the united church
Of the future. His statement is:
Men in all communions are feeling
that there is still higher reason FOR
outward reunion than its practical ad-
vantages-great as these are. In all
communions men are coming to feel that
visible fellowship among His followers
is according to the mind and will OF
Jesus Christ, who prayed that they all
may be one I" that the world
may believe that Thou hast sent Me-
Men are realizing that unity cannot
be reached by compromise or by treat
ing matters of belief sas though they are
of small importance. Unity must be
reached by trying to see how much we
can all give that is true and vital, not
by trying to see how much we can give
up Unity does not mean uniformity.
It means agreement in essentials and
liberty In nonessentials. Outward re-
union will come through the inclusion
and recognition of every true principle
that is held by any of US and not by the
compromise or giving up OF any true
principle whatever.
The action Of the Episcopal conven-
ton looking toward a world conference
was taken in the belief that the time
has now come when representatives OF
the whole family Of Christ, led by the
Holy Spirit, may be willing to come to-
eether for mutual conference and coun-
sci in regard to those things which have
separated them. This is the hope Of the
world conference, that instead OF writ
ing treatises against each other and argu-
ing with each other at a distance, Chris
ttan men are now thinking Of coming
together, in the spirit of prayer and Of
love. for a face-to-face conference as to
the things that have divided them" .
Bautfsts Fear American Intervention
President Taft is just in receipt of an
appeal from the Rev. DR.. Henry L. More
house, Of the Baptist Home Mission So
ciety, not to intervene in Mexico. The
appeal originated with the Baptists OF
Mexico, who sent, through the Rev.
George II. Brewer, a formal statement
TO the effect that Intervention might
mean the sacrifce Of property, possibly
Of life, Of far greater extent than any
that may have occurred on the border.
During the past three or four years, say
these Baptist protesters, there has grown
up in Mexico q very strong anti-Ameri-
can sentiment, not so personal as repre-
sentative of vested rights and advan-
taees, and alliance with the same mo-
nopolies as insurrectos are now warning
against. Northern Baptists Of this coun-
try have missions in the City Of Mexico,
San Luis Potosi Pueblo, Oaxaca, and
other points in Southern Mexico. and
Baptists Of our Southern States have
missions in Northern Mexico. The for
mer have been little affected by the pres
ent troubles, but the latter have suf-
fered considerably. There are flourish
inR Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and