The Washington herald., 1911-01-14

Bridging Of Differences Between
Various Faiths and . Coinbination
Of Religious E1ort By Diaerent De-
noninations In This Country.
Christian people Of America have some
big plans on hand for the year now Just
opened. The most ambitious ones refer
to unity. Differences are to be buried If
possible. Episcopalians have two definite
plans with organizations b, hind them,
one Of them a'world conference. not prob
ably to be held this year. Both of
these look to union with Catholics, both
Greek and Roman. as well as with Prot
estant bodies. Disciples of Christ have
q plan and a committee behind it, and
there rs a Federal council. representing
omcially some thirty Protestant bodies,
that is working along federation lines.
but working toward unity. Within these
bodies cooperation and cc-crdination of
organizations are coming about as not
heretofore. Combination is everywhere,
with the trust principle left out as Is
claimed. Presbyterians, Baptists, Meth
odists, Roman Catholics, and, indeed, all
Of the large bodies have had something
to say about this getting together. a
few against, but nearly all for unity or
union. Some say there has long been
Christian unity and that church union Is
not to be desired. Others favor one re-
ligious body. and openly declare for
church union, the body Of Christ on
earth. a solid phalanx against sin. The
year now here will witness much Mort,
hear many sermons, and read much In
the newspapers, aiming to push on these
plans.
Drifting Toward Unity.
Congregationalists will readjust their
missionary machinery. and will also, if
possible. remake their entire denomina-
tional system to fit new ideas put forth
by the last national council. held late
last year. The tendency seems to be to-
ward centralization. IL not in co-opera-
ton and doctrine, at least in aggressive
and common work. Disciples Of Christ
will labor this year especially for bet
| ter education of ministerial candidates.
! for college endowments, for missions, and
for union. Practically the same tasks
are before Lutherans, with unity en-
phasized and assimilations Of foreign
speaking Lutherans added. Presbyte-
rians and Episcopalians are laying stress
| upon social service. and are entering the
| labor organizations. pleading for one
days rest in seven for 'workmen pro-
|
taking up the tuberculosis cause-fght-
| ing that and other disease. The feature
| Of this year. as Of many years past. viii
be a steady growth Of the larger re-
| ligious bodies. and the going to the wall
of the smaller ones. An exception to
| this rule is the Christian Science, whose
future. in the hands Of a male board Of
directors to administer a cult founded
by q woman, will be tested in some
M H,rpi - a
opinion seems to be. inside and outside
of the cult. that rows will be rather
less frequent than they have been. the
founder being gone None Of the small
bodies has on hand anything that now
seems likely to loom up into a national
religious movement during the year.
"Men and RELIGION Movement"
One Of the large religious undertakings
for 13n is the one in which ninety-seven
men. nearly all laymen. have Joined.
They call it a Men and Religion For
ward Movement" Between now and
September next, campaign preparations
are to be made, and then. from Septem-
Der, 1911, to May. 1872. the committee
will hold the biggest meetings in no
fewer than ninety principal cities ever
held in any country in the interest of
the Christian religion. The ninety-seven
men include George Wharton Pepper.
the Philadelphia lawyer and foremost
Episcopal leader; Hon. William Jennings
Bryan, Of political fame; Mr.. James G.
Cannon. the New York banker; Mr.. c. |!
8. Holt, Of Chicago, president of the |
Presbyterian Brotherhood: Mr.. H. D. |
W. English. president Of the Chamber |
of Commerce Of Pittsburg; Mr.. R. A. |
Long. the Kansas City lumberman;
Judge Selden P. Spencer, Of st. Louis; |
Mr.. Marion Lawrence, secretary of the |
International Sunday School Associa- |
tion, and Lieut.. Gov. Wallace, Of Cali |
fornia-
On Thursday Of last week, Fred B. |
Smith, of New York, who is general |
executive secretary Of the movement. !
his new Connecticut avenue residence.
and to a Herald representative he ex-
planned in some detail just what this
Men and Religion Campaign" proposes
TO accomplish. Said Mr.. Smith:
This men and religion campaign is /
made up Of the Young Mems Christian
Associations. the brotherhoods which are
now found in almost all religious bodies.
and the International Sunday School As
sociation. the one that publishes the
great Sunday school lesson series It's
aim is to further the Christian life of
the men and boys Of North America, and
its method Is to hold in ninety cities
conferences lasting q week each. that
are of such size as to challenge the at
tention of the public.
That up-to-date methods or systems
are to be employed is shown by the fact
that search is now making for men to
form teams OF specialists, the members
of which shall give eight months to the
campaign. Each Of the teams is to con-
tain six men, an expert in Bible study
work. one In evangelistic speaking and
preaching. . third In religious work for
Boys. . fourth In social service, . fifth
In shop and factory meetings. and q
sixth singing evangelist. These teams
ire to 60 from city to city. losing prac-
dcally no time between conferences.
use is to be made by the campaign of
students in colleges identified with the
Young Mems Christian Association, rail-
road men In the r11foad association
branches. the Brotherhood chapters, the
mems clubs in the churches. and Bible
classes in Sunday schools. It is sug-
rested by the COMMITTEES, which has lust ,
ssued Its nrst literature, that part OF
zach convention be street parade Of an
II these mem aud ~ far as possible Of
III tn An obi onS~s l